Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-11-10
inner, and set it quietly down ON the

|
table.
Her mother looked up to see il there
were any signs Of wrath in the girls
face, but was met by the quiet blank
ness that always exasperated her. II
wish you wouldn't go round looking
like SIGH craven image, she ejaculat-
ed. You won't catch any Teller at all
if you don't look out You better make
| some ginger water to take down too
It's awful hot today, an, mind you, if
you ask Gus Sanderly up to tea tomor-
row I'm goin to ask Joe Sampson too"
| and then nothing more was said as Eu-
dora took down her old sun hat from
| behind the kitchen door and, taking the
pail in one hand and the pitcher in the
other, stepped slowly out into the warm
light of the glowing summer noon
When the house was hidden behind
the turn of the little lane, she stopped a
moment and set her burdens down. But
she rose again, stretching out her 1.-the
young figure with feeling of utter
| freedom and relief. She found her head
well up in the low hung boughs of
stanch old apple tree whose twigs slap
ped saucily at her cheeks and sent the
big hat flying rakishly down over the
| tip Of her determined nose.
She gave an angry little cry, and as
she disentangled herself her face flush
ed holly.
That's it," she cried, always my
height--my awful height What other
girl is there III this whole state who
has TO walk around with her head up
into the trees? And it's just SO every
way--I wish ma would be sensible
about Gus Sanderly. Goodness knows |
don't think he's much to brag Of either
but can't she see he's the only fellow
round don look silly with? If there
was only an inch or two difference be-
tween Joe and me now-but a whole
foot, - and as she picked up the pail
| and pitcher once more she gave really
tragic little groan, for Joe Sampson the
only son and heir of their next door
neighbor, was generally acknowledged
to be the handsomest, "smartest" and
best young man in the county, and
devoted admirer of Eudora Stebbins
only and it was very big only, too
as Eudora was the tallest girl for miles
around, so he was the shortest man,
measuring but 5 feet | in the very high
est heeled boots that he could by any
means buy or wear.
Eudora had remarked after he had
taken her home from party one night
that she felt very much like picking
him up in her arms and telling him
mot to be scared of the dark-she ID
carry him safe home, " and after that
night she Systematically refused to walk
or dance or ride with him under any
circumstances, by daylight or by dark
so causing the poor little man great an
| guiSh Of soul. He knew just as we'll as
| she did how ridiculous they looked to-
gethcr, and his height was even greater
cross to him than hers was to her, but
| he was quite willing to sacrifice these
| personal feelings on the altar of his
| love, and he thought she might be too
But Eudora was firm and drove both
Joe and her family nearly frantic by
! her evident preference for the lazy
| bones of the town-gigantic Gus San.
| derby, who allowed his mother to sup
| port him from the proceeds of her little
| candy store and accepted the worship of
| silly young women as if it had been his
by divine right.
At present he had really done Eudora
the honor TO fall slightly in love with
| her and she was not at all surprised
| when at the next turn of the winding
country lane tall, broad figure rose
| from the corner of the snake fence and.
dotling it's correct straw hat, come quick,
| ly toward her.
81 thought you'd be coming down
today " he said in his soft, deep voice
"Let me carry those things for you
well, the pitcher anyway, ~ and as she
let him take it from her she looked up
into his lazy blue eyes with feeling of
pleasurable relief 1t was so good to be
able to look up ut anybody at all. He
was the only person she knew with whom
she could do it, and even if he had been
the worst kind of bad fellow, which
he was not by any means, she would have
enjoyed his company for that reason
alone,
They made magnificent pair as they
walked on side by side-both so straight
and tall, so handsome and SO healthy,
and poor little Joe Sampson realized 1T
with a SiCkeuing catch in his throat as
ne stopped to push his broad hat from
his heated forehead and saw them com
ing toward him.
He had made his father very angry
that morning by insisting upon going
over to help the Stebbinses with their
belatod hay instead of going into town
with load of their own, and he had
done it simply because he knew the men
would not be likely TO leave the distant
field for dinner and that in that case
Eudora would bring it down to them
and wait until they were through, 20
carry back the pail and cups again, and
he knew from former experiences how
considerable Mr. Stehbius and the boys
would be about leaving them alone and
that under those circumstances away