Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-03-12

couples worked their way arm in arm
through the thickest crowds, never sepa-
rating. Even at the lemonade stands
they drank holding the glasses in their
outer hands Such are the sacrifices
demanded by etiquette. But. observ-
ing the gracious outpouring Of fortune
upon the rare rustic just mentioned. a
youth in a green tie disengaged his
arm-for the first time in two hours
from that of a girl who looked upon
him with fond. uncertain smiles and.
conducting her to corner of the yard.
babe her remain there until he return
ed. He had to speak to Hartley Bowl
der, he explained.
Then he plunged, red faced and ex-
cited, into the circle about the shell
manipulators and offered to lay wa
ger
'HoP on there, Hen Fentriss," thickly
objected a flushed young man beside
him. ''Iss my turn
'I'm first, Hartley" returned the 9TH
err. ''You can hold yer bosses. reckon"
'Plenty fer each and all. gents" in.
terrupted one of the shell men. "Place
yer spondulics on de little ball. W'ich
is de mex lucky gent to win our mon
ey? Gent bets four sixty five he seen de
little ball go under de middle shell. Up
she comes! Dis time we wins. Platt-
vile can't win. every time. Who's de
mex lucky CENT?
Fentriss edged slowly out Of the cir
Gle, abashed and with rapidly whiten-
ing cheeks. He paused for a moment
outside, slowly realizing that all his
money had gone in one wild, blind
whirl-the money he had earned so
hard and saved so hard to make holt
day for his sweetheart and himself. He
stole one glance around the building to
where a patient figure waited for him.
Then he fed down side alley and soon
was out upon the country road. tramp
ing soddenly homeward through the
dust his chin sunk in his breast and his
hands clinched tight at his sides. Now
and then he stopped and bitterly hurl-
ed a stone at piping bird on the fence
or gay bobwhite in the fields. At noon
the patient figure was still waiting in
the corner of the courthouse yard, meek
" twisting a coral ring upon her finger.
But the flushed young man who had
spoken thickly to her deserter drew an
envied roll of bank bills from his peck
ct and began to bet with tipsy caution.
while the circle about the gamblers
watched with fervid interest, especially
Mr.. Bardlock. town marshal.
From far up Main street came the
cry "She's a-comin'! She's a-comin!'
and this announcement of the parade
proving only. one Of a dozen false
alarms a thousand discussions fook
place over old fashioned silver time
pieces as to when "sae" was really due.
Schofelds' Henry was much appealed
to as an arbiter in these discussions.
from sense Of his having good deal
to do with time in a general sort of
way, and thus Schofelds' came to be
reminded that it was getting on toward
10 o'clock, whereas. in the excitement
Of festival, he had not yet struck 9.
This, rushing forthwith to do. he did.
and, in the elation of the moment seven
or eight besides. Miss Helen Sherwood
was looking down on the mass of shift
ing color from a second story window
of the courthouse, and she had the
pleasure Of seeing Schofields' emerge
on the steps beneath her when the bells
had done and heard the cheers Qed by
Mr.. Martini with which the crowd
greeted his appearance after the per-
Torrance of his feat.
She turned beamingly to Harkless.
"What a family 1t is" she laughed.
"Just one big. jolly family! l didn't
know people could be like this until
came to Plattville."
''That is the word for it." he said.
resting his hand on the easement be
side her 81 used to think it was DESC
late, but that was long ago." He lean
ed from the window to look down. In
his dark cheek was glow the Carlow
folks had never seen there. and some
how he seemed less thin and tired than
usual; indeed, he did not seem tired at
all. by far the contrary. and he carried
himself upright, when he was not
STOPPING to see under the hat. though
not as if he thought about it. Il be.
lieve they are the best people know"
he went on. Perhaps it is because
they have been SO kind to me; but
they are kind to each other. too-kind.
good people,"
81 know she said. nodding. 81
know. There are fat women. women
who rock and rock on .piazzas by. the
Sea. and they speak of country people
as the lower classes How happy
this big family Is in not knowing it ID
the lower classesn
1--WE haven't read Nordau down
here" said John. ''Old Tom Martins
favorite work is The Descent Of Man.
and Miss Tibbs cares most for .Laila
Raekh and ,Beulah' And why not * 81 I.
...It was a girl from Southeast. Cotton
bridge. Mass" said Helen. who heard
l was from Indiana and asked me il
I didn't hate to live SO far away from
things" There was Il pause while she
leaned ont of the window with her face