Middletown transcript., 1903-02-28

e
and that the yard-full of maple.
cast their shadows eastward hal.
q mile. He felt the wooing breath
of. the sea-wind upon his cheek
and fiercely pulling himself to
gether, crossed the road toward
the house.
AS he opened the gate there
was q flash of red ribbons among
the cedars, a rustling of skirts,
and CLINT of sunlight upon a
crown of gold hair.
Well, Dick, what is it to be,
peace or war? The girl came up
close and peered cautiously into
his face. Oh, I can see by your
| look it's war.
/ You have spared me the pain
of telling you, he said sentiously;
your father says mix.
| Oh, I was afraid he would, she
said. It's just like him for all the
world. But he
| Yes, he thinks I'm a nice fell
Iowa bright fellow, but he does
not want me and my 'diplomys'
in the family.
He's got it in for every man
that didn't come to the country
with an ox-team. He kicks me
out because he calls me progress
sive; primarily, however, be
cause in an effort to get at some
thing more to my liking I'm fl
ling up my time, though not nec-
essarily my pocketbook, with
teaching district school instead
of raising wheat.
"Oh, it's too bad" cried the
girl. But you mustn't accuse
the whole family. We're not to
blame because papa grew up
with the country and is crazy on
wheat. We're not to blame be-
cause there is a school in our dis
trict for somebody to teach,
either, though I am in part to
blame, she admitted shyly, for
securing a boarding place for
the teacher. But don't you worry
Dick. Papa's like the Chinook.
He's liable to blow pretty steady
in one direction for several days,
but he's just as sure to change in
the end. He makes big buster,
but he doesn't run everything
hereabout, even though mamma
and I do sometimes humor him
by letting him think so.
He thinks I ought to be able to
buy Fosters thousand acres on
the west before I'm eligible, COM
planned the young man, and /
suppose / should. However, at
present it's my wit against his
wisdom.
Then there was a clatter of |
hoofs, a flourish of whip, flash
of wheels, and a man in buggy |
pulled up at the gate.
Howdy, he shouted, waving his
hand with broad sweep. Folks
all well? Thought so. Pa gone
totown? You don'tsay! Thought
I saw tracks coming out Of the
gate. Fine day, amt it? But
need rain bad for plowing. Gid |
dap, Fam y And he disappeared
down the road in a cloud of dust
That's Furious Foster, the girl
said, laughing.
Yes, he admitted ironically.
The man I'm to buy out before
I'm eligible.
Old man Keating plumed him
self upon his shrewd insight.
But for all their two years ac-
quaintance he had not properly
sounded the metal of the young
man who taught the Heating dis
trict school.
Now Richard Morrison was a
product of the Middle West.
But in his twenty-frst year he
had unwittingly assisted history
TO repeat herself in small way
for the millionth time by joining
the throng of vigorous, restless
young men who seek illusive For
tune on the North Pacific Coast.
Richard was careful. thoughtful, T
and unusually quick to see an
opening. Old man Keating's
judgment-never fell into greater
error than when he called him q
nero schoolteacher.
That evening after supper Mrs.
Keating rocked gently to and fro
on the broad front porch. read
ing in her religious weekly an
argument favorable to the Span
ish-American War. The family
disposed themselves in various
attitudes about her.
Now, amt that sad! she .ex-
claimed sympathetically, looking
up from the newspaper. JUST
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