Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-05-27

! Dan asked permission to attend the
| county fair in October, and to drive the
brown mare with the top buggy, and
his father reluctantly consented. But
when the young man, after much hesi-
tation, asked for two dollars to spend,
Mr.. Biggs firmly refused.
Fifty cents was all ever spent at q
fair when was boy" he said, "an' to
chuck away two dollars for sech nom
sense would be downright sinful. I'll
give you so cents, if you want it, but
no more"
Dan looked him straight in the eye.
There's about $40 comm to me, amt
there?" he asked.
"'Bout that. But amt goin' to en-
courage you in extravygent habits"
'Tll trouble you for two dollars" said
Dan, white with anger, cor I'll take
what's due me an you can find another
hand. I'm Fl, an I'm my own master"
His father eyed him curiously mo-
ment, but he saw Dan was in earnest,
and SO with a groan of protest he took
the money from his pocket and gave it
to him.
II s'poss you're goin' to take that red
headed gal O. Jinkinses with you, an
squander the money buyin' hetpeanuts
an candy" he said. spitefully; them
red-headed gals has ruined more men
than you, Dan. But see you're headed
for destruction, an you must go your
own bent"
Dan did not reply. He put the money
in his pocket, climbed into the buggy
and drove away without word.
After thatDan got into the habit Of
absenting himself more than one even
ing in the week, and his parents became
so worried that Mr.. Briggs began pray
ing earnestly for him at family prayers.
But nothing seemed to move Dan;
even the prayers were Intellectual to stop
him in what Aunt Annabel called his
downward course"
One morning in December Dan, hav-
ing returned exceptionally late the pre-
ceding evening, remarked calmly at the
breakfast table:
You'd better look up hired man,
pop; I'm goin' to be married New Years
day" ..... ....
If bomb had been exploded in their
midst the Biggs family could not have
been more startled.
His mother lay back in her chair and
stared with eyes and mouth wide open;
Aunt Annabel screamed and scared lit
tie 'Liz'beth into tears, and the farmer
uttered q word under his breath that
must have been taken bodily from the
prayerbook.
Mrs. Biggs recovered herself first.
"Who to, Dan ?" she inquired, breath
lessly.
ITO Sally Larkins."
sally Larkins!" they echoed, with
one voice.
"Why, she's the richest gal in the
county," said Aunt Annabel, in amaze
ment.
SAN the prettiest!" said 'Liz'beth.
Dan caught his little sister in his arms
and kissed her rapturously.
"An' she's an only child" cried his
mother, as the importance of the an
nouncement came home to her.
"Dan," said his father, rising from the
table and trembling with excitement.
''Tll see you in the barn arter you're
through your breakfast"
Dan kissed his mother and Aunt An
mabel and 'Liz'beth with happiness
shining from every feature of his round
face, and then he sought his father.
"Dan," said that parent, impressively,
show air you goin' to support wife, to
say nothin' O. supportin' YOURSELF"
'Mr. Larltins has promised to give us
the Downs farm for a weddin' present.
There amt no better piece O. land in the
county"
Mr.. Biggs sat silently upon the up
turned pail, evidently engaged in deep
thought.
Dan" he said, at length, II may have
kicked little at yer extravaganza now
an then, but let bygones be bygones. A
business deal is business deal, an to
tell you the truth, that bit o. money O.
yourn were mighty well invested!"-
National Magazine.