The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-04-11
HOW WHIT GOT
EVEN


TF MILF SOWASH had known there
was to be a dance at Old Man Lasha-
baugh's he would have stopped at the
Flying Wand and overhauled his war
sack for the conventional white shirt
stand-up collar, red necktie and black
diagonal suit, which, with pair of fine
high-heeled calfskin boots, made up
his gala costume. AS it was, he pushed
up along Elkhead without going near
the ranch, where the cook would have
told him, and it was not until he rode
up to Lashabaugh's and saw the string
of ponies outside, the lights inside and
heard the lively scrape of the fiddle
and the stentorian voice of the caller
that he had any idea of it.
Still, he was not going to turn back.
He knew that most of the boys were
dancing within that log ranchhouse-
and the girls without exception, I'M
less one of them happened to be dan
gerously i'll; for girls were scarce in
Hondu county, and about the only way
for a maiden to escape the importun1-
ties of round dozen proffered escorts
to a dance was to accept the first one
that came along-of course, always
supposing that there was not recog-
nized preemptor.
The dance was in full swing-hteral-
ly, for Steve Whaley had just called
'grand right and left" and this socia-
BILE figure was being executed by three
sets with great vigor. Mat Barkdoll,
from Hat Creek, was seated in chair
that had been set on the kitchen table
in one corner of the room and was
saving out Buffalo Girls on that cele-
brated fiddle of his.
"Promenade ALTO your seatsl"
shouted Mat, and then Mrs. Lasha-
baugh, who had been nodding and smil-
ing at Milt in the pauses of the dance,
came bustling forward to greet him.
"Why didn't you come before? But
then you amt never too late. And |
bet you haven't had your supper, and
of course the fire is out in the stove.
Never mind there's some cold pork an
beans an biscuit an some o. my plum
pie. | guess you won't go hungry. I'm
real glad you come-whisper, Milt!
The new schoolma ans here. Hank
Dyson brought her-that's her with
Belle now"
Milt looked and saw a slight little
woman, with pale face and large,
soft-brown eyes, and as he looked the
brown eyes met his for an instant
just an instant-but it was enough.
9Th get you something to eat the
first thing" said Mrs. Lashabaugh.
"I've eat" said Milt. "You don't need
to trouble. l met up with the mess
wagon at Pass creek. l was going on
to Bakers gap an calculated I'd stay
here tonight. l didn't get no word
that there was doings here"
swell, if you don't want to eat you
can dance. Here's Belle now. I've got
a partner for you, Belle"
Belle Lashabaugh, fresh, rosy beau
ty of 1S, showed her white teeth in a
dazzling smile. "Howdy, Mill" she
said "Do you want this waltz? If
you do you want to speak quick. l
amt going to take mas word for it."
81 amt dressed for the part" said
Sowash. "You count me out tonight,
Belle. I did not bring my coat even
jest tied on my slicker behind the sad
die an pulled out. I'll set down an
look on"
The girl simply laid her hand on
the blue flannel shirt sleeve and led
him into the middle of the floor. The
next moment they and the other II
couples were whirling away to the
strains of "Sweethearts." Several times
Sowash caught glimpse of the school
ma'am. She was dancing with Emory
Jackson, of the "Flying W." Judging
from her radiant smile, the pink flush
in her cheeks and the light in her eyes
she seemed to be enjoyingit. Milt felt
his old liking for Emory turn to Bit
ter hatred on the instant and his soul
was filled with envy of the young mans
close-shayen and general ''slic<ed up"
condition. When the waltz was fin
ished Belle, without word of warn
ing, walked him up to the divinity and
introduced him.
Milt was usually particularly self
possessed young man, but as the brown
eyes looked up at him coolly and not
altogether approvingly he felt his self
possession desert him and hot blush
mount to the tips of his ears. He found
himself stammering out a request for
a dance.
I'm rather tired" she said. 81 hope
you will excuse me-"
Milt backed away somehow and was
presently Hospitality entreated by old
man Lashabaugh, who had something
on the top log outside that he wished
to show him. They wiped their mouths
after they had inspected it and reen-
tered the house by the front door. They
came in quietly. That is how Milt over
heard the little schoolma'am talking
to Belle in the passageway.
mo, wasn't tired" she said, "but--
I don't want you to think that Pm
stuck up or finiclSy, my dear. l like
your western freedom more than can
tell you-but think when a man asks
a girl to dance he ought at least to
put his coat ION first. He didn't even
have"
Milt did not wait to hear the rest.
When young man finds himself
scorned by young woman it is al
ways the most sensible thing to make
a resolution to have nothing more to
do with her. Sowash did this sensible
thing. No little bundle of eastern