The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1897-12-10
STELLA'S TARGET PRACTICE,

| wv" pNh\.
II tell you, she's wonder! l set up Il
dummy for her the other day, and she
just picked holes all over him, accord
ing to order She's the most
Are you speaking Of your sister, sir:'
Numbered his father.
| 1t was Fred's turn to be startled
Turning, he regarded his fathers frOWn-
ing face for Il moment, and then said
cautiously:
Yes. sir, but if there's any blame
| His father stopped him with a gesture,
bell on his desk sharply.
''Send my daughter to me-, he COM
manded, when an elderly rOlOreu servant
appeared in answer to the summons.
a few minutes later graceful girl of
| IL appeared in the doorway, and glanced
with some apprehension from one to the
other of the two disturbed faces.
''Shut the door, said her father.
Stella obeyed
II have just learned" began the judge
in his most caustic tone, that you have
been amusing yourself of late by becom
ing an expert in the use OF the revolver.
| should have supposed, after your care
| full training, that it would be unnecessary
to inform you that such an occupation is
unladylike and unfemnine to the last de-
| gree. l am more than surprised that
your brother should encourage you in it.
You will oblige me by giving up this
target practice at once DO you under
stand?'
Eyes, sir" replied the girl, slowly
| Judge Howard returned to his desk and
recommended his writing.
Stella hesitatcd a moment, and then
said, quietly:
II should like to inquire who it is that
draws the line between what is feminine
AMI what isn't:''
''The line is sufficiently we'll and dis
| tinctly drawn, Miss 1mpertinence," re-
piled her father, land you will be re-
quired in future to remain on the right
side of it, and the judge again turned
| to his writing with Il manner that eff
fectually dismissed the subject.
Stella silently left the room, followed
by her brother. Once in the hall, Fred
ing his hair and beating his head against
the wall, finally subsidlng into a wild
weeping OH Stella's shoulder.
"Stop, YOU gooser' she exclaimed, push
ing him from her. "Whatever induced
you to go and tell papa: You might have
known he wouldn't like it,
hro tT 1T I p1sshie MIS- inquired her
deliberately. proceeding in opposition to
your fathers wishes? | am aStonished
AS for me, | was innocence itself in my
Ignorance of his views and prejudiccs.'
You know YOU weren't any such
thing exclaimed his sister, Indignantly
"Of course, it wasn't exactly right, but
papa does put so many restrictions on
me that seem to everybody else old-fasll-
Toned and absurd, and l do get so tired
OF the piano and embroidery, and only
such books as papa has read and ap-
proved
I'm sure he let's you drive every horse
on the place, which is more than I'm al
| lGtvo6 RI HO - Soid IN, III,
tone.
,''That's true replied Stella, laughing
Il wonder what induced papa to make
that exception to his system of ladylike
training? Come on, let's get the horses
ana 60 tor one more long ride"
have to go back to college tomorrow.
| girl
"Oh, my dear, what shall l do without
your walled his sister, for the hun
dredth time. eff papa would only let me
go with you!'
Its a shame,' declared Fred, inlig-
| antly; you'd be such a jolly little coed
ana you are TAR better prepared to enter
the university than l was a year ago"
and discussing their favorite grievance,
the pair disappeared in the direction of
the stables
Five years before Judge Howard had
removed with his INVALID wife, his two
and all his old-school prcjudices. to a
large California fruit ranch, and there
consistently and persstently retained his
stately antebellum style of living, his COL
ored family servants and more of his
very conservative ideas than he could
well harmonize with the progressive
Western social atmosphere.
Frail little Mrs Howard had at first
revived in the delightful coast climate of
california; but, two years later had 81
lently faded out of their lives.
Since her death Judge Howard had
felt double responsibility as to the train
ing OF his motherless daughter, and Stella
was perhaps excusable for growing rest
I've under his many restrictions
On the following afternoon Stella drove
her fathers favorite thoroughbred, bay
BOB, into the neighboring town to take
Fred to the train, by which he was to
return to college. AS they neared the
station Fred suddenly slapped his hand
on l.I ms hip pocket and exclaimed:
Ihere! I've forgotten to leave my re-
them at school. You'll have to take it
back home for me. Guess papa will not
object to that, will he?"
At the station Stella raised the movable
seat of the buggy, and deposited the re-
volver in the space beneath After tell
ing Fred goodby, she was driving SLOWLY
up inc street when she heard voice
OF her father, came hurriedly out of his
ho .!E4 ana approached the buggy.
My dear he began earnestly, 81 have
mere sack containing $1,000 in gold,
Whlch your father will need at 6 o'clock
t,1s evening, to pay off his hands at the
close OF the apricot season. l promised
to take it out to him in time, but I have
Just had a telegram calling me to San
Francisco by this train. My mother is
dangerously ill. Would you be afraid to
| take TINS money out to your father for
me? think there would be no Danger
49,, certainly not" Stella answered "let
me take 1T by all means. 1 do hope YOU
and, taking the sack, she carefully demos
lted It, too beneat tn the seat, as Mr.. Da-
Wis thanked her, and hurried away to
catch the train '""' -
| Neither of them noticed the man who
a. q re" minutes later, stepped out from be-
nlnd some shrubbery in the public square
h hiaoi' IN tne street, and, walking few
struck off across the fields, -
o5ella was driving toward home at a
moderate gait, enjoying the refreshing
GOODNESS of the late afternoon. whon .
rather well.dressed man stepped sud-
aenly INTO the road, and. raising bis Kat.
| AnIuiteu TIE Instance to the nearest town
stella drew rein to answer the co1r-
teous inquiry, when the man sprang to
the horses head, and, catching the lines
in his left hand, drew a revolver with
the other: and remarked coolly:
| III relieve you of this turnout. vOunp
lady. This horse looks as if he could
take me out of the country pretty quick;
and before you get out just dig up that
little sack of coin the old gentleman gave
you, and leave it Oh the seat"
Stella sat as if paralyzed, while there
flashed through her mind the thought of
the difficulty with which, in the very hard
times, her father had raised the money TO
pay his hands; the extreme need of these
poor people for their money; and then,
the thought Of Bay Bob, her fathers af-
lection for him aside from his value,
and
Hurry upr' exclaimed the man. "Id
hate to blow the top Of that pretty head
off, but I've no time to lose.'
Stella turned slowly, and began to
raise the seat Of the buggy. Suddenly
she started and a wild thought flashed
through her mind.