Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-11-23

other. We'll, well, If it's SO, I'm glad
O. it. It's high time, Tim. an l wish
you we'll"
Others wished Tim well, too, so thor
| oughly and increasingly hat he had no
time TO explain, If he had had words
to explain himself, which may well be
doubted.
He returned home to his mother early
hat night, and next thing he went
to see Persis instead OF going TO No. 4.
He was received with a warmth that
brought the blood to his face and kept
it there for the rest of the evening.
The conversation was mainly devoted
to the past season and the prospects of
the next and the probable market quo
tations on scallops when Lent came.
1t was only when Tim started to go
hat he approached the subject of his
visit with a trepidation that was plain
ly visible to Persis, as 1t might have
been 20 n one.
Il wonder" he began-that is, l vas
thinkin' sorter-that Is, whether, you'd
ever danced. Don't want to seem in
quisitive, you know, only 1 kinder
thought I'd like to know,
why yes, Tim, / can dance, and I
like to, what's more"
well, I'm glad-that is, I might be
IL only Tins arms, in a series of
NgibI - AlON lDNNiIb "INNl NlNC LII NN
system, were vainly trying to help him
express himself. You see," he ON
tinued, 1--WE No. 4 boys have a series O.
dances every winter-that is, assem-
blies, we call 'em-an / kinder thought
you might sorter like to go?"
When he nae at last sailed through
his difficulties of speech, Tim was
standing on one leg, and there was
p~erspiration on his brow.
sgXAvI,, 900 -a.,ntn1Ny IfI ILL., 30 -A
You're real kind"
Tim quickly turned, opened the kitch-
en- door and departed without even say
ing good night.
Tim was himself again when he went
to No. 4 the next evening. He showed no
resentment 1t the gibes which were
aimed at him, and they finally ceased.
He only said, You jest walt till the
dances begin"
This they did, and there was not a
solemn face In the hall when he en-
tered it the following week with Per-
sis by the hand.
1t was a happy winter for Tim, al
most the happiest he had ever known,
and 1t was not until summer that he
found a fly in his ointment. There had
been no expressed understanding be-
tween the pair, but then understand
ings are not always put in words. 1t
was only when Tim n Persis misun-
derstood each other that they approached
the subject of their relations with each
other.
1t happened when the summer season
had begun. Tim had appeared in q
new, trim surrey, and business was
good, and the world looked sweet and
lovely to him.
But, however the extremely v~irtuous
may feel about 1T, jealousy Is no re-
spector of persons. When Tim passed
the Sea View house, he always
stretched his neck and looked for Per-
sis. Persis generally saw him and
waved and smiled. The city people
smiled too, and thought 1t was so
pleasant to see a happy pair OF lovers,
even in humble life"
But there were times when Persis did
not see Tim. They were not many, to
be sure, but enough to crush the life
out Of him. That Persis could aver be
seer laughing and joking with a stran-
ger and not see him when he passed
killed his soul to the surface and at last
made. him the sepulcher Of a once hap
by nature.
1t was all done in q minute. He
did not often see Persis, but once In the
middle Of the summer he met her when
his resentment was hot within him.
See here, Persis," he began-and
speech came easy and without hesita-
tion-'seems to me you're sometimes
pretty close to them city fellers. An
what do they care for 0 anyway"
He couldn't have lone worse. She had
stopped suddenly.
Tim Henderson, what do you mean?
What have you to say about what /
do? Say, do you think you're captain
O. this craft?"
why, l dunno, but I kinder s'posed
you an me vas goin' together-
well, you needn't s'pose you're un-
der any obligations. 1 see you're jest
like all the rest o. the men. I want a
man that Is a / want a fellow
that has somethin' o. the hero in him.
1 don't want any o. the trash that has
only suspicious when they see a man
an m talkin' together kinder
friendly like" She turned on her heel
and walked away.
That was the last time Tim spoke to
her for over a year. That period of his
life was an interlude of blank agony.
AS for being a hero, he felt instead the
meanes of men.
If he had loved Persis Hayward, he
Worshiped her now, and 1t may seem
strange to some that the few but In
cisive words she had spoken increased
his passion tenfold.
Those who profess to understand hui
man nature have not yet given us a
satisfactory definition of the qualities
that max a hero. Perhaps, after all.
1t Is only the lack OF opportunity that
keeps all OF us from being heroes. When
that time comes, 1t is generally the hero
himself that is most surprised.
That Is the way 1t was with Tim.
Two days before Thanksgiving, the