The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-22

Taylor, I never drumpt Of it before,
an I stumbled on it, today"
II couldn't "a believed it Of my Tiny,
unless I'd follered her a-purpose, an
seen it. l ben wonderin', this long time,
what tuck her so often in this direc-
tion," the woman half sobbed.
Tom Salisbury came a step nearer.
Il heard how she spoke of her mother,
MON, and l hope you likewise heard
jest how Sim mentioned me, fer in the
main, he lone me justice, an himself
credit. Sims a strong, h~ardworkin'
young man, an an improvement on
his father, 1 should jedge. Should you,
nom, sayin' he wasn't a Salisbury,
now, feel comfortable tibet you dotter
should hev him?"
"Tiny's a darlin' good girl, active an
willin' an, bein' hog and homlny bred,
always healthy and cheerful. Don't
seem as eff she was old enough, an yet
-well-ruther'n she shouldn't marry
maids, both of 'em!-why yes. But a
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 been en-
gagged in upholdin' a principle nigh
onto twenty years, now, an I don't
know but what we've about wore it out.
Still, eff there hain't but a rag left OF
the old flag. I'm bound to grip the flag
staff, an I s'pose you're the same
II amt changed none,' she returned
vindictively.
But. bein' so we'll 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 a
modest an sensible girl you've raised.
an idee occurs to me by which we can
git shet of the whole thing in a self
respectin' inner Mis- Taylor, do you
still hold your patent from the COVER
ment, embracin' this here strip O. land,
yit?' he inquired.
The Stat 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, I still hold my patent, too,
clearly definin' it as part of my do
mains, plainly betrayin' the mistake
in surveyin' which our almighty COVER
ment has made. I'll never go back OF
my promise, nuther, about leavin' it in
the material prairie while 1 keep my
claim. Now, when in the course of ma
ture you become an angel. which it be
proper to suppose-the old maids bein'
otherwise provided fer, as I've always
heard, an heaven. as l said, takin'
are of the Widder-tO suppose tibet
you'd leave your farm here in IoWay,
to your sole issue?"
1T would" Mrs. Taylor replied, WON
deringly.
my farm bein' ekally good an pro-
ductive land, I should. in like case, an
givin', for once employment to a law
vnr 1ooXn If To tho nr1fy child I h. va
in the world, an that's my Sim. Then,
as I understand it, these two farms,
lynn to right an left, could be attached
as wings to this here strip of a hun
dred yards wide, by three hundred and
twenty acres long. Now. while them
two young things are stealth their
weddin' trip, Their might be a log rails
in on this very spot, me to do he
haulin' with the help CT Uncle Sim, an
my hired man, john
AN me to furnish two webs of cloth
of my own an Susan an EliZa's spin
ming, an the quilts an a set of pewter
dishes!" said Mrs. Taylor, rising to the
enthusiasm due the subject.
with a litter of pigs to root at he
back end Of the strip continued Sauls-
bury.
can a COW at the far end the other
way" added the widow, eagerly.
But NUNS the word. NOM! Let EN-
run away, an welcome, an when they
come home, bein' as o DOM want
to lose your dotter, an I don't want to
lose my son, We'll give them a Weddin'
party on their own farm, even If it is
only a narrer strip of perarie. An.
nom, in the light of these bloomin'
affections, specially sence we've both
give up our bone of contention, does it
strike you tibet we two's got a matter
fer quarrel furder, after twenty years
of dretful onneighborliness? No, NOM;
l take it we're to be a sOrter mutual
father-in-laW an mOther-in-laW, an
may God have mercy on US both"
"Amen!" exclaimed Mrs. Taylor. rev.
erently, and the moment she said the
word. the sting that had been in her
conscience for nearly twenty years, de-
parted, and she felt that now, finally,
church member she never yet had been.
While Sim and Tiny were making
ready their few and simple prepara-
tons, they thought it must be because
their minds so ran on their plan, that
their little world seemed also making
preparations. Tiny even went so far,
once, as to fancy she smelled wedding
cake, and the aunts hung TREMENDOUSLY
round her as if she vas about to re-
ceive all they had missed in their
lives. AS for Sim, he became really
embarrassed at the way he was pes
tered to give his opinion as to the
latest pig, the best pillow and the best
horses in his fathers possession.
When guilty Tiny, her heart burst
ing with love for those she left behind,
mounted for hat Hateful journey to
town to meet Sim, she turned and flung
her arms around her mothers neck, and
sobbed aloud, while Aunt Susan slipped
in her pocket the emery bag that had
been a family heirloom, and Aunt Eliza