Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-07
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* By Opie Read x
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BY Opie Read

I will say-that it is a fact, nevertheless,
that ever since I have first known you
l might s~ay-indeed, pardon me for say
ing it-that l rave found myself deeper
in-in-shal l say love with your"
"Oh, res; you may say it ii you have
time-if 1t isn't too much of an EFFORT
Oh, thank you. Very kind Of you, I
am sure.''
mot at all" she replied. and for a time
they walked along in silence. II was
wondering said he, that if during those
times when we naturally turn upon our
selves an investigative eye-was wonder
Ing if at such a time you found your
heart favorably-I might say, inclined
toward me. Am l presumptuous?"
"Presumptuous!" she laughed. 'Oh,
you are charming, you silly thing; and I
love you just as much as you do me-"
'Oh, thank voA. You are very kind.
Yes, l thank YOU"
You needn't be so thankful. I can't
help myself.
winch news to me is a cause for ex-
ceedlng seif-congratulation, 1 assure
YOU He put his arm about her and
kissed her, declaring that she was the
sweetest problem that had ever come un-
der his eye. And now he began in his
way to hint at marriage, and then in her
drollery she said:
It's nothing to get papa's and mann
mas consent, but 1 won't marry unless
gfanper says 1 may. And you'll nave to
ask him."
So it was arranged that the professor
should call cary the next day and ap-
proach the old squatter as he sat in front
of his cabin. And he appeared just as
the old man had taken his accustomed
seat, to wait for the imaginary traveller
with whom the exercises of the day were
usually begun. The professor stepped
up, plucked off a twig of the miniature
forest and said: Il hope to see you well
this morning."
Hope you do. Don't wish no mans
eyesight no HARM"
"Ahem!" coughed the professor,
"Ahem!' coughed the squatetr.
And then there was silence. The girl
peeped from behind a tree. The squatter
took up his fiddle and played at the first
part of the famous old tune-the ark
aEsas Traveller
You seem to be enjoying good health"
said the mathematician.
Don't enjoy no other SOrt-don't en-
joy bad health; don't like it well enough
for that" And with traditional peres-
verance he continued to saw at the first
part of the tune. He was rehearsing his
old play. This girl peeped out from be-
hind the tree and whispered: why don't
you ask him?"
II suppose" said the professor, "that
you can remember before there was a
railway train in this part of the coun-
try. I dare say you can well remember
before you ever saw one"
Eyes, and a brother of mine amt seed
one yit."
"Ah, ha," laughed the professor, "you
mean hat he is blind"
mo, l mean he died befo' the cars got
here"
Every good, I assure you. But I have
called today to speak to you on a very
important, 1 may say, a very serious
subject"
EFF it's SO bad as hat you needn't say
nothin' about it. I wouldn't eft I was
you"
"Ah, but I have come to say it. Posi-
bly, you AVE noticed my presence here
It have seed you sneakin' along the
fence a time or two"
All, yes, no doubt. The fact is I am
very much devoted to your granddaughter,
and want your consent to our mar
riage."
The Did mans eyes dropped, but he
kept on saving at the first part of the
tune. why don't you play the turn of
the tuner" the professor asked.
"There amt no turn to it,
GIVE ME THE FIDDLE"
"Give me the fiddle"
True to his traditions, the old man
handed over the instrument, and to the
wonder of the girl behind the tree, the
professor ripped out the turn of the true
tune. And then the old man jumped up.
cut a dido, and cried out: Take her sab.
she's yourn." Ad then he dropped back
into his seat.
The lovers walked in the garden. 81
didn't know you could play a fiddle"
she said, and he replied: II had a sort
of mathematical lpremonition-having
read the old mans story many a time
premonition of what was coming, so ]
have been practicing for more than a
month on the turn of that tune. All, ]
may say-in fact will say-that it is ex-
ceedingly that he did not re-
quest me to play the first part of his Pc
euliar composition" And in their. han
piness they forgot the earth, strolling as
they We're, in the only paradise left to
the children of this life.
And the old squatter! When noon time
came he did not not answer the call to
dinner, and they found MIN sitting on the
edge of his forest, asleep. The hands
that touched him were gentle, and words
were spoken low. His old play was to
be played no more.