Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-10-22
Observation-Disclosures
A MAN
WITHOUT
BRAINS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY PAUL SEVERINq
Copyright, 1901, by Il. S. Richardson

"And that is your decision, father?
You object to Mr.. Hawley because he
is, as you call him, tenderfoot."
mo, daughter; not exactly that. It's
the kind of tenderfoot l object to-"
~ suppose you would like me to mar
ry one Of your mine foremen merely
because he is product of Coloradow
"Now, Mary, you know better. l
want you to marry some good fellow
who has at least proved himself some
how or other. But your Mr.. Hawley-
what has he done, now; tell me that?
There he is idlin' away his time at the
Springs. Benefit of his health? Bah!
When l was his age, l hadn't as much
as he has, and l didn't loaf around
with girls on hotel porches; didn't see
q girl moren once in a year maybe.
Why don't he get a grub stake and
start out and do little prospectin' on
his own account? 'Tisnt in his line,
eh? Well, neither are you. The man
that gets my daughter has got to show
the sand that's in him, and that settles
it, If have anything to say about it"
And yet it did not settle 1t any more
than such decisions of such fathers
have ever settled such cases. But
what makes this worth the telling is
the odd way in which it was settled.
When Mary Wilson told Ned Hawley
that her father, the wealthy mine own
err, had objected to his suit for her hand
and the reason thereof, the young man
did not utter single heroic, nor did
he start out to look for trouble, as it is
defined in the west. He merely said
somewhat reHectively:
"Well, l had an idea in the mining
line yesterday, but l did not execute 1t
because | thought l might be going
outside the limits. But now it's differ
ent i think / can show your father
that there is one side Of the mining
business about which he does not
know. BY the way, do you suppose he
would let me visit the Evening Star
mine, say day after tomorrow
'Why, yes" replied the girl. 81 could
arrange that, although 1t is very sell
dom he grants permission to any one
to go down. 1t is not very interest
ing place, you know"
"Well, I'd like to see the Evening
Star. Shall we go driving tomorrow"
he added. His manner was deeply re-
Elective, and the girl wondered at it.
The next day they went driving.
When they returned to the hotel piaz-
"a, he said, by way of finishing con-
versation just as he set her down In
front of the crowd of women seated
Oh the piazza, "And after that we will
go to Europe"
Now, it was only the end Of de-
scription Of Cooks tour itinerary, but
when Miss Wilson had passed inside
and he had driven over to the stable
Mrs. Philbig, whose husband was a
broker on the Colorado Springs Elk
change, said to Miss Golding, whose
father was mine promoter:
odd you hear that, my dear-plan-
ming trip? | believe they are en-
gagged"
By . o'clock the report had spread
to all the porches and by 10 the date
If the wedding had been set. or
course 1t reached the ears of the two
most concerned. and each denied it Wig
'rously, but that appeared only natural
% the gossips. And the next day,
when Hawley set out for the mine,
which was few miles up country,
wen the brokers on the exchange, led
~ Philbig. said things very compli-
nentary to the young mans prospects.
The visit 10 the mine was unevent-
ul to degree. 1t was not very won
erful place Mr.. Wilson was not
1ore courteous to his daughters guest
han was absolutely necessary. Haw-
ey was attentiyely polite to all de-
criptions and OH leaving promised. as
e was requested. not 10 say II word
certain machinery which
age over its competitors. Eut on the
1ay back 10 the Springs he was i'm
atlence personfied. and as soon as he
rived he rushed TO the exchange and
ent in his card to Mr.. Philbig, the
rOker.
Now, 1t was well known that Mr..
wilson swore his men to secrecy con-