River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-02-18
time table . She anologized. The con-

his gave MIN IOOQ lOI ItHSCIlOu lol
several minutes, while the train steamed
on across the prairie. Miss Kimball al
most forgot him in watching the sun
light play on the fields OF waving grain.
81 know lot of folks in Kelsey!" he
announced, persistently bringing him
self to her notice.
Miss Kimball was evidently little
deaf. He repeated the statement with
no better result Presently he added
the information that he lived at Sand
Bur Settlement, ten miles this side of
Kelsey.
Miss Kimball's hearing did not i'm
prove. The train boy came through call
ing his wares.
"Shant | get you some candy, miss?"
the timid man asked.
moi" she answered, shortly, but
danger signal famed out in the angry
red of her cheeks. 1t was really becom-
ing unbearable. = She looked about for
the conductor, but did not see him, and
there was not vacant seat in the car.
"To think could have been SO mistak-
en- in him." she thought, ruefully. Il
should have put more stress on the tie.
drums again. / like them better I'M
solved" Her soliloquy was interrupted
by his playfully nudging her with his
elbow.
Say, miss, if you hadn't been so dis
tant that young feller'd got a quarter
out o. me-"
She drew away from him with undis-
guised disgust, and the thrust from her
eyes ought to have warned him not to
trespass further upon her forbearance.
Possibly it was owing to his impaired
vision that he had the audacity to con-
tinue.
"Have you friends in Kelsey? know
lots of folks in Kelsey he reiterated.
my two boys live there-they run the
laundry--they're we'll to do, both of EN-.
My wife's been gone some time" an
effective pause-"and now my daugh-
ter's married, it's terrible lonesome life
| have up there at Sand-Bur Settlement.
I've got good business-but business
amt everything there is to life. I've
got good house and lot all paid for, too.
The paints wore off the house some, but
| could paint it up little. Say, miss,
you might do worse than to take mel"
The denouement was SO startling and
ridiculous that Miss Kimball found her
anger and annoyance giving way to de-
sire to laugh But she managed to gath
er up what shreds of dignity she had
left and turn upon him.
eff you address another word to me,
sir, you will oblige me to give up my
seat, and shall report your impudence
to the conductor" she said SO emphat
icalIy that the words carried conviction.
He gazed at her in dumb amazement.
"Well, I'll be hornswaddled!" he ejac-
ulated, finding it incredible that anyone
could withstand his Establishments. AS
Miss Kimball showed no sign of relent-
ing, he jerked himself together and rose
to the occasion.
81 won't make you give up your seat"
he said, magnanimously. "Pll give UP
mine"
THAT will suit me perfectly" she re-
sponded, with uncompromising severity.
Miss Kimball was beginning to breathe
more freely, and had half composed
most interesting dread and butter"
letter to the friend whom she had been
visiting (there are always compensa-
tions if one looks for them-the disagree
able experience would afford her friend
at least two pages of amusemen) when
the unmistakable lisp again sounded in
her ear
Miss, I've got to get off in minute;
we're most to Sand-Bur Settlement l
tell you, you might do worse. I'll give
you chance to reconsider"
81 do wonder where the conductor u.s."
said Miss Kimball She must have been
talking to herself, for she neither saw
nor addressed anyone in particular.
The gentleman from Sand-Bur Settle
ment evidently gave up the situation.
He shook his head dejectedly, took up his
bundle of stuff" cast a last languishing
look upon his fellow traveller, and de-
parted.
The last Miss Kimball saw of him, he
was trudging down the country road in
the direction of lone, weather-worn
house on a sandy plain, and her imag-
ination lent to the picture a sturdy
growth of sand burs to adorn the lawn.
That evening Gertrude Kimball, not
being able to think of a better story,
told her afternoons adventure to a
group of interested friends, while her
bunch of faggots in the CRATE snapped
and cracked a cheerful accompaniment.
I'm these days and at your age, Ger
trude?' insinuated one of the audience
at the close of the tale.
eyes, and he was undoubtedly disposed
to be generous. He was willing to buy
whole quarters worth of candy instead
of a measly little ten-cent bag" said
another.
"And house and lot all paid for, Just
think of it," exclaimed third
do you suppose can have lost my
last chance?" sighed Gertrude.
And she watched her faggots dream
lily as the greedy flames consumed the
last of them. In their dying embers her
solitaire flashed lustriously.