Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-08

stopped long enough to give him piece Of
her mind" And the witticism never lost
its flavor in his mouth.
| For three years-she had only been mar
ried four-Rosalba had been meaning to
leave Jefferson, but as she never got any
| further than telling him of her intention, he
gave himself no uneasiness in the matter
Folks don't talk SO much about things
they're really goin' to do" he said to himself
Then he usually took down his fiddle.
When Jefferson courted Rosalba, her
father often said: II never yet seen the
man that played the fiddle an was fit for
anything else"
Rosalba might, had she known, made
the plea that Jefferson played very badly.
She did not, however, and her fathers oppo.
stion probably did as much as anything else
to bring about the marriage.
When she met Jefferson White at q Sun.
day school picnic, Rosalba was very much in
love with young itinerant preacher. whose
affections were divided between herself and
the daughter Of the presiding elder. But
Rosalba fell out of love with the preacher
and in love with Jefferson in about twenty
minutes. After, that. az the young preacher.
!shmael Moon by name, was only human,
he promptly forgot the presiding elders
daughter and resolved that Rosalba should
be his bride.
Six weeks later she married Jefferson,
while people wondered if Ishmael Moon
had Tilted her. As matter of fact she had
twice refused to share the young preachers
salary of nothing year. She was shrewd
enough, however, to tell no one, for Ish.
maefs cheeks were pink and his eyes black,
great marks of beauty in the mountains, and
she would have only risked her veracity.
1t was dull on the Little Backbone, and
Jefferson was not the ideal husband she had
pictured him. He was kind, but he played
the fiddle when the fire was low and no
wood cut aud he had the cabin full Of ma.
chimes which were to make his fortune when
they were quite finished.
When she first came to the cabin, Rosalba
used to sit in the freight and listen with
bated breath to the story of what he meant
to buy her when the fortune came. AS time
went on, however. and the inventions re.
NAMED unfinished, she lost faith. Then,
when the flour was low and her wedding
hnery almost gone, she began to say she
would leave him. At first Jefferson was
alarmed. For few days the chips flew in
the shed which was his workshop, though
ne began new models rather than finished
w oheS' by anu ny, however, ne ceased to
fear, contenting himself with playing soft
and melancholy music. That always re.
duced the fire of Rosalba's wrath to ashes.
1t was two days before Easter and it fell
late that year, SO that even in the mountains
spring seemed near. The oaks were still
laden with last years rusty leaves and the
snow was scarcely melted in the sheltered
spots, but the sky was deep blue and the
birds were coming north.
Rosalba stood at the cabin door, watching
an approaching figure. She longed to chat,
ter like the birds, to pour out some of the
buoyancy Of her heart to human ears-and
Jefferson was shut in his workshop invent
ing and could not be disturbed.
THAT you, Mr.. Salt, she said, pleasantly,
as the lank mountaineer approached.
Wont you come in an rest?"
Not t'-day, thankee, Mis- White, but Mis-
Salt says be sure t come t Bear Creek meet
in on Easter. Ishmael Moons to preach
an people are coming long ways t. hear
him."
u guess me an Jefferson II come, too.
Mr. Moon amt preached out this way fer
long tiEaA" RoGalEa said