The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-11-27

I'D like to ask the privilege OF BEN mar
ried in your house, Sarah"
"To be sure. To be sure" was the promp,
rejonder. Anything to See you started
well in life, If it is little late" And thus
the matter was settled.
Miss Polly Bascom began at once to pre-
pare for the greatest event in her life. Mr..
Lawson was a man of her own age. Il tlmid
bachelor who thus tar had escaped the
pitfalls of love, and who, like Polly, had
come to the conclusion that ere long it
would be too late to wed.
His courtship had extended over series
of months and some said that at the last
moment he would back out" and leave
Polly still in the matrimonial market.
Thanksgiving morning found Polly ready
for her nuptials. The whole neighborhood
was on the qui vive And why shouldn't it
be? Polly Bascom and Eph Lawson. Did
you ever?
Il say, Polly, what if Parson Trimble
had asked you tirst?" queried Mrs. Thorn
son, as she looked at Polly in her we'd
ding gown.
but he didn't. He had more than one
good chance, Sarah, and you know that
| don't want to miss this one" and Polly
laughed as she surveyed herself in the mir
ror.
The hour of seven came on apace and
the little parlor in the Thomson home had
been arrayed for the occasion. The few
guests who had been invited had come, and
Parson Trimble, accompanied by an itin-
Grant minister of his own persuasion, was
likewise on hand. But the bridegroom was
strangely absent.
Il knowed he'd back out. These old
bachelors hain't got the spunk Of an"
Hell come" said Polly. "Eph said he
would and that settles it
'Itll be sorry Thanksgiving for you,
Polly, if he doesn't
The hour passed and no Ephraim. The
guests looked at one another and always
ended by stealing a glance at Miss Bascom.
She was illustrated" as Mrs. Thomson
said. If she let this opportunity slip she
might never have another Polly always
said she would be married on Thanksgiv-
ing, when she did marry, and 1t would be
a long year before another came round.
Seven-eight o'clock struck.
polly" said Mrs. Foster, ARE you goin'
to disappoint us? We've come to see you
married and there's no Eph here. He
couldn't screw his courage to the stickin
point an"
Polly blushed and looked across the
room where the parsan sat
II didn't think Eph would act'that way"
she said. ITS treatin' me rather shabbily;
but just wait I'll show him a thing or two,
for no man can trife with the affections of
Polly Bascom."
In another moment the bride-to-be had
crossed the room and held out her hand
to the parson.
II want to say that disown Eph Lawson
"a man who hasn't the courage to lead
young lady to the altar" she said. Il don't
like to disappoint my friends and-to-
morrow won't be Thanksgiving. So, Parson
Trimble, if you can take me for better or
worse-take me yourself, mean," here
Polly blushed again, "Ill do the best | can,
and Eph Lawson will learn to his sorrow
that he can't triAe with my affections
Parson Trmble coughed u little, he said
it was rather sudden, that he hadn't thought
of such a thing, though all knew he had,
that he didn't care to infringe on another's
rights; but that he had always regarded
Miss Bascom as an unexceptlonable woman,
one who would make any man happy
walk up to the fodder, parson, the sup
per's gettin' cold" broke in Mrs. Thomson.
And if Polly don't get husband this
year there's no tellin' when she will, said
Sally Truaxe.
And when the party filed into the dining
room Parson Trmble led the way with his
new wife, and Polly wondered what Eph
Lawson would say when Ire heard that
there was at least one woman in the does
trct' who had mind of her own, and
would not let her affections be trified with.
Disinterested Family JOY.