Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-16
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IA S S AP H | N S
EkJHANs By Martha
| McCulloch- Williams
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Micklejohn bowed silently. His
breath came little short. Lassaphine
waved him toward the gate. As he
turned his horses head she laughed
defiantly and patted Sonny's arm.
ooh, wish Twas man an he not q
preacher she said; then, raising her
voice little: Come on, everybody
After this III hold pegs, and Sonny
may have fun with the rest of you"
The walking went on with rush.
Though there were but seventeen tur-
keys, Lassaphine somehow found her.
self at the end possessed Of $25. 1t
was almost dark, but she went into
the store, jingling the coins, laughing
and making jokes with all her court.
Teeny darted out of sight. He would
never never, undertake to wait on her
in the face of all those others. Jack
Childers at once flung over the counter
into his vacant place and certainly sold
Lassaphine some astonishing bargains
from the best in stock. She made no.
demur. Since her encounter with
Micklejohn she had royal reckless
ness in everything. Therefore she had
flouted the most trifiing gifts. Now
she took with a free hand whatever
her wooers chose to offer, thereby
greatly scandalizing the few other wo-
men making belated Christmas pur-
chases.
"Let me take you home" Jack said,
looking up into her brilliant face when
the buying was done. Jack was fair
and blue eyed and half a head the low
er. She smiled down at him and stepped
toward the door. Outside there was
black darkness. She could not make
out even Jinnys paleness against the
red of Brandy. Sonny, whom Grant and
Haskell had managed to keep miracu-
lousy sober for Christmas eve, was al
ready in his seat propped all about
with parcels. mo. I'll so as come
in my own private carriage she called
over her shoulder. 81 don't want ter
spoil sport. Be sure you-all ter come
tell me how the turkey supper went
off,"
'Tell you whut, she's got grit that
girl has, Walker said, sticking his
hands in his pockets by way of empha-
sizing his first leisure since sunrise.
"She amt afraid of nothin' In this
world ner the next
We found that out several hours
back" Jack said, and Walker could not
understand why the others laughed so
heartily.
Christmas dnunod ,,ronnrlv, oloo,, ma
cold, with powderlng Of fine light
snow over everything. By ~ o'clock it
had melted except where it lay in
shadow. The road was moist, not wet,
from 1t, yet Lassaphine held her skirts
high above it She sang in a gay, loud
voice as she walked and now and then
made a dancing step. Until now She
had never In; her life made Christmas
Gift, and she was going to hesteM, upon
the Rouse tribe-fiye strapping girls,
renters and poor whites all the gauds
and gewgaws she had accepted from
her lovers. When they came, later In
the day, she would tell them of what
she had done. She smiled whimsically
in thinking of Doc Grants dismay.
There was feud, tobacco born, betwixt
him and the Rouse tribes progenitor.
Len would sigh thrifty over the waste
of his money; Jack-Jack would laugh
with her and think 1t fine Christmas
prank.
The Rouses should never know. She
had marked their name on the bundle.
Stealing In, she would knock, drop 1t
and run away. Their house sat almost