Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-10-03
HONORABLE INTENTIONS.

His name was Jim llitrhcnS, and ne
was a carpenter TO his trade" Her
name was Mclia and she was old
Binks' daughter and the neat little
brass plate affixed to the door of her
modest abode bore the inscription,
Miss Kinks, dWSSmakcr."
Miss RinkS was very genttcl
young woman. and that in aspiring
to keep company with her Jim
Kitchens was considered to hc de-
cidelly "hettcriug" himself
Keeping company being. It should hr
observed, Il sort If intermediary
process something between mere or
binary acQuaintanc~hip and that
more definite and satisfactory condl.
ton which is assumed only on being
actually invited to "namc the day"
Consequently, when repeat that
Jim Kitchens and Miss BtnkS were
keeping company. do not wish to inn
ply that they we're by any means ar
rived at that hliSSful condition which,
in higher walk of life is known as
"heing engaged"
O, dear, no. Matters were not
nearly so far advanced as that, though
ii was possible that, with time and
care, they might reach such a point
Jim Kitchens had not been keeping
company with Miss BinkS for moro
than 10 years ut Il stretch. and those
people who insisted on reckoning the
time as - did not really know the
inS and outs OF the affair half SO we'll
as they pretended, the additional 10
years which they thus indiscriminatcly
tackled on to the period OF probation
having merely been passed In n species
Of light Skirmishing and entirely with
out prejudice
And so they kept company.
Every sunday afternoon at $50, Jim,
in all the unaCCustomed glory Of a
clean shave and his Sunday suit-you
could tell his Sunday sui, at the end
of the street by the rreases in it.
called for Miss Binks, and they made
a solemn progress "down street" or
up street" as inclination or the force
Of circumstances directed.
There was not great deal Of con
versation INDUCED in, because, in or
der to converse brilliantly it is, IL not
necessary. ut least advisable to haze
some topic on which to express opn.
ions; consequently, as Miss Binks had
no opinions outside her own business,
and always talked most freely with n
row OF pins betWee her teeth, and
Jim Kitchens was equally circum-
Scribcd in his ideas. not many words
passed between them on these occa-
sons.
Just as the gentleman was on the
point Of taking his departure, the lady
would be apparently struck by an
original idea
u S'pOSe you wouldn't come in and
| take a cup o tea along Of father and
me?" sire would inquire, with modest
ditiidence.
This unexpected invitation, though
repeated Sunday after Sunday, as the
years rolled by, never failed to take
Mr., Kitchens entirely by surprise
"Wcll," rubbing his left whIsker. 81
dunno but o course If you puts IT
that way. Miss BinkF, why"
Then she would open the door, and
he would follow her meekly into lit.
tie room where a little old man would
be doing peacefully In an elbow
chair with n blue cotton handkerchief
spotted with white, over his head.
Miss Bnks would take off the kettle,
and then turning to the little old man,
bend down and shout in his ear:
"Fa-ather! Here's Mr.. Kitchens
come to take tea along Of you"
Whercupon her little parent would
whisk the blue cotton handkerchief Off
his head and betray vast establishment
at tho sight Of the visitor
"Lor now, 10 think O that-Mls-tcr
'Itchens. We'll. bless mo, this Is a
surprise"
After ten Jim invariably e,cort"1
Mss Binks to chapel. and sa beside
hcr III tie gallery
Ills words on parting from her at
the door FOR matters were not adj
yanend 2 the state that he could ex-
poet 10 be asked 70 supper supper be-
ins a more confidential and cornpro-
m'@.n' meal Than tea would gpucr-
ally bc something H. this style
n dunno, Miss Blnks. whether you'd
bc ta.ak.u' . takin' a walk ucxt sun.
day II TIE weather 'ol9> upF"