The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-11-04

The Hired Man.

T%StLErF ~ a
You ! still determined to spend
your vacation with Standardization
at the old farm" said Mrs. Armstrong
to her youngest daughter, who had re-
turned home n few days previous.
from Nassar, graduating with high
honors. Yes, Mamma, L have given
her my promise. and 1 will not disap-
point her or Aunt Julia"
II am sorry, as ! am most anxious
that you should spend the season with
us at Bar Harbor."
Yes, mamma, but Essie and Nell
will be with you, and they will make
up for my loss"
. But, my dear, what will Mr.. Royls-
ton say, or what will he think of you?
We gave him to understand that you
would surely go, audit will be a great
disappointment TO him"
Never mind, mamma, Mr.. Roylston
will succeed in getting some one TO
amllse him as we'll as | POSSIBLY could:"
why, Lottie, how can You talk so
when you know he adores yon? There
are few young ladies that would throw
away the opportunity that YOU are
now doing. Robert Roylston is rich,
handsome, and comes of a good fam
ily,' said Mrs. Armstrong.
Yes, and considers that he can take
any girls heart and kick it about like
a football added Lottie. Mrs. Arm
strong wasvhorritied, but she knew it
would be useless to attempt to change
her self-willed child, so it was settled.
that Lottie would spend her vacation
on the old farm.
1t was not Robert Roylston's fault
that he heard the above conversation,
as he sat on the piazza near the room
where the mother and daughter We're
talking, it being impossible for him to
get away without letting them know
that he heard at least a part of their
conversation. 80 / take young girls
hearts and kick them round like a
football? Eth, that's what my little
spitfire thinks of me-" Half an hour
after Bob Koylston left the Armstrong
cottage smoking a cigar and i'll a medi-
tative mood.
This way, If you please, miss. l will
get your traps aboard" Lottie jumped
into a comfortable two-seatcd carryall,
and the hired man, after slowing away
the satchels and bags, jumped in and
turned the horses heads toward the
Elton farmhouse, a journey of five
miles over the mountains.
Miss Hottie, sitting in the rear seat,
had ample opportunity to study
Grandmother Eton's hired man. lie
had but little to say, Lottie doing most
'nf f6n 4nJI.tnpr J,,,.,r,r {1,n 1rs,.a o1yor
the mountains.
1t was a warm and hearty welcome
iLottie received from grandmother
and Aunt Julia. But Inter on, when the
latter accompanied her to her room
and assisted her in removing her
wraps, it was evident that her mind
was still on the "hired man."
who is he, Aunt Julia? Where did
he come from? What is his name?"
and fifty other questions in as many
seconds were asked by Iottie. Aunt
Julia replied that he wss a poor stu
dent and came up to the Profile
House, where he expected work but
was disappointed. HE asked us to
take him for his board and give him
any wages we saw fit. He said his
name was Edmund Roberts, and he
came from Plymouth, only he is the
best hired man we ever had"
Pretty as a picture was Lottic Arm
strong as she entered the dining-room
of the old farmhouse that day. She
barely noticed that the hired maj
was seated at the table, but was sensi-
tive of the fact that his eyes were con
tinnally upon her.
She scarcely looked mp during the
meal, but when she did she felt that
his eyes were looking through her.
After dessert Mr.. Roberts made a sim
pie excuse about attending to business
and left the ladies to themselves,
much to Lottie's relief.
How far is the Profile House from
here. grandma.
about five miles," said Mrs. Elton.
Would you have any objection to
Mr.. Roberts driving me over there
this a~ftcrnoon?"
Certainly not; order him to do any
thing you want done. Don't be timid
in asking him; he is accommodating.''
1t did not take him long to get old
Dobbin hitched up, and the look he
gave Miss Lottie when she asked him
kept Ter thinking where she saw Mr..
Roberts before, but the heavy dark
beard deceived her.
Nearly every day some of the many
places of interest in the New Hamp-
shire hills We're visited. So much time
did Iottie take of the hired man that.
another hand was employed to do the
rough work.
One afternoon they started off on a
huckleberry expedition. They were
warned by Grandma Elton that there.
was a storm in the air and to be care
full. But the sun shone so brightly
that no heed was taken Of her warn
ing.
Twas late in the afternoon when a
little speck appeared in the sky, but it
grew wonderfully fast and black,
Little drops of rain commenced to fall,
sharp flashes of lightning made the
sky vivid, while the roll Of thunder
made them think heavens artillery
was let loose. Peal upon peal followed
one after the other, and the rain fell
in torrents.
The bcrry-pickers ran at the first
sign of the storm, but when they ar
rived at the place where shey had left
their team the storm was at its height.
10 make matters worse, Ola DODDin
had broken his halter and started for
home.
What shall we do, O, what shall we
do|' cried Lottie. 20, Robert; O, I
mean Mr.. Roberts; no 1 mean Mr..
Roylston. 0. Robert, Rob, what shall
we do?' And then, womanlike, fell in
his arms in a faint.
He lifted her in his arms to a nook
on the side of the mountain road,
which sheltered them from the heavy
rain, and when she recovered she
found his bushy beard against her face
and his great blue eyes looking down
ut her.
She could not help smiling when
Bob RoNlston told her that he knew
that she recognized him almost from
the first day, but it took lightning
and thunder from a clear sky to make
her acknowledge it.
But, of course, the eds cleared
AWAY and the sun smile Town upon
the lovers. Explanatig followed.
Lottie said the reason fsses wouldn't