Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-08-23
papa has been writing to hlml" shs

Papa has been writing to himl" she
exclaimed
Writing to him? What for?7
He has asked him to pay us Visit
on the score of relationship, and your
father
'Well?" said the young man, excited
ly.
He says he will start Immediately
the very next day."
Let me see the date of the letter.
Ye gods! 1t has been delayed. He
must have got here this morning!"
THE train has been in two hours
she said, glancing at her watch.
Il must see him immediately said
her companion, nervously turning his
horse first one way and then another.
"Who would have dreamed that both
the old boys would take that cousin
ship so seriously?'
II did, sir. l knew from the very be-
ginning that it would make trouble
some time"
From the very beginning?" repeated
the young man, pausing in his excite
ment long enough to note the force or
this chance admission. So you ac-
knowledge, do you
There's the hotel bus" cried the
girl, hastily changing the subject. Per
haps the driver can tell us something
A long, empty vehicle was passing
them on its way UP the street. Strong
called to the driver, and he stopped.
did you bring UP tall gentleman
this morning, with white mustache
and goatee and gold eyeglasses?'
Eyes, sir. Your father. don't you
mean?'
The young people exchanged startled
glances.
How did you known"
Gle was inquiring for you, sir, as
soon as ever he got to the hotal, and
when he found you were gone he went
and hired a buggy"
"A buggy-what for?"
''He asked the way to Judge Wes-
tons place In the Montecito. He said
the Judge was near relative of his"
"A near relativer groaned the hor-
rified Strong, while his companion
turned away her face, although wheth-
er to conceal look Of anguish or
laugh will never be known.
The omnibus proceeded on its way.
1--WE must hurry" said the young
man, squirting his horse to a canter.
1.-The less time they have together be-
fore explanations are made the bet
ter"
What do you think they will do?"
asked the girl.
II don't dare to think. You see on
everything except this family tree bust
ness our respective parents are as far
apart as civilized humans can be.
Your father, now, is an elder in the
church, while mine has lost all the re-
ligion he ever had, and he has never
recovered from the habit Of using
swear words acquired during years of
service in the regular army"
80 dear! o dear!'
Then, again, judge Weston is an
ardent Republican"
"And is your father Democratic"
Worse thar that-he is a Mug
wump.'
How interesting! I have always
longed to see one of them
And my father believes that Bacon
wrote Shakespeare's plays"
Heavens. Let US ride faster. Papa
will have slain him before we get
there
Really, Catherine" said the young
man, when they had slackened their
pace to climb the hills, "it would not
surprise me if they had positively re-
fused to enter into partnership as
fathers-in-law."
"Never mind, Richard said the girl
smilingly. Father has never yet re-
fused me anything when my happiness
was at stake. as it is now
Strong shrugged his shoulders mine
has" he answered. He is made of
flint, the old general, and if he should
take it into his head to say no it would
be awkward in ways don't like to
mention.
Never mind said the girl, smiling
On a slight knoll surrounded by a
grove of live oaks and faced with an
avenue OF old palms stood the ample
residence of Judge Weston. AS the
young people came through the gate
and entered upon the graveled roadway
they observed two elderly gentlemen
emerge from small forest of rose
bushes and start briskly down the path
toward them. Presently the shorter of
the two took his companions arm, and
Cney WdlkSu dAoiiS III SNloeHl pedSc
and amity
sThey haven't found it out yet" the
young man whispered.
Judge Weston assisted his daughter
to alight. catherine" said he." this is
General Strong, the father of our young
friend"
The general bent low in an old-fash-
toned obeisance, and Miss Catherine
instinctively made him courtesy out
of the minuet.
Father
"Dick, my dear boy!"
.See here" exclaimed the judge sud.
denly "You were mistaken, Richard,
in what you told me about old Eben-
ezer Strong"
The young man braced himself for
struggle.
"And to think. Dick cried the gen
eral responsibility that you never
once mentioned; to the judge that your
great-great grandfather, Hezekiah
Strong, married Weston"
"And that brings us even nearer than
we had supposed" added the judge;
fourth cousins instead of fifth"
ut was stupid of me to forget that"
said the young man huskily
"And now that have seen Miss Cath
crime" said the general, taking her
hand, and passing his arm about her
waist, my only regret is that the re-
lationship is not several degrees nearer
yet"
Then Catherine looked at Richard,
and he teld what had happened on the
csL.-.