Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-09-23
A Matchmaker
observation-disclosures

you come down for day or two"
And Brother Jim, greatly amused,
would thank Brother Tom for his kind
wishes for his matrimonial welfare,
and assure him that it would be quite
impossible for him to get away just at
present.
And then one day the letter with
the familiar handwriting was a little
bulkier than usual. When he opened
the envelope photograph dropped
out. 1t was the portrait Of an unusual
ly pretty girl. OF course, this must
be Laura Garman. Brother Jim looked
at the portrait long and earnestly
Brother Tom wasn't SO far wrong
when he praised this gentle-faced girl
Brother Jim placed the photograph on
the desk, where he could use it as con-
firmation Of Brother Toms praises,
and then picked up the letter.
give bin fishing for bullheads in the
pool" Brother Tom began, land cot
two-and one cot me. 1t didn't hurt
mulch and Laura tied it up with her
handkerchief. Ide know about bull
heads horns next time. am sending
you Laura's picture. She don't know
it. 1 begged it from her yesterday.
want you to get it framed up nice and
charge it to pa, Then when she says,
What did you do with my pictchoor,
Tommy lie say line getin' it framed.
Can't you come up and see a fellow,
Brother Jim? N. it don't f1ater her"
But Brother Jim seemed in no hurry
to have the framing contract carried
out. The picture fingered on his desk
just where he could catch sight Of it
whenever he chose to look up.
Dear Brother Tom," he wrote in re-
ply, II am sorry the bullhead horned
you. No doubt If you were a bullhead
you would have done the same. re-
member having some experience with
bullheads myself, but there was no
charming young woman's handker-
chiefs to bind my wounds. By the
way, that portrait you sent to have
framed reflects credit on your taste.
Miss Laura deserves all your praise.
She Is a beautiful girl-and am sure
she is as good as she is beautiful"
Two days later Brother Toms reply
was received. 1t was unusually brief,
but to the point.
Brother JIM" he wrote. ST showed
your letter to Miss Laura. My, how
she blushed. Say, can't you come up
next week? There's going to be big
church picnic. Come sure"
Brother Jim scowled darkly. Then
he chuckled What a boy! The idea
CT his showing the letter. What must
the girl think Of the liberty he took ?
Still, there wasn't anything really rude
about it. But he must be more care
full when he wrote hereafter.
Then he sent Tom a short note, in
which he said it would be impossible
for him to attend the church picnic.
A few days later Brother Tom wrote
in a somewhat melancholy tone. He
wasn't feeling quite SO well, he
guessed he missed his mother-and his
father, too, and maybe he was home
sick He wanted to see Brother jim
so much. But If Brother jim couldn't
come, would he send his photograph
It would be some comfort, anyway.
Brother Jim was considerably alarm
ed over this epistle This precious
young brother mustn't have re-
lapse. That would never do. So he
hastily wrote an encouraging note to
Brother Tom, in which Brother Tom
was advised to cheer up and be man
and with the note he forwarded his
photograph.
The answer came back promptly, and
it was again to the point.
II shode your picthoor to Miss Laura
and she liked it. She made me mad
tho when sae said you was better
looking than me. N. b. 1 told her it
f1atered you. Can't you come up Sat-
urday?"
Brother Jim scowled again and
laughed again. Really, this scalawag
Of a youngster wasn't to be trusted
with anything. Still, if Miss Garman
had any sense Of humor she must find
him amusing. Then he looked up sud-
denly at Miss Garman's portrait, and
it seemed as If smile was lowering
about the pretty mouth
And then came another disquieting
letter from Brother Tom.
There's fellow hanging round here
that 1 don't like" Tom wrote. ut
seems Miss Laura met him somewhere
and he came to see her cos he found
out her father was away. That's the
way it seems to me. He's got snaky
eyes and little black mustash and he
laffs a crate deal. I don't RELY think
that Miss Laura likes him much. But
he's got such a way Of smilin' and
sayin' soft things. I'm going to look
after her the best I kno how, but
wisht was a little older"
Two days later another disquieting
letter reached Brother Jim.
''That fellow is comm more than
ever" Tom informed him. II think
there must be something fascinating
about him, cause Miss Laura don't
seem able to tell him he amt wanted