The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-27

on till he does come. Well he's come.
He's all fixed up. He's finer lookin' n
ever. There amt a young man on the
sound got better paid o. legs n
his'n;" she added, with pride. It's a
wonder Lily Belle Mcnamara amt set
her cap at him, seems he's been teach
! in school so clost to her pas. Not
| that it 'u'd do her any good. He
never'd dare throw off on yuh, after
his mother an me fixed it I'D all of
ourselves.
| wei, I'd dare-if he wanted Lily
Belle Mcnamara, or Lily Belle Any
thing else said Minerva, with quick,
unexpected flash in her eyes.
''Yuh needn't to explode so. They're
right here t the house. All is she
added, with stern look as she went
to the door, Il sh'u'd jest like to see
him pretty quick that he c'u'dn't come
it She oDened the door Land O.
Love an Goshen, Yuh come, did yuh?
It's a cure for sore eyes to see Yuh.
Doug Hodges. Come right in. Never
mind your feet. Whose trunk was
that come in on the boat with yuh?"
Howl
81 say whose trunk was that come in
deef?"
Trunk? 1 do know"
We'll, come in. Here's Minervy, a
waitin' to see yuh."
Minerva came forward, scarlet-faced
and shook hands Imply. Her hand was
like a birds claw.
The young mans face reflected the
scarlet of hers.
Wei, Minervy." he said, you gittin'
suDoer?'
Yes, sir" said Minerva with CULVER
ing politeness.
He sat down and slid his chair to the
window with a squeak. It's a-goin'
to be a nice Christmas.
TT is so.'
It's lots warmer n usual
''Yes-it is so.''
There was a beautiful happiness now
on Minerva's face, which had been so
pale and anxious about the time the
boat landed; but it was happiness
that had something pathetic in it.
The young man did not. seemed to be
overburdened with joy. He looked en-
barrassed and i'll at ease. His weak
blue eyes shifted away from Mrs.
Bunt's steady, asking look.
Finally she said, dryly, as she took a
sip of the boiling gravy to test its
seasoning:
What's the matter of yuh, Doug?"
He gave a jump.
Matter? Nothin'. Why?"
"Yuh look so? Benn teachin' school
over close to Mcnamara s, amt choo?"
'Yes'm." The red came back to his
face
''Humph''
stepping around spryly. Now and then
she looked at him with shining eyes,
The little curlS were bobbing couuet-
ishly on the back of her neck and on
her brow The remainder of her hair
was twisted into a tight wisp. She
wore dull green, badly fitting dress.
with funny bows of ribbon sewed over
Ha L,
long, searching look; then, without the
slightest change of countenance, he
turned his eyes to the boat lust
drawing away from the pier.
Mrs. Blunt poured the gravy into
bowl, scraping the pan deXterously
with a tin spoon.
''Yuh know Lily BELIEF"
The young fellow cleared his throat
"Ye'es'm.''
"Supper's all ready. Set up. Pa, Oh,
pa, Why don't choo come to supper?
I don't see where that trunks a-goin'
TO. Minervy, is it still a-settin' down
there on the worf?"
Minerva craned her long neck.
Yes m"
Mrs Bunt sighed helplessly. ut beats
me. Well, set uD before everything
gets cold. Oh, my landl I bet it's the
widow Peters moo outfit 1t just struck
me all of a sudden"
L hear yesterday that her n the
minister was a-goin' to git married.
said Mr.. Blunt.
II bet"
> After supper Mr.. Bunt went out to
the barn TO fodder the cattle. The
guest arose to accompany him, but
Mrs. Blunt pointed with large, crooked
finger to the sittin-room. You go in
an set down. I'll come in an talk to
yuh while Minervy reds up the Dishes
IN, vxrsfl
and sat down by the big fireplace. Mrs
Bunt closed the door and pulled her
chair UP close to him.
There was a clatter of dishes. Min
ervy lifted up her weak, cracked voice
and commenced to sing:
Last night there were four Marys,
Tonight ther'll be but three.
There was Mary Seaton and Mary Bea-
ton.
And Mary Carmichael-and met"
81 wish she wu'dn't sing that mourn
full thing so,'' said her mother. 1T
makes something come up in my win
gs-graveyardy, l call EN-. She's J
turrable happy because yuh come to
stay Christmas, Doug"
He stirred uneasily. THAT sop
Yes, it's so. You're the only thing
she's ever had to be happy over. Been
stuck here on this island ever sence |
she was knee-high to a grass hopper |
If anything happened to yuh, I guess it
'u'd kill her-there amt much to her,
with that cough O. her'n. How old be !
yuh now?"
Twenty five"
Humph. Most time yuh was asset
tim down, amt it?'
Young Hodges swallowed before he |
spoke. He was very pale. He took up |
the poker and commenced stirring the |
red Goals.
Il expect So"
"Yuh've been engaged to Minervy |
now close onto four year"
There was no reply.
"Aain't yuh?'
''Yes'm."
We'll, why don't yuh settle DOWN."
Precipitation began to bead upon his |
brow. He realized that the awful or
deal, the mere anticipation of which
has given sleepless nights to more than
one young man, was upon him. He was
being asked his intentions"
Il do know" he said, helplesslv. st
do know just why / don't. Mis- Bunt.'
well. yuhd best think about it.
Why don't yuh live on your ranch in
Std O. gaddin 10 the other side o.
the island to teach school? Yuh'd make
more.
Maybe I would"
May bees don't fly n December.
49,. How's Lilly Belle Mcnamara? ?"
She's we'll
He punched the fire till the sparks
sputtered UP the chimney in a scarlet
cloud.
..Hunh''
"she-she-she's a-comin over here