The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-09-23
retract nay promise of the diamond

retract my promise Of the diamond
bracelet [ made this morning"
Listen, then, ladies and gentlemen
Or, rather, | should say aunt and IN
Gle" said the fair Gladys, standing in
the center Of the hearthrug and raising
her whip to insure silence.
What should you say if, paying a
visit to the Lea farm tomorrow morn
ing, you were to find that every vestige
Of barbed wire had disappeared from
its fences? Would you allow that the
persuasive powers of your detoted
niece were somewhat Of a higher order
than usual!"
by Jove, indeed 1 should" burst
forth her uncle. "But you don't mean
to say it's a fact, Gladys. that you
have actually got that old bear to do
as you say. do your
Indeed | do, uncle; and he's not a
bear at all, allow me to say-only rath-
er rough, that's all, poor man. Old John
Wilder is as good a fellow as ever
breathed, If you only humor him a lit.
tle-as you must in future, uncle, if
only for my sake"
WELL, wonders will never cease,
that's very certain" said her uncle;
land how on earth you manage it," he
continued, Il can't for the life Of me
imagine"
Il will tell you," said Miss Gladys.
Arrived at the ogre's castle, having
carefully kept to the sides of the foot
path all the way, partly from diplo-
macy, partly because l did not want
either Brilliant or myself to be annoy
ed by barbed wire, l inquired of the
maid servant who came to the door if
Mr.. Wilder was at home. He was
round in the straw yard, she said, and
she would go and fetch him, if l would
wait a moment.
81 waited accordingly, and presently
the ogre appeared. How do you do, MI.
Wilder?' 1 said. Your servant, MISS
answered he, his grim features relax
ing a little, | fancied, as he looked me
over. You don't recollect me, I see,'
said I, but you and I are very old
friends for all that, Mr. Wilder old
friends! Why, who be zee, then, in the
name O. fortin'" he replied, looking at
me so hard, oh! so hard, uncle. Have
you quite forgotten little Gladys Ons-
low, who you used to be so kind to
when you lived at Hazeldean farm
down in Warwickshire? Forgotten?
No" he almost roared, and never shall,
that's more! And you're her? Coon,
off your horse this instant, my pretty,
and into the house and have q talk VII.
me over old times Oh, uncia the poor.
old man, do you know, was so pleased.
When l got off my horse and when he
held out his hand AMI l not only took
it, but gave him a kiss into tie bargain;
he actually shed tears. ne GiG indeed.
Well, I went in and had a glass of milk,
and we had such a talk Of old times as
never was. And when we had finished
l told him what l had come about He
listened attentively, and then he said,
'And so you want the stuff-the darned
stuff, he called it, ~uncle-down, do ee,
my dear?' I replied that it certainly
would please me very much, and you
and everybody else as we'll. Don't say
another word he exclaimed, every bit
of it shall be off my farm before night.
fall. 1 only wish you had got some
thing harder to ask me-
There, uncle" wound up Gladys,
that's how it was done, as the con-
jurers say. Now, tell me what you
think Of my talents as a diplomatist.
and, above all, your opinion Of my dear
old friend, John Wilder"
My DEAR" replied the squire, kissing
his niece, II think you ought to be a
prime minister at least, and as for your
friend John Wilder; my opinion of him
is altogether altered. Well both of us
ride over and see him again this very
afternoon, and I'll thank him myself"
and now" said her uncle, rubbing
his hands, (which is it to be, Gladys, a
new hunter or a diamond bracelet?'-
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