The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-27

three years. If you want to keep on like
you have been adoin', she's yourn with
her eighty end of that time. What dye
say?'
John was a man of few words. He
considered it foolish to waste energy in
talking that might be so much more
profitably expended in hoeing potatoes.
So in answer to Zook's proposition he
climbed up to the barn loft, divested him.
self of his travelling suit, put his overalls
on and went out to plow corn on the
forty he hoped to acquire with the hand
of Milly Ann.
AS he followed the long rows he be-
gan to think Of himself as a moneyed
man. He also speculated on the chance
Of Zerilda moving along to another world
before the expiration of three years. It
did not look likely. Zerilda lived with
her brother Shem and sat just across the
the table from Prune. She was little
bit dry and grabbed, but sound in wind
and limb.
Two years stretched out across the
fields where John Prune sowed and
reaped. Milly Ann grew up, broad backed
as one of the Hereford calves, low of
brow and yellow Of skin. Peter Keroher
began to spruce up to her.
John Prune in the full right of having
the prior claim, objected to Zook. Zook
Iughed. Hold yer hosses, John," he
said. We'll fool 'em one of these days"
buC refer OTOVe over 10 the county seat
with Mlly Ann in his blackboard one day
and married her. Zook prepared great
| marriage feast and called in the neighbors.
While 1t was in progress John Prune sat
with his back against the corncrib and
figured it out that he had lost. Zook found
him there.
"They beat us. John,' he said But
don't you mind it, man. You go right
on as you have been doin'. There's Mag
gle comm on like a stalk O. corn, an at
the end O. your three years you can take
Std O. Mlly Ann"
| Hope lifted its head timidly in John
Prune's heart. Maggie was comely and
! altogether more desirable than Milly Ann.
AS time drew out Prune concluded that
| he had gained in the transaction.
| Zook let contract to a city man for the
| building of a barn. The contractor spurred
around Maggie with the city airs and
quickly won her. Zook, well pleased at the
! addition of such an energetic and useful
person to his family, provided a second in
| fare supper.
John Prune lost his temper He waited
until nearly midnight on the kitchen
porch, with a singletree, in the shadow Of
some morning glory vines, for Zook to
come out. but Zook didn't come. The
sound Of revelry and looks big voice in
laughter overfiowed the house.
They're a-laughin' at me-" said Prune,
and he bowed his head to the porch rail-
ing and sobbed. He was there when Zeril-
da went out to take a puff at her pipe.
She placed her hand on his shoulder, pat
ted it soothingly and said, Poor man,
poor feller!"
Prune looked up.
"Wouldn't worry bout them there 'ceit-
full critters in yander," she continued.
: They're a-pokin' fun at heap Of more
honester an Christianer person than
= themselves, SO they air, an I told 'em It
too"
| THANK you, ma am" said Prune. q
} great wave Of gratitude sweeping over
him-'thank you f'om the bottom O. my
| hearth
What a. you mean foolin' away your
time a-workin' out your insides here for
5 Shem on promise of a gal an forty acres
O. land? Shem he never did tend to let
you have Milly Ann, neither did he tend
to let you have Maggie. Brags all round
the country what a cheap hand he's got.
Shem he'll more'n likely come round in
the mornin' an offer you Tilda Jane.
She'll be big enough to marry in bout five
year,
Prune reached out in the shadow and
? grasped the singletree. Zerilda went on:
: Always did puzzle me why a sensible
man like you wanted to be humbugged SO
by Shem. Forty acres an gal! HUH
own the south hun'rd an sixty, an I'm
us good as any gal Shem Zook ever raised
7 r ever will raise!"
Next morning John Prune didn't bring
the milk to the house. Zook went down
| to the barn to negotiate with him con-
cerning Tilda Jane, chuckling over the
prospect of at elast four years more of
cheap help Prune was not there. Zook
looked in the loft where he slept The
Grand Army suit was gone from the nail
behind the door.
, Tilda Ann came running down the path
with something in her hand.
ANT 'Rilda's gone,' she painted, AN
here's letter she must "a left for you. -
Zook opened it and read: