Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-10
DAILY SHORT STORY
How 1t Began.
IOrlginal.l

Jenny" he said, shave y heerd y're
pap say how his potatoes air comm
out this year?'
They're all little and mighty few in
q hill"
Henry put out one hand and rested
it on the top rail very near Jenny's
elbow.
"Ours is pretty good" he said
Reckon We'll have a fair crop of 'em.' .
81 hope y Will"
Henry put his other hand on the rail
His position was face to face With
Jenny, his hands incIosing her elbows.
''Air v afeerd of fallin' backward? p
she asked
"Waal, it's kind o. humpy underfoot
here. A plowed field IS no place to
stand 'thout holdin' on ter somep'n"
Notwithstanding Jenny's covert init
nation that Henry was edging rather
close she stood her ground.
''They say Mabel Haines is a-goin' to
be married" she remarked.
"Waal, that's material. I'd like to find
some gal willin' to marry me-
II s'pOse any of 'em would suit W"
''No. they wouldn't The gal want
y y
trim figure"
Half the gals bout here has blue
eyes and yaller hair
There's only one got the right shade
for me-"
Henry continued to pull himself for
ward at intervals. each time drawing a
trifle nearer to Jennys face.
"Y' better stop that" she said.
"Why?"
"'Cause"
Although Jenny spoke very mildly,
she frightened the bashful swain. He
leaned as far back as his arms would
let him and looked at her obviously.
He saw no encouragement. 1t did not
occur TO him that Jenny might stand
farther from the fence. But Jenny's
mild admonition was her only effort
to prevent his touching her rosy lips
with his whenever he had mustered
the necessary courage.
Jenny" he said. Il b'lieve y're
Altered I'm goin' to kiss y"
"No. l amt. Y wouldn't dare do
that"
Would y mind?"
"Henery Dorm, v jist stop talkin'
bout sich things"
Henry started. He wondered how he
could have been SO bold. He let so his
hold on the fence and stood back.
"Our brindle cow" he said, had q
calf last night"
To this bit of information Jenny
made no reply. She dropped her arms
on to the top rail and looked far be-
yond the easily discouraged Henry.
eyre mad at me fer talkin' about
kissin' v" he said.
II amt mad about y're talkin' about
klssin' me-" she replied.
''Y're mad from somep'n. l reck-
oned that was it."
what v say?"
Henry repeated.
"Oh. y're standin' so fer away 1
couldn't hear "
Henry pondered upon this remark,
and glimmer of encouragement pene-
trated his sluggish brain. He ap-
preached the fence and after few ir
relevant remarks put his hands on the
rail again. inclosing Jenny's round
arms. though his were unbent. keep
ing him at distance from the lips he
coveted.
''If y think v kin drive me away
from this fence" she said, ''y're
mighty mistaken"
81 amt a-tryin'."
Henry began process of swinging
backward and forward. Several times
he approached within a few inches of
her lips. She neither moved nor spoke.
the temptation was too great
for him, and as a bit of metal placed
too close to a magnet will suddenly
click against it he got within an ire
sistible attraction, and their lips met.
Henry drew back abashed.
"That was an accident" he said. 81
wouldn't "a done it fer a quarter sec
ton o. land if could "a helped it."
"And 1 wouldn't "a had v done it
fer another quarter section" replied |
the girl, coloring. "D'y' think 1 want
anybody to kiss me as feels that !
a-way?"
"Air y goin' to forgive me, jenny"
mo"
The word was spoken in very non |
committal tone, but Henry did not so |
it. He stood very near the
pouting lips that had tasted so sweet, |
and bit of recklessness came to him.
Jenny" he said. II reckon that If v |
air not goin' to forgive me fer takin' /
one might as well have a dozen.'
To this Jenny made no reply. She |
looked out toward n barn that doomed |
up on the crest of a distant hill and |
waited.
"How much madden would v be If |
took q dozen than If took one?'' he |
asked.
Lots"
Henry was beginning to discover
hat the penalty he must pay for kiss
vas not very severe. Jenny's lips were
still pouting within a few inches of
lis, and he was thinking If one kiss
had been so sweet that a dozen must
De twelve times sweeter. He slowly
rev nearer and nearer, giving her
plenty of time to draw back. She did
rot move. and at last Henry was revel-
ng in another kiss. though whether 1t