The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-15

soonest girl in the country, the windmill
man took his pay and drove on. and his
golden whiskers were hardly remember
ed fifteen minutes after his departure
Among the people who were surprised
that he did not ask for MINES hand
before leaving the neighborhoOd was
Burt Thatcher. He was not only sur
pIised, but Modified. He was not only
Modified but found himself wondering
if he couldn't make it up with the girl
and be restored to favor. Like many
another man, he didn't appreciate good
thing until he had lost it.
The more Burt thought of those whis-
kers the more he was inclined to be
lieve that the color was golden instead
of 'yaller," but how was he to let Min
ME understand his change of feeling?
He must gently crawfish the next time
she visited the store to trade, and If
she showed a yielding disposition, the
chasm would be bridged.
This decision arrived at he had only
to wait. and for q week before she call
ed, in company with her mother, he had
it all mapped out as to how he would
receive her His calculations received
q setback. however
Mr. Thatcher, we want to look at
some of your best tablecloths, an
nOunced the girl, as she looked him
down like a lump of lead, and he saw
those golden whiskers floating in the air
about him.
During the hour she was in the store.
minnie lEIldLhtQ kDdl II WAS d UdEk-
ward summer; that the huckleberry
crop was very poor; that rain was bad
" needed; that she couldn't understand
why shOVels were down and tablecloths
up and the uncomfortable young man
could recollect fourteen different Occa-
sions when she lugged in the name of
Mr.. Thatcher"
He was so put out over events that he
sold a eO-cent hoe to old Mr. Johnson
for % cents, and astonished Aunt Mary
Phillips by asking her 60 cents yard
for 7-cent calico
AS matter of fact Minnie intended
to do her share towards making up"
when the proper time came but she
wanted to punish the young man first
Four weeks after the buying of the
tablecloths. and without the young cou-
pie having spoken since, Farmer Davis
and wife set out one day for Ten mile
drive to Cassvile. intending to be back
home before dark While they We're re-
turning, they met with an accident, and
it came about that Minnie found her
self alone in the house when night fell
She didn't begin to get nervous until
about o'clock. when a call from
tramp frightened her into locking all
the doors and imagining all sorts Of
things. The tramp had taken a coid
bite and left, but knowing that she
was alone, he would doubtless hang
about and break into the house
Farmer Davis had q shotgun. and that
shotgun was kept loaded with bird
shot to kill owls and chicken hawks
When Minnie was worked uD 10 such a
nervous pitch that she imagined every
gust of wind to be muff1ed footsteps of
the tramp. she got down the gun and
resolved ii persih like a true heroine
Five minutes after this resolve was
taken some one knocked on the front
door. 1t was the tramp, of course. Two
minutes later he was heard muftering
and grumbHng and getting drink Of
water at the well.
With her heart in her mouth and the
shotgun ready to fail from her trembling
hands. the girl waited. The tramp
whistled and then sat down on the door
sten-
But only for a minute Then he arose
and seemed to move along to a kitchen
window. His game was to raise the
sash or smash the glass. and. shutting
her eyes and trusting that her grave
would be kept green, Minnie pointed
the gun somewhere or other and pulled
the trigger.
There was a fash. a roar and a yell