Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-10-29
RITES LOVEMAKING.


not the Corners POstOffice, which, by
the good will Of Providence and my
friends, I've held ever since, no matter
Who was "in'' at Washington, that l
first took notice of Shiftless Rufe Dun
ming. He lived with his father and
mother Just across the fats at the foot
Of West Hill. in the edge Of the big
woods. You know, all this region was
pioneered late, and although nearly
everything was cleared up on this side
Of the valley and the pine timber had
long been cut off the fats, there was
aheavy growth Of mixed hardwood and
hemlock to the west that stretched
away back don't know how many
miles. Here and there in the little
openings" on the side Of the West
Hill log houses were still to be seen,
and the folks living in them were some
times pretty primitive.
The Cummings were probably the
most no-account Of the lot. They lived
In little shanty old Rufe had knocked
together out Of slabs given him by the
sawmill boss. They had only a little
patch Of ground, and they lived on
what they raised. the fish they caught,
and what they trapped and shot. They
didn't steal, rs know Of, but they We're
ell mortal shiftless, and young Rufe
was worse than either his father or his
mother. In fact, he was so ALI fired lazy,
III must put it that way, that even the
old man felt discouraged about him.
Young Rufe was % before anybody
suspected that he could possibly have
any ambition at all. But one day he
says Kitty Sylvester. But was the
daughter OF the first manager of the big
Barley estate. Old man Barkley-the
grandfather Of the present Barley.
Who never comes near the estate-had
Just put the place in a managers hands
ana moved away with his family. Now,
Aitty was real sensible, go-ahead girl.
Sne knew the Sylvesters were as good
% anybody around the Corners, II not
aie-etle better, and she tried to live up
% the family reputation in all ways.
"aen girl, her mother had been IA
nous Tor the work she could do, and
NIFTY was not a bit behind. Every
morning In the winter she was up early
ana got breakfast by candlelight. All
uAy long she wove carpet, or quilted
wmlorters. or spun stockings yarn, or
~d something else that counted. Ev-
morning in the summer she was up
WIN tne sun, and every day when 1t
vent down she had churned and work
:" more butter or made more cheese,
" IN some other way done more work
yuan any woman anywhere round could
w. And she was the savingest girl in
%e county. Everybody said she was
que smartest young woman going, and
a'arally. she was considered a highly
sl'aoie catch. But she held herself
'sn'y shy of them all for awhile, and
!" was regularly given out that nc
lung man need ever think Of keeping
Supany with Kitty Sylvester who
iuily her match, both at work
lug ana saving. So when it was noised
soout that young Rufe, of all the world
~ got him a pair Of fine boots, q
h.a neu snirt, doeskin pantaloons, and 8
~ uc.oth coat, and had begun to shine
~ 70 Kitty, there was a general up
Nv. !. Foiks couldn't believe it at first
an wasn't anywhere near as hard t.
.uow as what came afterward.
w see, the outlying that had beer
A. .Se about the kind Of chap Kitty.
~. osnd would have to be had SHIFTED
~ young fellows out whole lot. Mos
n. aem were willing to work and will
sos !" save, and they all admired Kitty
insa sne was as good looking as she wa,
s,s s.t'ous and frugal. but her stand
was SO high it scared the boys, ant
s.,.. ~. got to be mighty seldom on tn,