The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-03-23

u uSfVg, COnHdent way tnaI was 1Trl-.
tating. Aud the Hunnistan girl was
quite willing--said she'd be delighted,
and he walked her off as ifhe could have
the earth for the asking. Charley said:
"What an ill-bred savage, with as
much idea of propriety as an opangou-
tangl" He can be awfully cutting at
times.
We didn't see him again until evening,
when we greeted him as Mr.. Rumshaw.
He corrected US again, in his blunt, cold
blooded manner; he was the most uncon.
ventional man that way. Miss Hunnis.
tan seemed fascinated by the fellow. In
the evening they promenaded on the
piazza again; he was an awful man to
walk, seemed to want to move all the
time.
In the morning we found that he had
routed Miss Hunnlstan out at five
o'clock, and taken her up the lake in
Charley's canoe. He brought her back
at eight, and ate his breakfast with the
most brutal affability, as if nothing had
happened. Most people are little stiff
and grumpy mornings, but he wasn't;
always had a plebian, good natured way
with him. After breakfast Charley and
l said:
"Good morning, Mr.. Handshaw."
He stopped and said he wanted
word with US. We walked down the
path way, and he said:
"Now, you look here, my name isn't
Handshaw or Rumshaw or Harkshaw.
but Grimsnaw -G-r-i-m-s-h s-h-a-w; if
either of you forgets this any more in
future, I'll take you both down to the
lake and drop you in where it's deep,
with sinker tied around you."
Then he went back to the hotel. OF
course, his threats were absurd; but,
someway, when the beggar looked at you
it made you feel Uncomfortable and want
to move away--so we let his name alone
after that. He took Miss Hunnistan and
her father out fishing that morning.
After lunch, which he called "dinner"
ard ate great deal of, he was obliged
to give up Miss Hunnistan, because he
had tired her out. We wondered what
he would do then. Instead of coming
around where us men were, he went
down in ravine at the south end of the
hotel, where lot of children were build
ing dam. The fellow was simply i'm
possible, that's all. You could never tell
how to take him.
Well, things went on this way for two
weeks. None of us could get more than
a word at time with Miss Hunnistan.
When this person wasn't talking to the
old man about ''subdivisions" and sim
side property" and "additions," he was
trotting the girl off walking, or boating,
or swimming, or something. Once when
some of us went up to the point, we
came to place in the woods that looked
like snakes or frogs; he picked Miss
Hunnistan up as if she was luggage, and
carried her across on one arm, while the
rest of US went around Laughed all the
time, too, as if he was doing something
smart.
We found out that he had been born
out in Minnesota; think OF it! When he
was fifteen years old he was peanut
boy on the train, and then somehow he
got into the real estate business. He
didn't smoke, and wouldn't even drink
wine. His talk about cigarettes was the
most indelicate buffoonery. He had
never read anything but Shakespeare,
much, and he knew two songs, Crock
of Ages" and "Tne Bridge" that he
was liable TO sing at any hour. He
always said "Yes, ma'am" and S'No,
ma'am," and seemed to like old Lady
Hrnnistan about as well as her daugh-
ter.
Once the Van Stuhter boy knocked
down a nest full of young birds. This
fellow saw him, aud he showed fend-
ish temper. He says to him, "Here,
you little imp~ aud grabbed him by the
collar au1 shook him viciously. We
couldn't hear what else he said because
the kid yelled so /; but he made him take
the birds away into the woods where the
cat wouldn't find them, and the by
never went around on that side OF the
house much after that.
Charley and l had gone down to an
arbor one afternoon for quiet smoke.
Charley had given it up; he said the
uunnfstans weren't much as far as
family goes, and he knew where he could
do better any day. We decided to 90
back to town. As we came out, we saw
farther down the path this fellow and
the Hunnistan girl; they were walking
together with their heads bent over, and
he had one of his big awkward arms clear
around her. Charley is really witty at
times; he said:
There's something about that girl
don't like" Good, wasn't itl
After that it wasn't any secret that
they were engaged. suppose he went
at it In his pushing, matrer-og-fact way,
without saying word about the girls
money, and pretending not to think OF
it at all. He did seem to be fond OF her,
though; never took his eyes Oft when
she was in sight. All the same, | think
ne mesmerized her, or something like
that, if the truth was known. Old
Hunnistan said he was rustler and had
made money. l can't see how ne ever
got his start. Puck,