The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-07

arrival. All the girls, with the eXcep-
tion Of Hulda, were brcathless with ex-
poctation They had an idea no doubt
that the visitor would have an air of
fascinating wickodnoss, such as their
simple rural fancy had conjured up from
the scant reading that had been permit
ted them Magda and Stina. who were
watching the arrival of the steamer
from their windows ON the second floor,
nearly choked with excitement when
they saw him. and the world went out
in utter hlml,nCss TO them the moment
he was out of sight And yet he was
very far from answering to their expec-
tations. What they saw was n slight,
shapely figure cnveloped in volumi-
nous cape, "a handsome face, agreeable
but rather vague features and great
exubcrauer Cf blond hair that waved
forth from under the broad hat brim 1t
was but q glimpse they had of him as
he walked rapidly across the gangway
followed by porter who carried his
trunk His breath, which the cold made
visible hung for a moment in the still
air before it vanished, while that Of the
porter blew forth in two straight col
umns like that of painting horse.
Thefamily had regarded it rs beneath
their dignity ON this occasion TO wei
come the stranger on the pier, and only
Nils, the groom, was there to receive
him Fritz who stood up on the brow
of the hill, half hidden behind the leaf
less hedges, put him down after a brief
aaa.F4fH oil Il So
gustedly over TO the stable where he sat
down on the shaft Of a cart to wait for
Nils. To while away the time he took
down the best whip from the wall and
cracked it with mute satisfaction until
his friend arrived Nils said nothing,
Int spat cXpressiyely out of the corner
of his mouth They wero peculiarly
laconic pair, these two, and wasted few
words in conversation Moreover, if
either had anything ON his mind, twas
a reason for not talking about it except
in the most cautious and round about
way. The boy was so anxious for the
groom's approval that he usually re-
Trained from committing himself before
he had ascertaincd what Nils thought.
And Nils, who was fully aware of his
authority, exercised it in a cantanker-
Gus way and with a certain delight in
his own contrariness
Reckon they'll make a parson Of
you after all, " he said as he took out Of
the closet a jar of grease and began to
rub a harness that hung ON the wall.
He knew that he could say nothing more
wounding TO tho boy than to predict
! that he would become a parson.
"No, they WON'T" declared Fritz,
with a sharp crack Of the whip.
"Th0t amt the way ter crack whip,
! you silly" Nils observed, taking the
/ whip and producing a crack like that Of
| pistol shot
Fritz hung his head for awhile with
a deep sense of humiliation, then re-
sumed his practice in a dispilited way.
Cant do it, - said the groom and
/ spat contemptuously. ''Yor arm is like
"a girls, soft like pulp.
"Now, Nils, that am'tfair. You just
feel that, cried the boy stung to the
quick. He doubled up his arm, gritting
his teeth 20 keep the muscle tense, and
invited his friend TO feel it.
eye rter ha' been a gal, Nils pro
cecded with malicious pleasure, "oI
suthm like that long haired chap as
came today by the steamer. -
"Now, you just feel that, Fritz per
sisted, having now rolled up his sleeve
/ and presenting "A very respectable biceps
as hard as twisted cord.
"Wait till ye'ye got suthin ter show,
or, for a sample, take a squint at that,
and Nils barred long and hairy arm
with awe inspiring biceps.
Fritz, deeply discouraged, covered NJ
his slender arm and with an air Of res
ignation hung the whip on the wall.
'For a parson, though, that ain't I
bad arm, remarked Nils when, ON con
sideration, he thought he had tease,
him enough.
Il told you l wasn't going to be
parson.
eyes, hut you hain't got nothing te
say about it. They'll make a parson o
yer whether you would or no.
Mr. Falcl says am the worst Latin
scholar he ever knew, " Fritz declare,
boastfully, land he says l won't ever
get into the university
"Wcll, then, they'll make ye suthil
like that fancy chap with tho yale
mustache as has come up from Chris
tiany ter make fun fer the gals
II don want 20 be like him, either
. I want to be as strong as you are, Nils.
Fritz here drew from his pocket a rol
of plug tobacco, which in "a half diff
dent way he held out toward Nils. Tn
- latter affected for awhile not TO see il
s then took it grudgingly, smelled itwit
I a critical frown and put it in his pocket
The boy wanted a more elaborate opin
ion ON the now arrival, so as TO deter
mine his own attitude toward him, an
he knew that his mentor had not a sou
} above bribes.
"Do you think could lick him?' h
queried after a pause, duung which h
had been watching Nils face with il
terest
: Il wouldn't be in a hurry 10 tackl
him, Nils observed, much conciliate
by the gift. 'Not that ye mightn't g,
the better Of him, but Miss Huldy, she
: bound to take his part, and then )
know yen get worsted.
"Oh, pshawl" Fritz exclaimed, wit
fine contempt. "You don't suppose II
2 afraid Of a girl, do you!'
q You'd be afraid Of he tell you.