The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-07-06

it happened. He was a good fellow all
over, was Lem, as guilelcss as a baby and
as honest as the sunlight, and when l ask
ed my question he>blushed and grinned.
"She was tuck by my good lucks," he
laughed.
"Of course, of course" 1 laughed back,
"anybody ought to see that, but my eye
sight is weak. Tell me what you did to
win herr
WIZ
THAT Won't go, Lemuel. You are not
the kind that win that way. You must
have made Yourself attractive in some 9TH
er way"
Hope to die, colonel, eff l did" he in
sisted. ~ jist wuz, and she got tuck"
Didn't you court her pretty hard?''
Did T.; and he drew a long breath as
of relief at the thought OF its being over.
well. l should say l did. Why, l come
mighty nigh mortgidgin the farm to git
her things she didn't seem to want when I
give EN- to her
But you kept at it,"
II reckon not he laughed. "A1l NV a
sudden I sot in fer Mary Finnel and give
the store folks a rest on %buyin."
Then what happened:' l inquired,
with a hope that would now get some in
formation.
He laughed a low. gurgling laugh, such
as a boy would give vent to when caught
in some Of his natural depredations.
well" he said. "she kinder snapped
ends on t'other fellers and swung round
my way. bur l wuzn't givin a inch, and l
didn't have 10 talk with her fer mighty
nigh two weeks. and then one evenin as |
vuz passin her house on my way to
Nary',. and she knowed it, l seen her
hangin on the gate lookin out into the fu-
ture. er somethin Nv that sort that | seen
a pioter Nv onct an agent wuz sellln.
Good evenin, says l, not otferin to
stop,
GOOD evcnin. = says she. Pears to me
= you re in a powerful. hurry
".Kinder.' savS !, "slacliin up some. I
z promised to be down to Mary's bout this
time.
'.1he kinder looked down at the ground
when | told her that and kicked a little
rock Witt q the path that WIZ layln thar,
and ! fu-t like i sheep stealth dog fer sayln
. what ! lad.
i .Ile~kon you'd better be hurryin along
then. tor Nary amt the kind that likes TO
be KEEP Wjltin.' SAYS she.
"'Ain't you kinder lonesome waitin
Y hver by yerself, Susan says l, half way
: tryin to pull the gate open, but she held it
shet.
: ~ reckon IwUz.' says she. That
t why | come L and EUngcn the gate. IT.
mighty still like in the house.
"'You reckon you WuZ: says /. Amt
YOU now And l chuckled myself fol
u ketchin her,
/. "'P'r'aps I am. and p'r'aps l amt,
she sniggered and tossed her head.
Il tried to open the gate, but she hel(
. it shet.
Is "'Ef you want me to stay, why dom
n you say so:' says l, gittin ugly.
~ reckon you kin eff you want to,
says She, mighty pesky.
re-. :" SUSAN SAYS I, what's the use u
foolin:'
4 "'Foolin about WHAT says she.
e. "'ANout me ard YOU says |.
g. "'I ain / a~-too!in, says she.
"'You ali. says l, an YOU know it.
" "'E.f YOU don't like me. Lem SEaggs,
y says she. briG..n up all over, you kin g
:. long. Giaatax you to stop, dir
20 "'But do Ike you SUSAN, says l, git
tin skecrt ard tryin to pull the gate opel
SOS I could 81 'tenOugh to her to Goa
le her.
q ~ reckon you like Mary Finnell
~. sight better, says she, holdin the gat
ag'in ne.
re ~ reckon Idon't.' says l. And l coul
y feel the gate give Il Little.
@. "'Tou wouldn't talk that away ct sh
WIZ III hGurin distance says She.
- "'Wou!dn't I*says l. And / lcaved an
w sot on the gate, but it didn't move d peg
" You jist fetch her up here and see eff
he Wouldn't
w. "'No. you jist go down thar, says sht
That's whar you started fer.
H. ~ didn't do nothin Nv the sort, say
Of l, gittin despriter every minute.
IN You told me you did, says she. And
cUl..M. feel the gate give some, and the
N she, Up ag IN.
Sc. You oushter know, Susan, says
ial serious. tina, l wuz jist a-foolin.' And
h. could feel the gate a-givin way and shetti
49, and then givin way ag'in.
oh- An you amt lyin now, Lem?' sa.
!. she, a heap sight softer than any time
her life.
his "'Course l amt, Susan, says l. Al
the gate come open about six inches.
u "'Ef l only thought you wuzn't, Lem
OF says she, lettin the gate slip my way
1t !eetle more every minute.
~ "'You know l amt, Susan says l, gi
IN the gate the strongest pull yit. w
uh- know it, and you know l never give
of snap NV my finger fer any other gal
est these parts and that all the time I've be-
a-hankcrin after you and wantin you t
20 my wife. but you KEEP foolin with me
req along and Dustin my heart mighty mig
ink and maxim me want to go Oft and chop
lgh tree down OF myself ~" khow II, S Ss
~ and the gate swung wide open.
csc "'Mhat about Marys' says she, stand
- 49, T.. ,~1 1nll-s, rxrn.t nv , n pnsc