The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-07-20

amt meanin' to be cross, but eff you've
got women folks to leave, I've got men
folks. There's father; he's the orniri-
est, obstinatest old man you ever see,
an know it, an it's jest him to see a
pretty little dotter right within reach,
| an him to refuse her, because it's you.
1 Why, I've seen him refuse cherries jest
because he wouldn't eat 'em. It's a
comfort to feel that eff you're marryin'
into such an obstinate family, you're
marryin' outen one about as bad. All
the same, I'd hate to leave paw, an
Uncle Sim, an old John, thet's ben our
hired man, an fed hogs with us, sence
before l was born"
Between the two there was a pause.
and the man with the silent laugh on
his mouth, and with the sun-dried,
iron-gray hair, housekeeping among
the cornstalks, craned his head forward
to catch the next low and desperate
tones.
"But I'm a-goin' to leave 'em, Tiny,
an you an nell start off into the
world an find place fer ourselves;
then the Saulsburys thet's left can fight
it out with the Taylors that's left, an
welcome. Say you'll come, little girl,
say you'll comet"
Surely, their hearts were beating in
their ears, or they must have heard
that other heart sounding like trip
hammer, just few feet away.
Tiny looked up at Sim, then, with the
look woman gives man only once
in her life, and that when she, herself.
! goes with it; and then the tears slowly
welled into her eyes.
| "Oh, Sim" she consented. but We'll
come back an bid 'em Goodbye"
Eyes" he replied, Strengthening him
self to his six feet two, Eyes, after the
weddin'!"
Hardly had the two parted-indeed,
the shaking tassels of the corn yet be-
| trayed the opposite path each had
| takeu-when the old man stepped
grimly into the clear strip, the stubbly
beard on his set, square jaw showing
sandy gray in the sun. A scant-skirt-
ed calico dress, and slat sunbonnet,
with long, pointed nose and an OBJ
stinate chin appearing within it, Gid
ed from the stalks on the. other side,
as if to meet him.
When too late to retreat, they spied
each other-old Tom Salisbury, and
the Widow Taylor.
HEM he said, gruffiy.
''M-m-m!" she said at the same mo-
ment, with little screech in her voice.
He took his SLOUGH hat off, and
passed his rough hand over his head
from front to back
81 never posed never thought"
she stammered.
mo, you never s'picioned was nigh;
nuther did l you-but 1 do s'picion,
now, you've ben about yere long
enough to see what's goin' on between
my boy an your girl. 1 give you my
word, Mis- Taylor. 1 never drumpt of
it before, an | stumbled on it, to-day"
II couldn't "a believed it of my Tiny.
unless I'd follered her a-purpose, an
seen it. ben wonderin', this long
time, what tuck her so'often in this di-
rection," the woman half sobbed.
Tom Salisbury came a step nearer.
II heard how she spoke of her mother,
nom, an I hope you likewise heard
jest how Sim mentioned me, fer in
the main, he done me jestice, an him
self credit. Sims strong, hardwork-
in young man, an an improvement on
his father. should jedge. Should you.
nom, sayin he wasn't a Salisbury.
now, feel comf'table tibet your dotter
should hev him?''
'Tiny's darlin' good girl, active an
willin' an, bein' hog an hominy bred, |
always healthy an cheerful. Don't |
seems eff she was old enough, an yet
t she shouldn't mar
ry at all, like Susan an Eliza-turri-
BILE old maids, both of em!-why, yes!
But Saulsbury-oh!" Mrs. Taylor
protested pointedly.
The old man shifted his weight to
the other foot, and gazed into the
clouds. mis- Taylor, we've ben en-
gagged in upholdin' a principle nigh
onto 20 years, now, an don't know
but what we've about wore it out.
Still, eff there hain't but rag left of
the old flag, I'm bound to grip the
flagstaff. an s'pose you're the same?"
81 hain't changed none!" she re-
turned, vindictively.
but, bein' SO well pleased with Sim
fer his goin' ahead as he durn please,
spite of the parents on both sides;
also, SEEM with my own eyes, which
is jest goin' into specs on fine print
what modest an sensible girl you've
raised, an idee occurs to me, by which
we can git shet of the whole thing in
self-respectin' manner. Mis- Taylor,
do you still hold your patent from the
government, embracing this here strip
O. lapd?" he inquired.
The slat bonnet nodded violently.
"And ruther N go to law about it,
you will consent to leave it a sorter
neutral strip as long as you live?"
Again the bonnet agitated.
"Well, 1 still hold my patent, too,
clearly definin' it as part of my do
mains, plainly betrayin' the mistake in
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