The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-03-26

ley crept up to him, holding baby jim
ney by the hand and with Annie tagging
to her frpck.
cts so lonesome without motherl'
she said. "Pa, come ter ask mightn't
work on my crochet edgin?"
"Why, no. This is Sunday, an Sun
day belongs ter the Lord" Mr.. Top
mark said, rousing himself and begin.
ming to play with his brood in decent
fatherly fashion. But Luley was not to
be silenced.
"Teddy says you make him work
Sundays size began.
Her father cut short her speech. "Ted-
dy amt fit fer nothin in the world but
ter lie an sell goods" he said. "Now,
Luley. you listen at me-
"The bad man will get Luley fer
workin. I know he will. Annie inter-
rupted. Sha was her fathers favorite,
far and awcy the prettiest of the three,
with her big blue eyes and yellow ourls
and way sho had of looking confiding-
ly up in the face of whomsoever she
would cajole. Now, as she scrambled
into her fathers arms, she laid her head
against his eek and said in her wisest
voice: eyes, the ole bad man will git
Luley suro Aunt Sarah says so, an she
says sic homes he'll get Miss Rob Nc
Gregor too. "
"Eol Did she say that? / CANT be.
lievo it. Eat, George, come ter think
of it now, I reckon she did," Mr.. Top
mark said, rising and shaking himself.
"Co.nc on ,er the house, children" he
went Oh, IAN, Luley, here's the store
key. Ef anybody hollers, you open the
door Oh ash 'em ter wait till Teddy
comes. 10 CANT be long now. I've got
ter write er letter. Then-welI, 1 think
I'll ride up an sec your Aunt Sarah. -
The letter writing ought not to have
taken long-it was q mighty brief epis-
tle-but Mr.. Topmark sat good hour,
weighing each word and phrase of it.
cts Ell ticklish thing ter manage" he
muttered. II got ter cover up my tracks
Shetmus' think I'm a.doin my level best
ter savo to ole man from worry, an L
reckon she won't need ter be told that
none er them jacksnipe lawyers thar in
town won't take no case fer nobody
much Of they know me an. my money is
on the other side er it. l mus think
luck is with me. 1t come over me this
mornin as we druv erlong, 'S'pose the
other gal an Sister Annis was at meet
in terday an had choosed ter say things
erbout how 1 come thar an who /
fetched?' | got roun the ole woman easy
when she attacted me. That's one good
a, hoi-
nolyer is er pictyer. I'd marry her in er
mint eff WANT fer--well, havin gal
children like I've got-that is, Of co'se,
eff l hadn't never seen that devilish little
'ristocrat that has clear bewitched me.
I'd take her with jest the clothes she
stands in quicker'n ! would any other
woman no matter what she brought me.
But the Roscoe placel I've wanted that
fer 20 years. L ought rally ter have it,
seein how jind it on my upper side.
Still it don't make up fer the Difference
in them two, though be hanged eff
don't sorter believe I'd have as hard ey
row ter hoe courtin Magnolyer-pretty
nigh, that is-as the little one''
When the letter was duly signed and
sealed, Mr.. Topmark got upon his late
wife's ambling saddle horse and went
pacing off to SEQ his sister and his niece.
He found the Winfield family, molted
of fine plumage and comfortably slip
pered, upon their back piazza. "Why,
where's Jack?" he demanded before he
even sat down. "Alice, you mustn't
quarrel with that boy. I'd ruther know
you was goin ter marry him than that