Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-14
The ears of the gray mare with his

NO, Bon, my boy" he addressed
himself, don't propose. You can't
marry for four years, on account of
the will. Then why propose? Wheedle
her, tweedle her, feeble her, but don't
let her make sure of you. When wo-
man." said Bonaparte, sagely resting
his finger against the side OF his nose
-"when a woman is sure of you, she
does what she likes with yon, but
when she isn't you do what you like
with her. And r. said Bonaparte.
Here he drew the horse up suddenly
and looked. He was now close to the
house, and leaning over the pigsty
wall, in company with EN-. who was
showing her the pigs, was strange
female figure. 1t was the first visitor
that had appeared on the farm since
his arrival, and he looked at her with
interest. She was tall. pEdgy girl
of 10. weighing $50 pounds. with bag
gy. pendulous cheeks and upturned
nose. She strillingly resembied Tant'
Sannie in form and feature. but her
eleepy good eyes lacked the twinkle
that dwelt in the Boer womnn's small
orbs. She was attired in bright
green print, wore brass rings in her
ears and glass beads round her neck
and was sucking the tip of her large
finger as she looked at the pigs.
WHO is it that has Gomez asked
Bonaparte when he stood drinking bis
coffee in the front room.
why, my niece, to be sure," said
Tant Sannie, the Hottentot maid
translating. She's the only daughter
of my only brother Paul, and SHE'S
come to visit me. She'll be a nice
mouthful to the man that can get
her." added Tant' Sannie. Her IA
theirs got $4,000 in the green wagon
box under his bed and farm and
5000 sheep and God Almighty knows
how many goats and horses. They
milk ten cows in midwinter, and the
young men are after her like flies about
bowl of milk. She says she means to
get married in four months, but she
! doesn't yet know to whom. 1t was
SO with me when was young" said
Tant' Sannie. 1--WE sat up with the
young men four and five nights a
week, and they will come riding again
as soon as ever they know. that the
times up that the Englishman made
me agree not to marry in"
| The Boer woman smirked compla-
Gently.
Where are you going top asked
Tant' Sannie presently, seeing that Bo-
naparte rose.
"Ha! I'm just going to the kraals,
I'll be in to supper" said Bonaparte.
| Nevertheless when he. reached fits
own door he stopped and, turned in
there. Soon after he stood before the
little glass arrayed in his best white
shirt with the little tucks and shaving
| himself. He had on his very best trou-
sers and had heavily oiled the little
fringe at the back Of his head, which,
however, refused to become darker.
But what distressed him most was his
nose. 1t was very red. He rubbed his
| finger and thumb on the wall and put
a little whitewash on it; but, finding it
rather made matters worse, he rubbed
1t of again. Then he looked carefully
into his own eyes. They certainly were
! q little pulled down at the outer cor
ners. which gave them the appearance
of looking crosswise. but then they
We're nice blue. So he put on his best
coat, took up his stick and went out to
supper, feeling on the whole well salts
| fed.
| Aunt" said Trana to Tant' Sannie
when that night they lay together in
the great wooden bed, why does the
rEnglishman sigh SO when heslool.s at
me?"
"Haw said Tant' Sannie, who was
half asleep, but suddenly started. wide
awake. Its because he thinks you
look like me. tell you, Trana,' said
Tant' Sannie, "the man is mad with
love of me. told him the other night
couldn't marry till EN- was 16 or
I'd lose all the sheep her father left
me. And he talked about Jacob work
| ing seven years and seven years again
! for his wife. and of course he meant
me-" said Tant' Sannie po,npously.
But he won't get me so easily as he
thinks. He'll have to ask more than
once"
"Oh!" said Trana. who was lump
ish girl and not much given to talking,
but presently she added, Aunt. why
does the Englishman always knocl,
against a person when he passes
| them?"
THAT'S because you are always in