The evening Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-1902, 1902-09-15
SIX YARDS
OF YARN.

uuIl dSSSiH w kbO waning
music which the Mexican sheep shear.
ers drew from harp and guitar. One
or two men were dancing with spurs
on till a ripped dress and a shrill fem.
mine protest excluded them from the
floor.
1t was a ranch dance at Billy Mot.
lows Bar Is ranch house, and the
ladies Whograced the occasion, except
Louise Morrison and Miss Willie Por-
tor, the school teacher. were all mar.
ried women. Their numerous pro.
gency had been slowed in an adjoin.
ing room. Mrs. Billy, aware of what
woull be expected, had made bed Of
blankets and comfortables along one
wall. There the youngsters reposed,
their bare toes sticking out toward
the beholder.
Poor Gene Mcknight leaned against
a door casing and watched the dane
ers. He was out cast from the whole
feStivity since he might not even
speak to Louise Morrison. The girl
looked pale. heavy eyed and un.
happy.
Her sister-in law, Mrs. lack Nor
rison, who rejoiced in the singular
iy felicitous nickname of "Chubb -
a round-faced, tight-skinned, red >
checked, luck birdy eyed woman,
dancing in the same set with Louise
kept sharp lookout that Mcknight
got nowhere near her charge. She
was bounding like a rubber ball
through the figures, her small black
eyes swapping with delight. She
could afford to enjoy herself. for
her attitude toward Mcknight and
her intentions concerning her hus-
bands sister were matters well
known and clearly understood by
all present. The bachelor popula-
ton of the county, disporting itself
in the daxce and pretty much all
either actual or potential suitors of
Louise, lent willing and valuable
assistance.
Gene Mcknight wus the finest
locking, best hearted and sweetest
six feet of masculinity on the whole
Packsadde range. He was an in
spired cattleman and had come up
rapidly from COW puncher, wagon
boss. to have a nice bunch of cattle
and a good ranch of his own.
When lovely Louise Morrison,
then only II years old, came out to
stay with her brother lack on his
Texas ranch, the Open NJ, she be-
came at once in that community of
eligible bachelorhood q belle and the
posscssor of many desirable suitors.
Gene, whose ranch, tho Lazy X, adj
Joined the Open M, soon made it
plain that she had his heart. and the
girl, artless and impulsive, and
with no vestige of the coquette in
her makeup, allowed it to appear
as plainly that her own was given
to Gene in exchange.
The disappointed SWANS took
their defeat as becomes men, and
all would now have gone well for
the lovers had it not been for Mrs
Chubb's only and adored offspring,
Beauregard, ayouth CT some four
summers, and, as Packsaddle de-
cared to man, "the Orneriest brat
that ever dragged his lariat round
over the Texas Pauhandle.' The
seemingly favorable fact of propin-
putty was what probably procured
Genes downfall, for, waxing famil-
ia with the young mans personali-
ty, not to say his anatomy, Beaure-
gard proceeded to practice upon him
the methods pursued toward his
mother, his cut and his toys.
Mrs. Chubb's darling had appar-
entity decided in his infantlle MUD to
destroy Mcknight. The process
having gone about as far as was safe
and much farther than was com.
Portable no remonslrance be-
ing offered by the sweetIy smiling
Mrs. Chubb, Mcknight firmly but
kindly restrained the young cahni-
bal from the actual demolition Of his
features
+ 1t was cnough--it was more than
enough Mrs. Chubb never forgaye
this sighting behavior toward her
cherished offspring. Indeed, the
more she thought Of the matter. the
bitterer she waxed until Mcknight
was forbidden the house. Mrs. Chubb
declared that she would rather hanl
Louise over to horse thief than to
brute like Gene Mcknight, who
would undoubtedl y beat her, since
lie would 60 50 far as to cruelty mis-
treat little child-and before its
muther'S ewes.
Poor Gene thought OF these things
as he leaned against the doorway
aud looked on at the dance. Now
this doorway led 10 the room where
the children were slowed. A yap
aud a slight scutile among them at.
tracled his attention and appeared
to suggest some thing. He glanced
at Chubb Morrison. What If the
plot which had just flashed into his
MUD offered uot only solution Of
his and Louise's troubles, but a
chance TO get even with this re-
doubtable matron and her ill.tenp.
cred youngster, who had made
Louise's lie burden ever since
che came 10 the Open NJ!
Gene hurried out TO the corral,
made certain arrangements there,
then slipped back into the chIldren's
room, where he proceeded 10 con-
meet all those bare and stubby toes
one with the other at good liberal
distances by firmly attached. line
OF yarn. He first tried it thought.
fully and doubled it after doing so.
81 DON want to exactly jerk their
toes OUT" he mutltered. land yet
the Lord knows-fer he made EN-
that 'twould serve most OF 'em about
right.