Evening star., 1902-05-31
all er joke your talk o wantin' Roweny's

''They know I'm in earnest now. Come
Rover Morton said, speaking the name
almost under breath. His eyes were eager,
but his manner the perfection of Difference.
He was thirty, well born, rich, idle and
reckoned the greatest f1irt in the country
side. Fate in the shape of a thunder storm
had driven him to shelter in the Day home
stead and thus thrown him in Rowena's
path. Her wholesome, girlish beauty had
taken him unawares, and stirred depths
within him which no woman Of his own
sort had ever troubled.
Gomez! he repeated, holding out his
hand. Rowe smiled an enchanting smile.
We were just goin to the spring-Teeny
and me-" she said. You come with US.
Three always makes a jolly crowd
"Pity-but Teenys done idled erway the
day O grace" Joe interposed. Thar comes
Miss Rachel-Sue out O. the eend door,
I'm sorry, Teenyr' Morton said, hold
say the age of chivalry is past You're
a better man than 1 am"
Miss Sarah and Jim Polk II agree with
you thar, Joe said, dryly But I can't
stand here a-jowerin' with nobody! School
has took up agai'-and my lessons begin
at Kansas-Nebraska.''
Now, what air you sayin' about me?"
kansas-Nebraska called, languishingly,
though she was ten yards off
Joe dropped his head, and answered
meekly: Il wus jest tellin' this passel O.
folks it wus sech hard work tryin' ter keep
frum courtin' you"
OH, go OH with yOu. Kansas
said, giving him coquettish push. ''Whyn't
you behave nice, like Teeny2 You plague
more in minute n he does in week.
Joe put his hand beside his mouth. "I'll
keep er secrt," he said. "Teeny is so
plagued his own self he don't have none
ter spare ter nobody else"
Martyrs at the stake have possibly suf-
fered worse torment than Teeny endured
that June meeting day, but none of them
faced their tOrmpntS
spirit. Patient, dogged, cheerful, he stuck
by Rachel-Susan, STAYED her gourdfuls of
cool spring water, comforted her with ap-
pies, provided her at dinner with crisp
barbecue and plenteous pie, and after it
let her lead him to q seQuestered seat as a
lamb is led to slaughter. He was certain
she meant him to propose to her there, yet,
though he did not see how he could well
get around doing it, he did not finch. Emo
tionally Rachel-Susan was built such
lines the young man who talked at all to
her had to talk love- Notwithstanding
Teeny was sure he would get out of it
somehow. Joe might come to his relief
Joe, who had deftly put several other fel
lows. one after another, into his own place
beside Kansas-Nebraska. In addition,
there were always snakes-snakes which
he could see, or hear, or smell, in the nick
of time.
He was almot grateful to Rachel-Susan.
She kept his surface consciousness SO occu-
pied he was only dumbly alive to the deep
Cleve Morton continued to monopolize
Rowena, standing, walking, sitting beside
her, going with her in and out of church,
evidently anxious to parade his enthral
ment in the face of all the world What
girl seventeen years old could withstand a
man who was not only rich and gentle
man, but had a way with him that won all
Women's hearts? Teeny asked himself the
question over and over. The unvarying
answer wrought compassion for the buxom
girl beside him.
Suppose she loved, even as he loved!
Not himself of course-but somebody name
less, who passed her idly by. What could
she say or do?
Teeny was very young for his years. He
did not know that when woman diSpOses,
man usually proposes whether or no.
Rachel-SuSan chosen ambush was a low
outcropping ledge some little way down the
spring branch. The spring itself broke out
from beneath sharp ramp, perhaps fifteen
feet high, from whose top the earth stretch
ed away, in long undulant reaches of Vir-
gin woodland. The whole top of it was free
to the church crowds. Sweethearting
couples though, seldom went into Tit was
the thing for them to keep in sight and out
of hearing.
The rise was so sheer Teeny and Rachel
Susan leaned comfortably against it, she
for the time being oblivious of ants, bugs,
and the sOiing of her white jaconet's fiuted
ruffies. Shrubs and saplings had root in the
ramp all the way up. A favorite feat with
high growing hickory sapling, clutch it
near the tip, hold with both hands, then
swing off and outward into clear space.
Commonly the bending sapling landed the
swinging safe across the branch. Sometimes
they fell short and thereby got wet feet.
Sometimes, also, the sapling broke. But it
was usually sport of the latest afternoon,
when the crowd was on the edge of break
ing, so Rachel-Susan felt secure.
Air you shore nough goin' ter Texas,
Teeny?" she asked after they were well
settled. Teeny looked at the whispering
leaves overhead and answered, signing
family: Il dknow yit, but l sorter reckon
So"
You oughter not go less'n you take
and get married, 'Rachel-Susan said
energetically. Certain as you go single,
stay here cause Roweny Day had give ye
the sack"
We'll, All I got ter say is, she amt.
Nobody amt; cause l amt never been
bold ernough ter court nobody Who would
have sech er poor stick as me- Teeny re-
turned, edging a little away. Rachel-Susan
held up both hands. THE idear! How you
do talk she said. mo longer'n this morn
in at breakfast, par told everybody, preach
ers and all, thar wusn't a girl in the neigh
borhood but wus ready ter marry you at
the drap of er hat.
'.Wisht 1 only thought so! You wouldn't
ketch me goin' ter Texas. ner nowhars, er
lone bachelor Teeny SAID, Dut that how
I'll have ter co.
"No-you can take-ne. Only say the
word Won't you say it-Teeny?" Rachel
Susan asked, her voice breaking over the
last word The break in it took away
Teeny's breath. Things had come to pass
there was no laughing off He must an
swer in hard earnest. Yes, meant the
breaking of his own heart. No, the sham
ing of a woman. Which should it be? He
shut his eyes tight. Before he opened
them fate had decided for him.
Dinner was hardly over before Miss
Sarah gathered all her family together and
marshaled it into the high woods. She could
rest there, cuddlng the baby, and watching
the younger fry run and play unveXed
Ajax and Jim-P could keep up with the
girls. Addy and Rowe had each gallant
too tenacious to be shaken off, but since
they had come along with the rest, their
presence was no breach of the proprieties
though somewhat disquieting.
Your mother hates the sight of me. Let's
go away" Cleve Morton said drawing
Rowe's hand possessively within his arm.
Rowe laughed softly.
'At our house we do most anything for
the sake of peace in the family" she said,
withdrawing her hand, but walked at Nor
tons side. Attacks screwed his face into
a picture of discomfort, but trailed on, obe-
dient to his mothers nod, at his sisters
other hand. They went aimlessly in and
out among the great tree boles, hating at