The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1896-07-24

Ter boot"
Hiram was reused at last, his ewes
cleaned, he stepped forward with sn
angry ejaculation, but Minnie quickly
intercepted with commanding gesture.
and the entreaty: Don't say word .er
daddy. Go out onter tn gallery n I'll
come in er minute. Now. daddy" she
began, admirably controlling herself.
'ye kin hev tn fire, an tn light, tn
hall, an tn hull house-th' gallery is
good enough fer me an Hiram, but eff
you drive him away from that, | will
go, too"
The old farmer gazed stupidity at bis
daughter. She evidently meant what
she said and he was not prepared to
carry hostilities further that night, so
he uttered no word as she shut the door
behind her-carefully avoiding slam
ming it, but it closed, nevertheless,
with certain emphasis.
Hiram kept up his visits regularly
Tor more than year, and though the
fathers reception was always marked
ly cool, he never again attempted to
insult him.
One night the suitor ventured to say:
''I'm comm for Minnie some day."
well, ye needn't, young man; an
We won't eff ye know when ye're well
off, was the gruff retort.
AT one time Minnie tried to reason
with her father, but was unsuccess-
full, l knew by her red eyes and tagging
steps. She seemed in deep though, for
few days, then she frightened, and
went about ner duties with unusual
lightness and song.
l could see that her father watched
her every mood, and that he really dotted
on his mothcrless daughter, for an ex-
presslon of immense relief appeared OH
his face as soon as she was light-heart.
ed.
One morning he came into the kitchtn
in towering rage, accusing Minnie of
intending to elope with Hiram.
Size met him calmly. even smilin"
little triumphantly, thought, as che
answered, reassurlngly: "Ye needn't
fear. father, amt going ter do no min
Nv The kind
'She'd better not" he fumcd; "if
Ii thing, he'd turn her out of his houcc.
ned disinherit her. he'd never lool ut
her again"
Somehow the storm did not dam zen
the girls spirit. She hummed tune
as she set the meal on the table, and
the old man, as if ashamed of his uds-
sion. praise her for a mighty GOO 4
dinner. But again in a few days he
heard the story repeated; this time
twitting her of it half jocularly, though
he studied her furlively, as she replied,
mirthfully:
Most any girl with such a cross old
daddy would do ii, and no one would
blame her." she said. Noting his
frown, however, she added, wistfully:
I'D ruther hev my fathers consent ter
being married" @
He did not seem quite satisfied, and
though he said nothing more, he sat
smoking meditatively for long time.
After that | often heard him pace
the gallery" as they called the long
front porch, until late at night, sign
that he was troubled, or watchful for
his custom was to retire almost with
the chickens.
He was often up till after midnight.
for, being light sleeper, and my win
dow wide open, was easily disturbed
by his clumsy lounging in the shrub
berry, or his peculiar laryngeal efforts
that resembled the rasping of an in
sect. One evening l overheard con-
,ersation. a young man from an ad-
joining farm had come over on some
errand. l paid no attention to what he
was saying to the farmer till he men
toned Hiram's name. then it occurred
10 me that he was one of Hiram's
friends, and that his sister was bosom
confdant of Minnie. He was saying:
"Yell hev ter be hextra keerful
t'night, fer l heerd one o. tn hands
atalkin', an he said thet Hiram's mig
ger said thet tn 'lopement was planned
fer half arter one o'clock ter night,
sure"
'Tve heerd ye say most tn same
thing afore, an I'm half o. tn mind
thet ye're lyin' ter me-"
.Call it lyin', then," retorted the other,
| Indignantly, but whut sh'd be tellin'
lies fer is more'n ! know" then he
resumed with evident good will: "Ef
| wus you I'd put er stop to It some
ways; why, it'll worrit yer life aout;
We look now 'sif We hedn't had speck
o. sleep fer weeks"
There was nothing about Minnie at
the supper table that betokened any
thing unusual. She was neither hilar-
ious or dull; simply her pleasant.
thoughtful self One thing, however,
| noticed, she did not appear to see that
her father left his meal almost un-
+nrtcd and that he st11died her do