Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-05-10
THE WOOING OF
SALLY ANN.
nj EARLY everybody in Brandy Patch
BY p. S. RIDsDALE.
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IN said Sally Ann was the prettiest
she had taken the prize for being the
''handsomest lady, at the annual ball
of the Jovial Social club, and that dis
tinction quite confirmed the opinion
of Everybody" There were few
people, though, who did not come I'M
der this very general classification.
They were some very envious young
women, and four rejected suitors,
and they didn't count. They could
not be good judges of beauty.
1t would not be fair to Sally Ann to
say she had the least doubt on the
subject. She had not. She well knew
that she was very good looking and it
made her somewhat vain. Otherwise
she was sensible girl.
Beauty has it's drawbacks even in
Brandy Patch, and Sally Ann before
she was 20, had ample illustration, as
many of the young men wanted to
marry her. Sally Ann had never con-
sidered the subject seriously and SO
their attentions were annoying. She
said no towel she could not remem-
Der how many. She had, of course,
ried some time. She knew she could
not always live with her uncle, es-
Pecially as his wife was far from
kind, but she had hitherto been undis-
turbed by the thought.
Now. however, she was 20, and her
uncle one day said: Class, you be-
ing big and strong and likely looking,
why don't you take one of the lads OF
the Patch for husband? Shure
you'll have no trouble"
He spoke kindly, but Sally Ann
knew that his advice was practically
n command. She must marry. She
accepted the situation philosophically
and calmly sat down to think it over
She had plenty of material from
which to select a husband. She would
count. There was Jim Golden, Pat
DOORS, Tom Williams, Nick Martin
Harry Jones, Tim Murphy, and she
went on counting the eligible young
men of the Patch, representing each
with piece of coal, until, having
reached the end of the list, she had
rs pieces on the board before her.
II must marry one of them,
thought she, with decisive toss Of
Ann viewed the prospect with sigh
and then, being essentially practical
she set to work with will. Com
mencing at the right of the line, she
picked up Billy Rice. Billy was quick
ly discarded. He had red hair. Sally
Ann did not like red hair. Fred Smith
was too small. Harry Jones dranl
too much whisky. Joe Moore had ;
wart on his nose. Tom Edwards wa.
n nice fellow, but he was only
driver boy. Sally Ann was ambitious
She wanted a miner, and Tom joined
the rest.
1t was a long time before Sail,
Ann reached the end of the line, ant
then she had a reserve row of five, up
on whom she could not decide hastily
These she took up, and, after mucl
cogitation, discarded two. Bill Pat
terson would, she thought, have
bad temper when he grew old, and
fortune teller had prophesied tina
Jimmy Hart would be killed in tn,
mines. There were three left, Pa
DOORS, Tom Williams and Nick Mar
tin Try as she might, Sally AM
could not make up her mind regard
ing either of them. Each had faults
but none more than another: eacl
made good pay, and each was goot
looking.
Its got to be one of them," sale
Sally Ann after several minutes re
Election; s'but blessed if can tel
which. P'r'aps, though" she con
tinued, 'snone of 'em will have me.
never thought of that" At length
she arose, decided. and put thre
pieces of coal in her pocket. "I'l
keep all of Them" said she, "and Sc
which'n have me-"
Now Sally AIMS assurance in calm
~ selecting three of the finest men il