Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-21
copyright, 1897. by $. s. Mcclure Lrd)

Marion and her father we're shooting
match out under the trees. The old man
carefully sighted. with his rife over rest,
then he pulled the trigger, and the edge OF
the brass tack fastened in a tree, about thirty
feet away, disappeared.
He grumbled a little as his daughter ran
forward and then called out, Good for you,
daddy; that's hard to beat"
'Humphl Any one can do that well with
a rest. You will beat 1t without one. The
old man has to take back seat" he added
with a sigh, for he had been a famous shot
In his days, and 1t was a sore trial to have
used the rest.
Marion had her rifle at her shoulder.
"Pingl" and the tacks gltterlng head was
gone entirely.
Bravo. bravor' cried the veteran, agow
with pride. "I'd like to see anybody beat
that, rest or no rest"
that?'
- "Abram, Mary Ann plped a thin voice,
~Bhrlly, from the edge OF the woods. Where
Nir ye? | heard your heathensh gun firing
an l aint dared to stir peg higher for
fear you'd shoot me-
cts Aunt Perkins, said Marion laugh
Ing
''Yes, confound it," muttered her father
under his breath following slowly. II wish
she'd let us alone" he added.
Already Marion was getting supper when
he reached the bridge cottage, so called from
the drawbrdge that spanned the river just
in front Of the cottage. that had deep woods
at its back, and the town half mile away.
The sodierly-lookng man, Marion's father,
was the keeper of the drawbridge, and
Marion, his only child, was his housekeeper
and comrade. They were most happy, when
Aunt Perkins let them alone, but she had
been frequent visitor Of late
While Marion stepped lightly around get
tin supper, Aunt Perkins sat on the extreme
edge of the hardest chair she could find in
the best room, cycling the corners sharply for
dust. and once she went over to the little
round table and drew her hand across its
shining surface carefully wiping it afterward
with her pocket handkerchief although she
knew there no dust there
There's one thing ] come over to see
about today" Aunt Perkins began, as Abiram
limped in, his face shining from its long
drawn out polishing on the roller towel.
Abiram had lost foot fighting for his
country, but the CHEEKY old philosopher made
the best of his afiction.
They're welcome to my old foot II they
want It," he would say; "use to give me a
lot of misery with corns, anyway; but I'm
'biged to em fer leaving my two hands to
work for Marion, my little gell" he would
add tenderly.
The two sat duwr to Marion's dainty sup
coming trouble.
Aunt Perkins was the only perscn before
whom Abrams heart quailed. Her thin, acid
tones ruffled his placid disposition, and it
was thoroughly eXasperating to see her sit
ting on the edge of her chair eating Marions
delicious biscuit as Though they were poi
soned, and his gentle heart seemed to turn.
to hot iron within him.
The worst OF 1t was that he knew she
would have her way, so, with his heart
growing heavier every minute, he listened
to the plan which the thin voice rapidly un-
folded.
Aunt Perkins proposed to take Marion
home with her-She lived in the village some
five miles away-and have her apprenticed
to Miss Abby Perkins, her husbands sister,
and the village dressmaker, to learn to sew
Fur how long?" asked Abiram huskily
trying In vain to Danish the vision of his
lonely hours without his comrade daughter,
"Jedgin from her lack of ability it'll take
her considerable time TO master the funda-
mental principles" replied Aunt Perkins
dryly.
1t was little use to kick against the pricks
and they both knew the matter was ss good
as settled when Aunt Perkins proposed it,
and they listened in silence while she un-
folded the details.
''She amt to be comm back and forth,
Abiram want II understood she went on.
Shell help me nights and mornings for her
keep, and l expect she'll do her dooty"
II amt saying the plan you're pro-
posing, Abby Perkins, amt good one for
It's only right that women should know how
to sew. Her mother would wanted her to
learn, l know, but you needn't to think that
Rhe won't do her dooty like soldiers daugh'
ter, as she is" His voice trailed off into a
cough. that was half sob and was hushed
In Marion's arms.
Daddy, dear, don't," she cried, her tears
falling on his head. 81 will go and do my
best, but I'll count the hours until Thanks.
giving, when I'll surely come home and then