Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-02-22

said, you're all in one boat now.
You're all watching each other, and
nobodys going to get the chance 10 go
out to Bar alone"
THE best thing for this yere crowd
Z do" said old Hank Pearsall from q
back seat, where he had been quietly
smoking, sis to come long 18th me In .
body up TO the Bar O. Most all tho
available matrimonial timber o. Harter
cOunty's hyer I'm well 'quainted 18th
the lady, an I'll engage q ask her, free
an conHdcnshull, II there's ennything
in the lot she can make out with"
I'VE really ought TO go over TO say
good-by," said the storekeeper anxious
ly. you boys can come in my room
here and fix yourselves up"
II the storekeeper favored the plan
because he thought II might help him
10 dispose Of curious drift OF gents
furnishings" on his shelves, which
seemed to have accumulated there some
time during the pliocene period, he was
highly successful
Purchases were solemnly and Judi
cially made. The basin, towel, broken
mirror and blase comb in the corner
were in constant and violent requisi-
| tion, and for half an hour the rear end
of the store looked like the greenroom
of any amateur theatrical troupe. Then
the shutters were put up the lights out.
ponies mounted, and the cavalcade took
its way, with courage that ebbed ~
every step, 10 the Bar o.
Miss Eula seemed somewhat awed
and astonished, not ut the visit-such
/ A,,xl.n. h.~
stay-but ut the manner Of her visitors.
They might, had the number been suf-
ficient, have been readily taken for the
pall-benrers going in q body to q
funeral
When the party was finally seated,
there fell solemn hush. Old Hank
Pearsall, who seemed TO consider him
solf elected chairman of the meeting by
the silent suffrage of the eye, deemed
this Il fitting time to speak. Rising, he
waved his hand toward his companions
like a Snowman exhibiting n COLLECTION
of curious animals
I'VE heerd, miss" he said, "thet you
wuz thinlkin' o. loavin us. Harter
county IL miss ye. They amt nothin'
larter county wouldn't do to try TO
keep yc. IT seemed to some o. us
thet ef yer wuz pervided weth q sat
isiacto;y pardner, ye might be moro
in ther notion Z settle hyer. Now
this" with another comprehensive ges-
cure, "ez the layout" lie spoke with
some depression, us though the goods.
on the whole, did not look as we'll ss
he had expected. You know thor
tricks an galts by this time, ma'am,
an whether there's anything In the
drove 'twould do ye. Some's old, but
praps they'r stiddier; none o. 'em don't
handsome very much, but they're all
tolIable sound an kind, an II tn one
y pick don't travel jist to suit ye, here's
tn rest o. us to wallup him into shape
fer ye. Can we trader"
Some years ago, all well-conducted
females were represented, In literature
at least, as fainting upon receiving q
proposal of marriage. 1t Is to be re-
corded to the credit of Miss Eula's
nerves that, on receiving u round half
dozen at one blow, she neither tainted
nor screamed.
"Why, the fact is, gentlemen" said
she, divided between amusement and
alarm, that your proposals overwhelm
me; it's $3.50 Texan, If you'll permit
| the expression. l really think too
much of all of You collectively to ac-
ccpt any one individually"
This sounded well; but somehow II
was rather unsatisfactory. The band Of
suitors looked one at the other to see II
any comfort might be extracted from
it, and, finding none, looked gloomily
down and twirled their hats.
Seeing unrelieved depression, Miss
| Eula tried again The fact is" she
said "that your kind offers-or offer
comes too late, anyhow. I'm engaged
already; in fact, I'm going home 10 be
married."
Deeper gloom on every face. "Some
| tcnderfoot chump," con6ded Pret
Somers to the depth of his sombrero;
"Some feller . d run from a COW, and
couldn't ride live horse or rope q
steer If his life depended on i'll"
"Why, no." answered Miss Eula with
some embarrassment "rm going 10
marry q gentleman that you all know
well-a-a--a fellow-citizen Of yours."
They looked at each other in con-
sternation at the mention Of dark
horse. They had thought that all the
eligible bachelorhood of Harter county
was then within those four walls.
Its Mr.. Norton Willis, our neigh
Dor on the north here" she added.
blushingly.
The Wornl
The company arose with solemn
alacrity, shook their hostess hand, and
filed out.
"Well," remarked Hank Pearsall,
cheerfully, you'll hev T. let up tallSin'
bout Nort's luck after this l reckon
he amt no early worm in this trade"
~ don't know" said the storekeeper,
with that acrid cynicism which ono
Esop informs us u certain fox once
displayed in matter OF grapesi
"mebby she's the early birdi"-Times.
Democrat.