Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-12-30

dance better; no girl on the place was
better able to dress her dark charms
to advantage or to show them off more
temptingly. The toss of her head was
an invitation and challenge in one
and the way she smiled back at them
over her shoulder set the young mems
heads dancing and their hearts throb.
bling. So her suitors were many. But
through it all Ben was patient, un.
flinching and faithful, and finally, aft
er leading him life full of doubt and
suspense, the coquette surrendered and
gave herself into his keeping.
She was maid to her mistress, but
she had time nevertheless to take care
of the newly whitewashed cabin in the
quarters to which Ben took her, and
it was very pleasant to lean over and
watch him at work making things fol
the little house-a chair from a barrel
and wonderful box of shelves to
stand in the corner. And she knew
how to say merry things, and later out.
side his door Ben would pick his banjo
and sing low and sweetly in the mu
steal voice of his race. Altogether such
another honeymoon there had never
been.
For once the old women hushed up
their prophecies of evil, although in the
beginning they had shaken their wise
old turbaned heads and predicted that
marriage with such ffighty creature
us Whey could come to no good. They
had said among themselves that Ben
would better marry some good, solid
minded, strong armed girl who would
think more about work than about
pleasures and coquetting.
81 low, honey" an old woman had
said She'll mex his heart ache many
er time. She'll comb his haid wild Ell
three legged stool an bresh it wild de
broom. Uh, huh-putty, is she? Yo'
may huh cause she putty. Ki-yi
She fix yo'! Putty women flu putty
tricks"
And the old bag smacked her lips
over the spice of malevolence in her
words. Some wonderland they are
not all black and ugly-never forgive
the world for letting them 4 gEsX Old 81 IN.
contrary two months Of unalloyed joy
had passed for Ben and Whey, and to.
night the climax seemed to have been
reached. Ben hurried along, talking
to himself as his hoe swung over his
shoulder.
"Kin do it?" he was saying. "Kin
do it," Then he would stop his walk,
and his cogitations would bloom into
mirthful chuckle. Something very
pleasant was passing through his
mind.
AS he approached, Whey was stand
ing in the door of the little cabin,
whose white sides, with green MADEIRA
clambering over them, made a pretty
frame for the dark girl in her print
dress. The husband bent double at
sight of her, stopped, took off his hat
and relieved his feelings by sounding
"Who-ee!'
"Whut's de mattah wild you, Ben?
Yo' ac' lax yo' mighty happy. Bettah
come on in hyeah an git yo' suppah
TO- it gifts COLI"
For answer the big fellow dropped
the hoe and, Selling the slight form in
his arms, swung her around until she
gasped-for breath.
"Oh, Ben" she shrieked, "yo' done
TUX all my win'r'
"Dah, now" he said. letting her
down; "dat's whut yo' gifts fo' talkin'
sassy to mel"
New min; Pm goin' to fix yo' de
fus' time gifts de chanst, see eff I
don't"
"Whut yo' gwine do? Gwine to pizen
me?"
"Wuss'n datp
"Wuss'n dat? Whut yo' gwine fin
any wuss'n pize.ain' me less'n yo' con-
juh meY
"Huh, uh-still wuss'n dat! Pm goin'
to Leah yo'."
"Huh. uh-no, yo' aim, cause any
place yo' go yo' wouldn' no more'n git
dab twell yo'd tu'n erroun' all of er
sudden an say, why. dah's Benz an
dab I'd be-"
They Chartered on like children while
She was putting the supper on the ia
BILE and he was LAYING his hot face in
the basin beside the door.
II got great news TO- yo'." he said us
they sat down.
Il bet yo' aim got nothin' of de KIM"
Cali right. Den dey ain no use in
me a-tryin' to vince yo. l les be
wastin' my bref''
go on-tell me, Ben"
"Huh, uh-yo' bet aim. an eff tell
yo' yo' lose de bet"
II dom keer. Eff yo' dom tell me den
know yo' ain got no news wufr tell
In"
"Ain' got no news wuft tellin'!
Who-eew
He came near choking on gulp of
coffee, and again his knee suffered
from the pounding of his great hands.
"Huccum yo' SO full of laugh to-
night" she asked, laughing with him.
How yo' spec gwine tell yo' dat
|ess'n tell yo' my sec'ut?
well, den, go on-tell me yd' Sc
,'ut."
Huh, uh--yo' done bet it aim wufr
.ellin'."
II dom keer whit bet. wan to
ayeah 1t now. Please, Ben, please"
Listen how she baig! Well, l gwine
Tell yo' now. ! ain gwine tease yo' no
no."
She bent her head forward expect
unity.
81 had talk wild Mas Raymond to-
lay resumed Ben.
"Yes?"
"An' he say he pay me all my back
money TO- oyahtime."
"Ohw
AN all ! gifts right along he gwine
le'p me save, an when l git TO hun
Fed dollahs he gwine gin me de free
'apahs fo' yo', my little gal"
"Oh, Ben, Ben! 1t ain SO, is itY"
Yes. it is. Den yo,ll be 70, OWN
7,'--~