Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-06-08

q
- WA the gentle animal |
~ S5 stood quietly while |
svt%SJE m the maiden took her |
.S place with the milk. |
49, zYfE. Ing stool, and soon
&C therccame the rhyth. |
mlcal sound Of the warm, swcet-smell.
Ing milk % In Intermittent streams Il
struck the shining sides Of the tin milk
pail.
Il was . beautiful evening in late
June and the air was filled with the
peculiar fragrance exhaled BY rapidly
growing vegetation. An ancient and
untrlmmed sweet brinr half hid with
IT. tangled mass the fence which sepa.
rated the roadway from the milkyard,
and sent forth from its countless pink
blossoms q pleasing aroma.
1t WINS o pretty picture--thc mild.
eyed COW contentedly chewing her cud
and patiently submitting to the firm,
deft hands Of the girl. whose white
arms were barred to tho elbow and
whose wealth Of rich brown hair was
partly revealed by the sun bonnet
which she had thrown back in order to
enjoy to the fullest the deliciously cool
summer evening Dir.
At least Arson Harding considered II
. pretty picture, as he stood leaning
on the bars waiting for an opportunity
to talk with the girl. He was an nd.
mirer Of rural beauty and could fully
appreciate tho romantic, especially n
they came In line with bis financial In.
terests and personal advancement. To
. man who had gone the limit and was
very much In need Of q stake" Farm.
er Madden's rich acres and comfortable
bank account looked very attractive.
With them, or with the generous Dor.
tdon Of them which would come to the
man 20 fortunate 40 to win the only
daughters hand, he would be ''again
on earth" and with his old friends at
the faro table flirting with his darling
goddess Of chance.
True, Mr.. Harding would have pre-
ferred the money without the girl. But
there was no way of satisfying such o
preference. To get the one he must
win the other. Emma Madden was at.
tractive enough-deliclously 20, he
tnought-and he liked her very much.
It was delightful to watch her grace
full movements, to play the gallant to
the unsophisticated maiden, to test his
influence over her. and to watch the
color come and go In her face an no
talked to her. But-wcll, what would
he do with wife. and especially such
. wife? He could not give up the life
he had led 20 long. and AZ for her, she
certainly would never come to his way
Of thinking. But the money? He must
have that And II the girl was foolish
enough to be miserable and disappoint.
ed In him after marriage that was her
affair.
The hired man had already visited
the milk stand twice to empty his pail
into the large can. which would be
earted to the cheese factory at daylight
next morning, and vaguely wondered
II Emma was going to spend the entire
evening milking one COW. Even Nellie
turned her head inQuiringly as II to
discover why the process Of relieving
her Of her tactical store was 30 unusual.
" prolonged.
Emma had ceen the trim, well dressed
figure at the bars and with the spirit
natural to all women, from the fash.
ionable ball room favorite to the unso.
phisticated rural maiden, delighted 10
innicting o little torture. With Bob
Russell. her neighbor and life.lonp
lover, her little efforts In this direc.
ton had been immensely successful,
and poor, earnest. loving Bob had sui.
fered many. many times from her play.
full cruelty, much more than she knew
But with Harding-well, he just smiled
and waited.
When Emma could daily no longer
without making her efforts to tease
too palpable. she arose and came to
ward the milk stand beside the bars a,
demurely as though she didn't know
Harding was waiting for her and al
though her foolish little heart were no,
beating just shade more rapidly thar
usual.
She was scarcely a beautiful girl
but she was something more than
pretty. Her tall figure was carried
with q charming grace. natural rather
than acquired. Her shoulders, some
what too square for woman, wer,
surm0unted by q neck as white an(
delicately chiseled a. marble column
while her throat, partly revealed by thu
loosely fitting gown, was a glimmerinl
gem Of snow.white purity. Her face
With it's large. blue eyes, was fair, witt
q healthy glow In the cheeks, and few
light brown frecklcs enhanced rathe
than marred its rural attractiveness.
As she approached Harding. that gen
tieman welcomed her with prOfOunt
bow and his most alluring smile.
"Good evening, Miss Emma; truly {
most charming rural picture, yo'
know; pretty milkmaid. lowing kim
and all that sort Of thing, you know
ayes, and not even the calf II lacking
to complete the picture"
It was mans voice, and both turne'
to behold the figure Of Bob Russell
clad In his farmers blouse, long boot
and wide straw hat He had q whit
hetree over bis shoulder and bis plov
team were slowly following him In th
distance. The sisl's syep sparkled, ~.
Harding's face grew white at the insul
conveyed In Russell's remark. He cal
nothing, however. for he knew fror
axpssisncs thst b stood no chane