The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-25
IN THE SUGAR BUSH.


and the Taylor families and by most
of the people for five miles around for
that matter. that Tom Dixon ana BESSIE
Taylor became engaged as they were
riding home together from the county
fair in October. The exact date ana eN-
act circumstances Of such things are al
ways of vital interest to an asricullural
community tt was match tnat PIE -
ed both families. as Tom was hne
young farmer and Bessie smart Glft
of IT, who could have had the PICK OF
half a dozen
The marriage was not to take place
for year and the course Of true love
ran smooth until December. Then bes-
sic Taylor suddenly exercised the pre-
r0gative of her sex Tom was 100 sure
Of her and he must be made 10 under
stand that his bird was not YET casea;
He had never been told that no girl
surrenders her liberty without last
Irritation. and he was totally unpfe-
pared for the blow that fell
There was TO be a spelling bee al the
red schoolhouse He and Bessie would
20. 81 course AS both of them We're ac-
counted among the best spoilers IN. the
community 1T was probable tnat lHe9
mjeht be asked to choose sides. II was
unfortunate for Tom that he forgot TO
saw that he would drive UP TO Taylor s
at a certain hour for Ressie. he meat
to- and he had no doubt that she Wouiu
be ready but the matter slipped MS
mind and when the evening finally ar
rived he got out OF his cutter a. ths
door only to be told that Bessie haa
been gone half an hour. More than tnat,
she had gone with a windmill man VINO
was canvassing the neighborhood ana
stopping at her fathers house
Tom Dixon was stunned Here vas
coouetrv deceit. treachery II dion {
occur to him that Bessie felt pldned
over his NEGLECT and Wanted 20 set
even" in the only way o2en to nef;
Neither could he know that she hal
told the windmill man that her old bean
would probably escort her home He
gasped-he muttered-he SWore. Ihen
he got into his cutter and put the whip
to his horse and sent the animal over
the TWO miles of smooth road on dead
run His first idea was to kill that
windmill man on sight; his second was
to kill the nair of deceiVers. his third
10 blow his own brains out and die the
death of a martvr. Then he haooened
to get fourth idea. and he adopted It
and stuck to it,
He entered the school house with his
jaw set and firm resolve to make
certain person repent in sackclOth and
ashes. Bessie Taylor was there, but he
saw her not The windmill man was
there, but he was too insignificant for
second glance The hOmeliest girl for
six miles around was there. having
hired her brother to bring her, and Tom
walked straight up to her and began t.
laugh and giggle and hatter.
Worse was to come. 1t happened that
he was chosen to lead one side. while
Bessie was not. Everyone looked to see
1t was the homeliest girl who was
called. although 1T was known that she
would go down and out on the first
three-sylla blad word.
When only he and Bessie remained
on their feet the climax of his mean
ness came. When they got among the
hard words he stood and glared across
at her as if he never had seen her be-
fore. and in her confusion she blum
dered and left him victor.
Next day it was known far and wide
that Tom Dixon and Bessie TAYLOR
were out and though several parties
volunteered their Services as peace
makers. the gulf could not be bridged.
Bessie felt injured, because Tom had
not understood her. and Tom felt mad
that she had tried to play with his hon
that winter.
The couple were brought together ct
candy-puh and apple-bee and a sec
ond spelling school, but they held aioof
from each other and resorted to sar-
casm- The old folks on both sides tried
their hands. but the result was the
same and ii finally came to be under
stood that the match was off for good
Time wore on and the month oi
March came in. Farmer Dixon had 20t
sugar NAPLES In his woods and there
was sugar-making every spring. or
this occasion the trees had been tanned
during the last days of February. and
as the farmer had met with an accident
the month of March saw Tom at work
alone in the sugar bush, and having his
hands full
on the night of the 5th he gave q
sugar-off party to half a dozen young
fellows and their girls. and, of course
Bessie heard of it, Tom heard thai
she heard of it, and also that she sai5
she never could see any romance ir
trailing about the wet woods and eat
ing maple wax off a chip, and so he
repeated the performance week later
This time she had no remarks to make
and he felicitated himself that he hat
made her feel real bad.
Three or four days after his secone
party, Mrs Taylor said to her daugh-
ter.
Bessie. I've got great yearning foi
taste Of new maple sugar, and if i
wasn't for my sore heel. I'd go over /,
DiXon's bush and ask Tom for some.'
And what goose you'd make O
yourself snapped Bessie.
"Weu, 7 dunno. There's worse feller
than Tom Dixon. I've never been ma,
at him"
but you ought to be. You shouldn'
stand uD for any one who has acted a
mean as ne has"
NO, mebbe not, but perhaps yol
were little bit to blame. I'd like som
new maple sugar. as was saying. ant
next to that ia like two or three leek
to eat with bread and butter. Tn
leeks must just be coming up in tn
woods now, and I can fairly taste EN-
If father wasn't so busy today. I'd hav
him 80 down in the woods and look 70
some"
Bessie made no reply. but an hou
later. when the mother happened t
CHE ni0N,