The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-01-18

sleepy good eyes lacked the twinkle
that dwelt In the Boer woman's small
orbs. She was attired in a 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 comes" asked
Bonaparte when he stood drinking his
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 a 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
a 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 l 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 TOT" 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 his
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
u l.
into his own eyes. They certainly were
a little pulled down at the outer cor
ners, which gave them the appearance
of looking crosswise. but then they
were a 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.
81 70
when that night they lay together in
the great wooden bed, why does the
Epglishman sigh so when he looks at
me"
"Haw said Tant' sannie, who was
half asleep, but suddenly started, wide
awake. Its because he thinks you
look like me. l tell you, Trana," said
Tant' Sannie. ''the man is mad with
love of me. l told him the other night
I 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 pompously.
''But he won't get me so easily as he
thinks. He'll have to ask more than
once"
"Ohw said Trana. who was lump
ish girl and not much given to talking.
but presently she added, Aunt, why
does the Englishman always knock
against a person when he passes
them?
That's because you are always in
the way" said Tant' Sannie.
But, aunt" said Trana presently, 81
think he is very ugly"
"Phughw said Tant' Sannie. Its
only because we're not accustomed to
such noses in this country. In his coun-
try. he says, all the people have such
noses, and the redder your nose is the
higher you are. He's of the family Of
Tant' Sannie. Weakening up with her
subject. land he doesn't think any
thing Of governors and church elders
and such people. They are nothing to
him. When his aunt with the dropsy
dies, he'll have money enough to buy
all the farms in this district!'
"Ohv said Trana. That certainly
made difference.
YES" said Tant Sannie, land he's
only Al, though you'd take him to be
60. and he told me last night the real
reason Of his badness"
Tant' Sannie then proceeded to relate
how, at 10 years of age, Bonaparte
had courted a fair young lady; how a
deadly rival, jealous Of his verdant
locks, his golden flowing hair, had,
with a damnable and insinuating de-
ception, made him a present Of pot
Of pomatum; how, applying it in the
evening, on rising in the morning he
found his pillow strewn with the gold
en- locks and, looking into the glass,
beheld the shining and smooth expanse
which henceforth he must bear. The
few remaining hairs were turned to
silvery whiteness, and the young lady
married his rival.
"And." said Tant' Sannie solemnly,
eff it had not been for the grace Of
God and reading of the Psalms, he
Gays, he would have killed himself. He
says he could kill himself quite easily
If he wants to marry a woman and she
won't"