The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1896-07-24
FORREST CITY, ARK, FRIDAY AFTERNOON JULY a. 1896
ness. which, as quickly changed 70

ness, which, as quickly changed 70
something like tender remorse.
Minnie's room was next to mine,
and slight noise was easily heard
through the thin partition, but every
thing was so absolutely still tha. night
i thought | could hear her breathe.
The offensive smoke of the farmers
pipe greeted my nostrils as the clock
struck one. Its reverbera ton had hard
ly ceased, when, from my window,
watched his dark shadow creep around
near the corner, under the shrubbery,
which offered point of vantage of his
daughters room.
Slowly and silently an hour passed,
and the clock in the dining-room loud.
ly tolled, lone, two" The old man
waited ten minutes longer, then dragged
himself from the bushes. could clear.
ly distinguish his tall, lean figure a,
he stood, apparently gazing up to the
window of his daughters room. Some.
thing dropped from his hand, clattcr
ing as it struck the ground, and he
started into the house. He shuffled OF
his shoes in the hall, and with awkward
There was slight jar. sudden rustic
in the adjoining room, then distinctly
heard the girls regular breathing.
He neither stopped to listen or knock
The door must have been open for he en-
tered Immediately. A chair stood in the
way; he stumbled over it, making a
great racket on the uncovered floor.
Minnie's voice came sleepily: What's
tn matter?" but at the sound of her
fathers gruff, anxious: Air ye thar,
darter?" she sat up, wide awake, ex-
claiming:
'Why, daddy. whut's up? Air ye
sick?"
"Yes, air sick-sick ter death o. this
cussed business"
why, whut's tn matter wi you,
father?" (She called him father when
very affectionate.)
Minnie, tell me true--tell yer oil
daddy, didn't We hev no notion o. run
MIN away ter-night?"
"Not the least in tn world, We pore OF
honey daddy; whatever put it into yer
head?"
IAN hev ye no notion O. whippin' off
wi Hiram-ain't him an you comm no
game on yer oil daddy?"
"A fair enough game, father; We know
well enough Hiram an me hev been
sweethearts long time, an we hev been
waitin' patient fer yer consent. Ishant
never like no other man like do him,
| an l think sometime my dear OF daddy
II give in, fer he's right clever at heart:
an eff we kin wait fer his consent, when
we might run off easy enough, don't it
look like we1l stand by we as long as we
ive?-don't it, daddy?"
l could imagine how Minnie caught
his hands, and how the poor, wornout
old man succumbed, just as his artful,
him give broken sob, then her low,
comforting tones, reassuring him.
The old andirons reflected Mnnie's
brightness as she stepped to the door,
and announced breakfast that morn
ing; and perhaps it was no wonder that
| could think of nothing more inspir-
ing all day than the girls happiness and
loyalty, as she excused herself for MAX
ing the meal trife later than usual.
Il was bound ter give father some
thin good this mornin'-he's deservin'
it, fer he's promised ter set me an Hi
ram up in housekeepin', an ter stay by
us all his life she said with a tender
glance at the old man, who. hastily
eulped down his coffee, declaring jocose-
ly, he'd take it all back if she failed to
continue to feed him on the present ex-
cellent fare.