Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-02-03
asked a voice henrno her

| aloud.
eyer scarf me, jim she said,
without turning around. II wonder
you amt up on the hill with the rich
folks"
"I'd ruther be here" he answered
with one of his CHEEKY laughs, as he
seated himself on the stump near
her. "Say, Miranda Jane" he went
on abruptly, "yOu amt never seen
anything hereabouts, have you, of a
gal that would like to be Mrs. Shade?"
Miranda James heart beat so loud
| ly, that she thought he must hear it..
| This wasn't at all the way she had
imagined he would begin. She was
only a simple, ignorant girl, and the
man at her side was not a bit like
the daintily-reared, elegantly-clad and
polished-mannered heroes of romance.
But he was her only hope of salvation
from the almshouse; for who would
give employment to one who did not
even know the rudiments of house
keeping, and there was no longer
room for her in the old home, wretch.
ed though it was.
After a fashion, too, Miranda Jane
really loved jim He was big, good.
natured and broad-shouldered fell
low, who was kind even to the small
est of Gods creatures, and never
spent his earnings for the coarse
pleasures INDUCED in by the otner
men Of her acquaintance.
He often said, in his quantity hum
orous way, that he was born for bet
ter things and he meant to have his
rights some day. Miranda Jane thrill
ed with pride ito hear this great,
strong fellow half afraid to openly de-
clare his love; but she was in no
hurry to let him know that she meant
to accept him.
'You know Sal Perkins never comes
down here" she said, with shy lit
tie glance from under her suNbon-
net. "She's too rich-too crazy"
II amt looking for Sal. I don't like
her red hair and freckles. The gal I'm
looking for has yeller nair like sun
shine, eyes like bit of clear blue sky,
and cheeks like June cherries, all pink
and cream. You amt seen such a
girl hereabouts, have you?"
1T must be Mary Ann Reed, cross
the creek" she answered thoughtful
ly. "She's got light hair"
'Tow hair" he retorted, scornfully,
as he moved nearer to her. ''You know
as well as I do, Miranda Jane, who I'm
looking for
How should I know" she replied,
digging her bare toes deeper into the
mud, "you amt never told me-"
give allus bin half afeared to-" he
said, trying to get hold of the not over
clean, but small, shapely hands that
nervously toyed with the frayed hem
of her faded apron.
Miranda Jane, like Jim, had ma
ture capable of better things than her
hard life had developed in her; and
she possessed, moreover, the instincts
of a born coquette.
ooh just to think, afeared of
gal,
An me just six-foot two"
she sang moclzingly.
He laughed, though he flushed to
the roots of his curly brown hair.
"Well, Miranda Jane, when fell
ler's sure of himself, and not sure of
the gal, he kinder breads to have her
laugh at him."
''The gal wouldn't laugh if she
loved him." Miranda replied in low
tone.
"Then you do know of a gal here
abouts that's willing to be Mrs. Shade,
don't you, Miranda Jane?" And he
boldly put his arm about her.
II amt said So" was the quick re-
ply, as the girl drew herself away
from him with the air of a queen,
while she wondered whether she was
acting as her favorite heroine would
act under the same trying circum-
stances.
"Say, Miranda Jane" he said, coax
ingly, as he once more drew her to-
ward him, ''let's go to K this af-
ternOon, get a license, and surprise
folks by coming home married. The
cabins ready for you at any time, and
[ need you"
Miranda James face was radiant and
rosy under the limp sunbonnet, as
Jim boldly pressed his first kiss on
her lips.
That evening saw Miranda Jane in
stalled as mistress OF the little two
roomed cabin on the hill above the
flats; and it was wonderful to see
what gift for housekeeping she de-
veloped. The rooms were always
sweet and clean; and she herself
fresh and neat in her simple calicoes.
She no longer envied, or even read of
dime novel heroines, for she herself
was living romance as sweet, if
more pure and simple, as any she had
ever read And she and Jim are slow
ly striving together for the rights"
of the higher and better life to which
they feel themselves entitled.-Wav-