Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-26
Anon came the benedfction.

the other for long two hours,
brought up the rear, and so passed
from the church to a fair green mead
ow adjacent thereto. Here the COM
pany disbanded; the wearers of gold
lace betaking themselves to seats
erected in the shadow of a mighty
7ak, and the ministers, of whom there
were four, bestowing themselves
within pulpits of turf. For one altar
and one clergyman could not hope to
dispatch that days business.
As for the maids, for minute CT
more they made one cluster: then.
shyIy. or with laughter, they drifted
apart ike the petals of wind-blown
rose. and silk douDlet and hose gaze
chase. Five minutes saw the goodly
company of damsels errant and
would-be bridegrooms scattered far
and near over the smiling meadow.
For the most part they went man aud
maid. but the fairer of the feminine
cohorts had ring of clGmorous suit
ors from whom to choose. As for me,
/ walked alone: for if by chance L
neared a maid. she looked woman
like) at my apparel first. and never
reached my face. but squarely turned
her back So disengaged. l felt like
n guest at e mask. and in some meas
ure enjoyed the show. though with an
uneasy consciousness that l was
pledged TO become. sooner or later.
part of the spectacle. | saw shep-
herdess fresh from Arcadia wave
back dozen importunate gallants,
Of 1rro ri ltc~r
their midst. laugh with glee at the
scramble that ensued. and finally
march off with the wearer of The
favor. l saw neighbor of mine, tall
Jack Pride. who lived II miles above
me. blush and stammer and bow
again and again to a nlilliner's ap-
prentice of a girl. not five feet high
and all eyes. who dropped curtsy
al each bow When l had passed
them so yards or more, and looked
back. they were still bobbing and
bowling.
At the far end of the meadow, near
the fort, l met young HGmor. alone,
flushed. and hurrying back to the more
popuIous part of the field.
Not yet mated?'' I asked. Where
are the maids eyes?'
..By-.." he answered, with an
angry laugh. If they're all like the
sample I've just left. I'll buy me
scuaw from the Paspaheghs,"
| smiled. $50 your wooing has not
prospered?"
His vanity took fire. Il have not
vooed in earnest" he said, carelessly.
and hitched forward his cloak of sky
blue tuftaffeta with an air. Il sheered
off quickly enough. I warrant you,
when | found the nature of the COM
modify | had to deal with.
"Ah," said. When left the crowd
they were going very fast. You had
best hurry, if you wish to secure
bargain
I'm off, he answered: then, jerking
his thumb over his shoulder: If you
keep to the river and that clump OF
cedars. you Will find Termagaunt in
ruff and farthingaie.
When he was gone. | stood still for
awhile and watched the slow sweep Of
a bIZZard high in the blue. after which
1 unsheathed my dagger. and with it
tried to scrape the dried mud from
nv boots. Succeeding but Indifferent
". I nut the blade up. stared again at
the sky. drew a long breath. and
marched upon the covert Of cedars in
Dictated by Hamor.
As | reared it. / heard at first only
the wash OF the river. but presently
there came to my ears the sound of
mans voice. and then woman's angry:
'Begone. sir!"
kiss and be friends" said the man.
The sound that followed being some
thing of the loudest for even the most
heart salutation. was not surprised,
on parting the bushes. to find the man
nursing his cheek, and the maid her
hand.
You shall pay well for that. you
sweet vixen," he cried, and caught her
by both wrists.
She struggled fiercely, bending her
head this way and that, but his hot
lips had touched her face before 1
could come between.
When l had knocked him down he
lay where he fell. dazed by the blow,
and blinking up at me with his small
ferret eyes. l knew him to be one
Edward Sharpless, and l knew no good
of him. He had been a lawyer in Eng
land He lay on the very brink of the
stream. with one arm touching the wa
ter. Flesh and blood could not resist
it. so. assisted by the toe of my boot,
he took a cold bath to cool his hot
blood
When he had clambered out and had
gone away, cursing. l turned to face
her. She stood against the trunk of
a great cedar, her head thrown back,
a spot OF angry crimson in each cheek,
one small hand clenched at her throat.
| had heard her laugh a. Sharpless
touched the water. but now there was
only defiance in her face. AS we gaZed
at each other, burst of laughter came
t o us from the meadow behind. L looked
over my shoulder, and beheld young
disappointed of a
Giles Allen and Wynne, re-
turning TO his abandoned quarry. She |
saw. too, for the crimson spread and |
deepened, and her bosom heaved. Her |
dark eyes, glancing here and there |
like those OF a hunted creature, met |
my own.
Madam" I said, will you marry
me?''
She looked at me strangely. do |
YOU live he-e?" she asked at last, with
a disdainful wave of her hand toward |
the town.
NO, madam 1 answered. Il live
up the river in Weyanke Hundred, some