The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-04
Oscars Chance, Per Charley
Wallace ~ lcoavuant
hill HFs

wrong here and leaves you to fgger
ii out fer yessef.'
He glanced around on three grave
faces with obvious satisfaction. His
wrath had diSSiDated I'M the vanor of
words. Nor they amt such bad boys
as boys. nuther." he concluded
Il Will examine this matter care
fully, Charles said Steve
Il thank you, SUI" responded Char
ley with courtly sweep of his hand.
Not at ALL" insisted Steve with a
duplicate wave. II beg that you won't
mention it. And now, if you would
travel toward the house"
Certainly"
And out we went into North Da-
kota's CONCEALED envelope, with the
smoke from the main house chimney
rising 300 feet into the air, a snow
Whlte column. straight as mast;
Charley stalking maiestcally ahead
while we three floundered weakly be-
hind him.
Amt he the corker?' gasped Os-
car. When he gets to jumping side
ways among those four-legged words
he separates me from my good in
tentionS.'
with scorn and hoomiliation'.
quoted Steve. and stopped, overcome.
tells you what the matter and
leaves you to figger it out for your
self" ! added. Then Charley heard
us. He turned and approached, an
awful frown upon his brown.
May | inquire what is the reason
of this yere merriment?" he asked
The manner was that of a man who
proposed to find out. 1t sat on Char
ley with so ludicrouS a parody that
we were further undone. Steve raised
his hands in depreciation. and spoke
in Il muffied voice that broke at in
tervals.
CANT I laugh in my own back
yard, Charley?" he said. 'By the
Lord Harry, L will laugh inside my
stakes! No man shall prevent me
The Constitution of the United States
the Declaration of independence and
the Continental Congress give me, the
right. Now what have you got to
Say?'
Il dunno but what you have me
whip-sawed there, Steve,'' replied
Charley, scratching his head. EFF it's
your right by the CONSTRUCTION, o
course l amt goin' to object"
DO either of you object?'' demand
ed Steve of Oscar and me in his deep
est bass. No. we didn't object; we
fell down in the snow and crowed like
chanticleer.
HUNT" snorted Charley "Hunh"
Them boys hain't got brains in their
heads at all-nothin' but doodle
bugs!'
Well. Charieyc' continued Steve
as you don't object, and they don't OBJ
Ject. and l don't object. for God.
sake let's have breakfast"
I'll go you, Steve replied Charlie:
seriously, and we entered the house
uproarious
There in the kitchen was Mrs. Steve
and the company" pretty little
bright-eyed thing. whose color went
and came at a Word-more particu-
larly if Oscar said the word. The
affair was at present in the forma
state-the dawn of realization that two
such wonderful and magnificent crea-
lures as Oscar and Sally existed
But they were not Oscar and Sally
except in the dear privacy of their
souls. Yet how much that is not OBJ
vious to the careless ear can be put
into will you have Il buckWheat cake
Mr.. Kendall?" or MAY / give you /.
helping of the syrup, Miss BROWNE" Ii
took some preparation for each to
get out so simple a remark, and in
Nariably the one addressed startdl
guilty. and got crimson. 1t was the
most uncomfortable rapture l ever
saw.
However. they received very little
plaguing. | can remember but one
hard hit. Oscar was pouring syrul
upon Sally's cakes. his eyes fixed upon
dainty hand that shook under his
gaze like leaf He forgot his bust.
ness. Steve looked at the inverted
empty syrup-cup for some moments
in silence. Then he said to his wife:
Emmy, go ana get Sally nice
cupful of fresh air to put on he1
cakes; that Oscar has in the pitcher is
stale by this time
Oh, those cakes? And the ham,
And the fried eggs and potatoes! We
lived like fighting cocks at Steves, al
happens on most of the small ranches
The extreme glory of the prairie was
not ours. We were wood-choppers
hay-cutters and farmers. as we'll as
punchers; but what we lost in ro-
nance, we made up in sustenance. Nc
one ever saw a biscuit suffering from
soda jaundice on Steve's table. And
how after a nights sleep in a tenn.
perature of 40 below zero, I woulj
camp my teeth on the path to break
FAST Eating was not an appetite il
those days-it was passion.
Charley and / went forth aftei
breakfast. Oscar lingering a moment
five minutes in making excuses fol
any explanation.
Il wish to gracious Sally and Oscar
would just act like people," said Mrs
Steve once in evaporation. 'They ge
me SO nervous stammering at eacf
other that 1 drop everything 1 lay
my hands on. and / feel as if &c
| robbed somebody for the rest of the
day.
The interview over, Oscar came out
burning with his own embarrassment
and made q sore mess of everythinl
he did for the next hour A mar
| must have his mind about him on
ranch.
Once upon a time Steve came te
Charley ana me, literally prancing. W.
had heard oaths and .yells and sounds
of battle royal previously, and won.
dered what was going on. When h,
neared us he moved slowly, his hands
working like machinery.
Il would like to know" he began
and stopped to glare at us and grino
his teeth. 81 should like to know
he continued in voice SO weak Will
rage we could hardly hear it, "whs
turned the red bull into number tire;
corral?"
Charley and went right on cleaning
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