The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-02-08

his hair, and the red eyes his weak
eyes. and my killing him meant mar
riage? Get supper ready quickly. The
ssheep's inside and rooster cakes. We
sshall sit up tonight"
To young Piet Wander Walt that sup
per was a period Of intense torture.
There was something overawing In
that assembly Of English people, with
their incomprehensible speech and,
moreover, it was his first courtship.
His first wife had courted him, and
yten months Of severe domestic rule had
not raised his spirit or courage. He
late little and when he raised a morsel
to his lips glanced guiltily round to see
If he were not observed. He had put
three rings ON his little finger, with the
intention of sticking it out stiffly when
he raised coffee cup. Now the little
finger was curled miserably among its
fellows. 1t was small relief when the
meal was over and Tant' Sannie and
he repaired to the front room. Once
seated there. he set his knees close to.
.gether, stood his black hat upon them
land wretchedly turned the brim up and
down. But supper had cheered Tant'
;Sannie, who found it impossible longer
ITO maintain that decorous silence and
whose heart yearned over the youth.
81 was related to your Aunt Selena
who died." said Tant' Sannie. my
mothers stepbrother's child was mar
ried to her fathers brothers step
nephew's niece" w.. -
Yes, aunt" said the young man. II
knew we We're related"
1T was her cousin" said Tant' San
ME, now fairly on the flow, who had
: the cancer cut out of her breast by the
other doctor. who was not the right
doctor they sent for, but who did it
quite as We'll"
Eyes, aunt" said the young man.
I've heard about it often" said
Tant' Sannie. "And he was the son Of
the old doctor that they say died on
Christmas day, but l don't know If
that's true. People do tell such awful
lies. Why should he die on Christmas
day more than any other dayw
"Yes, aunt, why? said the young
man meekly.
Did you ever have the toothache"
asked 1duC Saline.
mo, aunt"
well, they say that doctor-not the
son of the old doctor that died on
Christmas day, the other that didn't
come when he was sent for-he gave
such good stuff for the toothache that
if you opened the bottle in the room
where any one was bad they got bet
ter directly. You could see it was good
stuff" said Tant' San1iie! at tasted
horrid. That was real doctor! He
used to give bottle so high" said the
Boer woman. raising her hand foot
from the table. you could drink at
it for a month and it wouldn't get
done. and the same medicine was good
for all sorts of sicknesses- Group, mea-
sles, jaundice, dropsy. Now you have
to buy new kind for each sickness.
The doctors aren't so good as they
used to be-"
was trying to gain courage to stick out
his legs and clink his spurs together.
He did so at last.
Tant' Sannie had noticed the spurs
before. but she thought it showed
nice, manly spirit, and her heart warm
ed yet more to the youth.
did you ever have commissions when
you were a baby? asked Tant' San
ME.
YES" said the young man.
stranger said Tant' Sannie. 81
had commissions too. Wonderful that
we should be so much alike"
Aunt" said the young man explo-
sively, "can we sit up tonight?'
Tant' Sannie hung her head and half
closed her eyes; but, finding that her
little wiles were thrown away, the
young man staring fiXedly at his hat,
she simpered, "Yes," and went away
to fetch candles.
In the dining room EN- worked at
her machine, and Gregory sat close be-
side her, his great blue eyes turned to
the window where Lyndall leaned out
talking to Waldo.
Tant Sannie took two candles out Of
-She cupboard and held them. up tri-
umphantly. winking all round the
room.
Hes asked for them," she said.
"Does he want them for his horses
rubbed back" asked Gregory, new to
up country life.
NO." said Tant' Sannie Indignantly;
=" we're going to sit up! and she walked
off in triumph with the candles.
Nevertheless, when all the rest Of the
house had retired, when the long can
die was lighted, when the coffee kettle
was filed, when she sat in the elbow
chair, with her lover on a chair close
beside her. and when the vigil Of the
night was fairly begun, she began to
find it wearisome. The young man
looked chilly and said nothing.
wont you put your feet on my
:stovew said Tant' Sannie.
mo, thank you, aunt" said the
young man. and both lapsed into ST.
lence.
At last Tant' Sannie, afraid Of going
to sleep, tapped a strong cup Of coffee
for herself and handed another to her
lover. This visibly revived both. -.
"How long were you married, cous-
inw
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