The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-04-27
SHE WAS a WOMAN.
For h Reason There Was No OccAsin
for Surprise.

For This Reason There Was No OccAsinn
for Surprise.
The sun beat down that blisterine
afternoon on the little adobe cabin
just beyond the arroyo, and on the far
side in the shade sat two sweitering
cow-prnchers with a pack of cards be-
tween :hsn. 1t was too hot for even
this mild exercise, but it served to keep
their minds off the weather, and they
played lazily along. At last n of
them threw his cards down.
by gravy. Bill" he exclaimed, II
can't play any more"
What's the matter?" inquired Bill.
TOO hot for you?"
NO: faint that, though the Lord
knows it's most hot enough for any
thing. It's hat little girl down there
at old Slocum's."
whats she got to do with the
game?" asked Bill in surprise.
Nothing much, 1 guess, but a good
deal with me-"
Howe" and Bill picked up the pack
and began shutting the cards aim
lessly.
"Oh, L don't know.
"Stuck on her??" inquired Bill with a
laugh, which struck his companion as
rather harsh.
Not exactly, I guess"
"She's the purtiest thing in this val
ley" said Bill admiringly.
81 know it" admitted the other. IT
was down there last night and she vas
sweeter than ever"
WELL" impatiently, what are you
going to do about it?"
What would you adviser"
THAT depends upon what kind of
advice you want"
81 was thinking about marrying
her"
Bill gave a long whistle and stopped
shufiing the cards.
What, marry a haifbreed, and you
having the kind of folks you have back
in the east?" he said seriously.
II don't see how l can get out of
it ~honorably," he reluctantly con
fessed.
Nothing between you, is there?"
was the nervous inquiry.
"Oh, no; but you see I've been going
down there to see her for six months
now, and she has been kind of ex-
pecting me to come. l didn't think
much about it at first, but now,
blame me if / don't think about her
pretty much all the time. The last
four or five times I've been to see her,
she showed me straight that she
thought a lot of me, and last night she
told me everything, and said if L left
her her heart would break and she
would drown herself in the river. 1
can't stand that, you know, and be-
sides, I'd rather marry her myself than
have anybody else marry her."
"She1l git old man Slocum's property
when he goes over the divide" said
Bill, thoughtfully, "and that's worth a
pile"
"Yes, but 1 don't care for that. It's
the girl and my own honorable action
in the matter"
They talked until the sun had sunk
behind the mountain, and by that time
it was decided that Bill would go with
his friend Joe. and settle the business
with the girls father, old man Slocum.
Early the next morning they set out,
and before the sun had reached the hot
place in the heavens they were at
Slocum's.
where's Meg?" asked Joe, after they
had passed the compliments of the
morning.
'Oh, she's skipped" answered Slo-
cum, with alaugh.
'Skipped?" gasped Joe.
"Yes; skipped some time in the night
with Pete Smiley, and she needn't a
done it, for Pete was agreeable to me-"
and he laughed again.
Joe felt something rise in his throat
and drop back again like a piece of
lead. Bill looked at him curiously.
Gals will be gals" said Bill, turning
to Slocum, but what we come down
here to see you about, Mr.. Slocum, is
cattle" and he carried it through no
bly.-Detroit Free Press.