Evening journal., 1900-02-27

\
sewin''D
pinion, noways. of womenn-folks.
Never seed one ylt but what aid
screech and run from er mouse.
''No, sireel Thars nothin' on the top
side er this earth I'm afraid Of. and
Nan least Of ALL Shucks.'
He threw back his head and set the
echoes ringing with loud guffaw.
"Wall," assented Sam obviously. Il
know she's not tempery; but by
Jacksl when them little black eyes ov
hern gifts ter twinkling, er fellows
tongue gifts twisted. ! tell you Ia
ruther face er mad bull than have ter
set stlll and let 'em laugh outright I'd
run shor
a fortnight afterward we are not
surprised to find him deliberately
making his toilet to meet that occa-
sion--to all bashful lads the very best
of courageous tests-to pop the ques-
ton" to the one woman Of all the
world.
With lavish hand he had. applied n
loud smelling, oily pomade to his un-
ruly locks that each particular hair
might be held in place. Then he care
fully cleansed his hands for the aus
lpicious handling Of a brand-new cray
at.
Jake's silk sash tie was q bright red,
and his manly face was Of that rare
lcopperas shade possessed only by
youths born and bred in our rich riv-
Ter bottom lands Jake had as finely
lproportioned hands as any six-footer
7 lyou win find anywhere, but they were
lcracbed-nailed and as rough-palmed as
} a corn shelter. and just as he had deft-
lily tied a true-love knot, a silken
thread clung to his fingers, and in I'm
] llOosing it he had the misfortune to un-
do his work.
E "pll be dumbedr he exclaimed as he
: looked at the reflection Of the pendant
{ red ends. He jerked his arms up and
down to overcome the tension OF hold
3 ing them up so long, and then began
. again. A thousand little demons
% seemed TO get into those silken
I threads. They clung to his rough palm
I and puckered the silk tie. As fast as
I be unlOosed one another stuck.
"Shoot the thingl" he cried, look.
ing with blank despair at his reflected
4 image.
! Now, it was tied, but alasl it was
) not the thing Of beauty it had been
: There was nothing left but to pull on
: his blankets cut in the pattern Of Goa
and vest.
Though it was a hot day as his ole
: gray mare halted at the identical spo
= where she had been tied a hundre,
y times, any one would have thought h'
! had an ague he shook so and was tha
y cold
% "Git up, you fool" he mumbled. Hi
s voice sounded so far down in hi
d throat it scarcely reached his mare
ears, hut he struck her a stinging blow
~ and she sped past the fence steps
d, Slowly he came riding back and, un
l. fortunately for the poor mare, sh
IS stopped again. But she learned a les
ot son, and fifteen minutes later, whel
Sc Jake came up again, she merel
al slowed up when she reached the fenc
and cast an inquiring glance at he
master
Practising for the wedding supper
JakeT
n "HeyY" exclaimed Jake, jerking tn
g gray on her launches as he caugh
s. sight OF Sammy and Nan seated wit
IL suspicious propinquity in the shade G
Id a black Jack thicket that had fu
nished the foundation stumps of tn
ne rustic steps.
Ill II say, are you gettin' up spunk
UT come to ur weddin' supper on III
a 16thT
n Mans burst Of merry laughter sci
re him speeding down the road like
be clap of thunder does 4 scarey horse
n Dallas (TeX.) News.