Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-31
all er Joke, your talk o wantin' Rowenys

NThey Know I'm In earnest now. come
Rowe!' 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 firt 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 Rowenas
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.
and me- she said. You come with US.
Three always makes jolly crowd"
''Pity-but Teeny's done idled erway the
day O. grace" Joe interposed. Thar comes
I'm sorry, Teenyr' Morton said, hold
ing out his hand. After this, let nobody
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 passed. O.
folks it WIS Sech hard work tryin ter keep
frum courtin you
'Oh, go off with you!" Kansas Nebraska
said giving him coGuettish push. "Whyn't
you behave NICE like Teeny? You plague
more in a minute n he does in week.
Joe put his hand beside his mouth. I'll
tell you-ef you're right shore you can
keep er secrit,' 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
ever faced their torments with a timer
spirit. Patient logged, cheerful, he stuck
by Rachel-SuS STAYED her gGurdfulS of
cool spring water, comforted her with APP
pies, provided her at dinner with crisp
barbecue and plenteous pie, and after it
let her lead him to a 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 on 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 deity put several other fel
lows, one after another into his own place
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 only dumbly alive to the deep
misery underneath. In spite of Miss Sarah,
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
man who was not only rich and a 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
Rachel-Susan's chosen ambush was a low
outcropping ledge some little way down the
spring branch. The spring itself broke out
from beneath a sharp ramp, perhaps fifteen
feet high, from whose top the earth stretch
ed away. in long unduIant reaches of viz
gin woodland. The whole top of it 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 obiviOus of ants, bugs,
and the Soling of her white jacOnet S fiUted
rutfies Shrubs and saplings had root in the
ramp all the way up. A favorite feat with
boys and tomboys was to swarm up a
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 Sapllng broke. But 1t
was usually a 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 we'll
settled Teeny looked 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
theoretically. Certain as you go single,
it'll be norated up and down you couldn't
stay here cause ROweny Day had give ye
the sack
"weI. All I got ter say is, she amt.
Nobody amt; cause l amt never been
bold enough ter court nobody. Who would
have sech er poor stick as me- Teeny re-
turned, edging 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 girl in the neigh
borhood but wus ready ter marry you at
the drap of er hat
.'Wisht l only thought so! You wouldn't
ketch me goin ter Texas. ner nowhars, er
lone bachelor" Teeny said, but that's how
I'll have ter CO.
"NO-you can take-me. 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, cuddling the baby, and watching
the younger fry run and play unvexed
Ajax and Jim-Polk 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 propreties
though somewhat disquieting.
Your mother hates the sight of me- Let's
go away Cleve Morton said, drawing
Rowes 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, ODE
dent to his mothers nod. at his sisters
other hand. They went aimlessly in and
ont among the great tree holaS boI+;,r ~