The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-08-31
A WESTERN WOOING.
ny X Kate M. CLEARLY.

People had become rather tired of
the romance. Perhaps in part because
it had ceased to be romantic. When
first Andulasia Stcbbins had come out
from Illinois to live with hee mother
and stepfather on the Nebraska prairie
it was considered by the ncighboring
farmer folk quite proper, rcbablc and
desirable that Ira Harris, whose half
section joinrd that Of her fela tices,
should fall in love with hcr-which he
promptly did.
Ira was thirty, stout, stolid, loutish,
nethodical. He was a successful man.
This is hardly to be explained of n per-
Son with the characteristics mentioned
unless one includes selfishncss. 10 be
Supremacy selfish Is SO frequently to be
successful. At the time of their meet
Ing Antlulasia was tarenty-seven. There
are women of twcl,ty-seven and women
of twcnty-scren. She was ono of the
latter. With her square figure, her
unequivocal complexion, her dull
brown hair, and her calculating eyes
she looked her years. One would never
excuse her mistakes on the ground of
tnimaturity. One could never condonc
them on that of impulse. Indeed. to
attribute to her certain errors would
be subtle flattery. She was not the
kind of n woman who is ordinarily sub
jectcd to temptation
Harris, however, accepted her pro-
pinquity and her affection much as he
accepted the drought or the price OF
hogs. lie was willing she should de-
cline the company of other men on his
account. He reasoned that if her step
father, old man Solvcriny, were to
clear off the mortgage on his place and
die, and if the two Sicl<ly young Sol
verinys died also, she would be wealthy
in her own right, as wealth is cstilna ted
in the Philistinc west. Consequently
it might prove a prudent proceeding to
wait for Andulnsia.
So he waited.
A year after their acquaintance be-
gan no gave her an inkling of his senti-
mems Her concurrence with his
views was almost pathetic. 1t was
alert. reciprocal, conclusive. Matri-
mony at some indefinite date they
might look forward to. Such an in
discretion at the present time would
be trcmcnd GUS mistake.
'Of course, Ira she said. Glands
land. And if my stcpfather and your
mother--who is mighty feeble, | notice
ana the twins don't die there won't be
any land for worth mentioning,
1r'.ch less a-marryin' on
Nevertheless she felt the years,
two, three, four passed, that her ac-
&C ptance Of his suggestion had been n
tr;fle ovcremphatic and unconsidered
Fate, she could not in justice rail
against. One Of the twins succumbed
to ivy poisoning. The other. Il few
III ,nths later. was run down by the
train. Andulasia's stepfather went
TIL. way of the apoplectic, and 1ra's
sc usation she might have caused
slipped from life in the most meek,
gentecl and unimpressivc manner
ina ginable. Then there was only Ira
on one farm, and Andulasia and her
mother on the other. No apparent OBJ
st1cle interviewed. Still Ira did not
speak, and it was seven years since
AI,ciulas STA had CONC from Illinois lie
frequently visited her, helped her. and
deferred to her. lie carried her but
ter and eggs into town and "traded'
thrm; when the circus was in the coun-
ty seat, he drove her there; he took
her into the side show where the fat
woman was on exhibition: he bought
he: pink lemonade, and peanuts, and
hot candy made on the grounds He
escorted her to the merry-go-round at
M:lhasl1a and rode side by side with
her on the spotted ponies. lie drove
her into town twice = week. They IT.
tended prayer meeting together They
both profcsscd religion at the revival.
lie bought eleven tickets for her crazy
quilt rattle. lie was in all things her
constant and dependa bic cavalier, but
he never once mentioned marriage
never once.
In this manner eight more years
passed. She was fortytwo. He was
forty-five. He was stouter, more stolid.
She had some wrinkles, gold filings
in her teeth, a reputation for iraScibil-
ity-also a comfortable bank account.
One day Ira brought Andulasia let
ter. 1t was from her mothers brother
w ho lived in Iowa. He was dying. He
wished to see her. She handed Ira the
letter.
'Shall go?'' she asked.
Harris deliberated. HAS he 1noncy?''
he questioned.
"Yes.''
''Then 60"
He cav her off the next day. she
wore a new dress that didn't fit in the
back The skirt was too short at tho
Sides Her shoes were dusty. The
heat had taken the curl out of her
bangs. She had forgotten to bring the
piece of channels skin with the powder
on it. which she was in the habit OF
using surreptitiously. Her nose shone
as if polished. She wore kid gloves
which were too large.
The train vas late. AS they walked
up and down the platform she talked
to Ira steadily and monotonously. She
warned him about the brindle COW,
and advised him concerning 4 piece OF
his fence which needed repairing
He heard her. bat all he time he
was watching a girl who played with
the agents children in a green patch
near the station. She was a little
l. e,,r;&o who had from