Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-03-03
LEOFRIC
By MARTHA
Neutrality-suspicious.

Janey Gates was the beauty of Cane
Creek neighborhood. Even Sister Meak-
ms admitted as much in spite Of robust
prejudice. fancy would have been like
wise the belle If it had not been accept
ed as fact ever since she put up her
hair and let down her frocks that she
was, in neighborhood phrase, mort
gagged property Phil Mayhem had
laid claim to Der when she came hardly
to his elbow. He had, further let no.
body dispute the claim even after she
came back from boarding school, fear
fully and wonderfully accomplished.
He was a Zig fellow, square jawed and
square healed, who cared nothing for
books unless they dealt with figures.
At figures he was maryelously quick
and clever--so clever it was nothing for
him to stump successive schoolmasters
even though they were college bred,
while he knew nothing higher than the
neighborhood academy
Possibly It was triumph of this sort
which had first melted the present
schoolmaster. Leonard Trabue, Esq,
to try conclusions with him in the field
Of Miss Janey's favor. Janey ,loyed
books in the freshest most whole heart
ed fashion. Trabue could talk books
by the hour, and talk very well. Nat
urally he found himself welcome at the
Gates homestead. Quite as naturally
Phil Mayhem resented his presence
there and showed ii outright, after the
manner of masterful man orally in
love. Thus by fate and free will and
the obligation of hospitality fancy was
in manner forced to take Trabue's
part The result was a very pretty
quarrel and the transfer of Pills at
tentions TO Miss Dora Meakins.
There had been no set engagement to
break That made Pills attitude all
the more aggravating. Janey was for
months bitterly unhappy over the rup-
ture. although she let nobody see it, not
even her mother. Outwardly she was
gayer than ever, and so charming Mr..
Leonard Trabue quite lost his head.
He had meant ut first only to punish
that pestient fellow, INSTRUMENTATION
tally. of course, to divert himself and
pass time otherwise heavy on his hands.
Teaching was merely a stop gap. Lit
erature was his chosen vocation. He
meant to enter upon it through the gate
of newspaper work as soon as he could
scrape together few hundred dollars.
The Gateses were not rich folk, but
still comfortably off. and Janey an only
child. 1t is but just to say the fact had
little to do with Trabue's falling in
love. That came upon him unawares.
But once he had realized his frame OF
affections he took full coonzance Of
it. Might it not be easier to make him
self immortal even here in the deep
country, with charming wife and as
sured comfort than out in the hustle
and hurry burly of a city? TO settle 1t
out of hand he proposed plumply 10
Janey. He was dazed to get a refusal,
distressed almost fearful.
Next week the county paper printed,
with flattering comments a love rhyme
signed "Leofrlc." Cane Greek read it
because reading the paper thoroughly
was certainly the part Of thrift, if not
of Christian duty. Still, 1t felt no curl
oHtAs 40 W tHc lNiilp hiitlI liiV
rural press quite generally copied and
praised the rhyme. a second bit of
verse got reprinted in three city pa
pers, so, upon the appearance of the
third, Leofric's identity became burn
ing question, one that the editor him
self could not answer. All he knew
was that the copy came to him by the
hand of Mr. Murdoch, a leading law
yer
All winter long Leofric wrote inter-
mittently, becoming more and more a
riddle and parsonage. All winter
long too, Phil Mayhem ate Sunday din
ners Mt the Meakins' table, and Leon
ard Trabue talked books and the world
to Janey Gates. He was playing Il
waiting game, resolved to win her in
spite of herself and Phil Mayhem.
Janey's heart was singularly stead.
fast. Still, there were times when she
thought Trabue would succeed. Pills
going had left her desolate indeed
lie could never have cared rs he pre-
tended or he would not be able to stay
away. OF course she could not make
the first move to reconciliation, espe-
cially since he was so taken up with
the Meakins generation. Since he was
forever lost to her. it was far from I'M
pleasant to sun herself in Trabues
devotion.
Spring came with such rush that
year the picnic season opened in mid
May. Sister Meakins and Sister Hodg-
in, self elected social autocruts. got M
the first one and set the place for it,
Clear Spring just little way off the
Gates pasture The spring was, in
fact, Gates property, SO Sister Meakin
let the owner kpQW. size th@%Zit il.
would be no more than ncighhorly of
him to put up tables, seats ana stakes
for the gypsy kettles, TO say nothing Of
the swings. There Phil Mayhem inter
fered. You don't play q lone hand at
this game with me around. SQUIRE he
said to Janey's father. Thus it fell out
that for two days before the picnic 20
was nearly as much in Janey's eyes as
be had been all winter in her mind.
Ii amazed and somewhat frightened
her TO find how equally she regarded
him, Squire Gates brought him to din
no IL "a -s..l,s ~