The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-15

tire social body of Willow Creek was
going out to Robinsons for a "taffy
puiI' one Saturday night. the rest Of
Willow Creek laughed. The town peo-
pie sneered at the youpg women who
mad planned the party, and intimated
that the night ride out to Robinson's
ana back was an heroic measure; and
the=l%2E5hed at old man Robinson and
MS Tamlly for tolerating people who
would Snub them if they came TO
town, and lastly they laughed at the
young men, who would have to pay the
livery bills
saturday morning John Howard. Mr.
McCray's partner in the stock busi-
ness, came up from the farm on Dry
creek, and after going over some de-
talIs OF business, McCray asked his
partner to Sunday dinner as was his
custom when the young man was in
town, and the invitation was accepted.
During the boom Howard had made
money. He had mingled with what is
known as the swell set" Of Willow
Creek, and though not favorite at
the flood of the BOOM" the very fact
that he had the social instinct made
him necessity in society at its ebb.
Soon after leaving his partners office.
he had learned Of the plans for the
"taffy pull" that evening He was
urged to go. and finding that all the
rigs" were full, and that all the girls
of his 'set" were provided with es-
corts, in moment of despairing in
spiTatton the young man sent note
to his partners daughter, asking for
"the pleasure of her Company His in
wilton was accepted, and late that aft
ernoon Flora McCray stepped into a
buggy with the first beau She had ever
had, and headed a long procession for
Robinson's.
Some one had stopped the clock that
night, and the young women, putting
on their wraps. guessed that it was
nearly midnight when the "taffy pull''
at RobinSon'S broke up. AS Flora Nc
Cray sat alone in the Robinson parlor
waiting to hear the grinding Of wheels
across the gaveled path that would
herald her escorts buggy she went
over the evenings impressions in her
mind. She decided that it had been a
very pleasant evening. She had never
before found herself surrounded by the
masterful attentions Of young man.
She was pleased with his businesS-like
devotion to her coffee-cup and was
amused, yet a little startled, when he
piled monument Of cake upon her
plate and called on every one to pass
things down his way. as Miss McCray
was very hungry. 1t was new SEN
sation to find herself part Of the
merriment. Heretofore, she had been
only a spectator at such scenes. And
now that it was all over, she felt her
self still spectator. and in the mood
of a spectator she smiled deprecatingly
as she thought of the courteous atten-
tions of her fathers friend. And thus,
with mind isolated from the vain
world by such reflections, she started
with Howard on their homeward ride.
It was clustering, cloudy night.
The freakish wind scurried across
fields, pirouetted around corners. scam
pered through hedges and impishly
pulled the dry, scraggly grass of the
roadside. till the bald, old earth WINGED
and shivered with pain. Howard was
the last to leave, and as he got into the
buggy, after closing the last gate, the
rollicking wind tugged viciously at
corner of the Iaprobe, like a playful
puppy The girl shivered as Howard
leaned over to tuck the robe more
snugIy around her. She slipped gently
from her attitude of passive placidity
to one of unconscious, yet active inter-
est. in what appeared to be the strange,
new face her companion seemed to
wear in the darkness. AT first they
chatted on about the cOmmonplaces OF
Willow Creek. Flora McCray tried
again and again to associate her recol-
lection of the familiar face of her