Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-05-11

love can mean. Oh. to have you again,
as / held you those long days on the trail
but you were too near death TO know 1t
too close to death to hear all l prom
Used you II only you would live!
FELICITY.
Mount" l cried, all of a-tremble.
al shall wed this noon. Get me par
son. man. And / began tearing off
my buckskins and fiinging them right
and left. shouting for Jack the while
and dressing in my finest linen and my
silver gray velvet
l shouted at intervals for Mount
until the tap boy came to say that
Mount had gone out. So | babe the
tap boy hasten forth and buy me a
large nosegay with streamers and
fetch it to me instantly, and then re-
turned to my toilet with a feverish
haste that defeated it's own purpose.
At last, however, | hung my sword,
busted the hair powder from frill and
ruftie, buckled shOon and knees and
shook out the long soft lace over my
cuffs. Then | found the ring / had
bought in Albany and placed it i'm my
silver webbed waistcoat with its flow
cred flaps OF orange silk.
The inn clocks chimed for 10 as the
lad brought me a huge nosegay ali
fluttering with white silken streamers.
where Is my companion" | asked,
red as a poppy under his grins.
Below, sir" replied the lad, hest
tating.
Drunk" demanded angrily.
"Tolerable." said the lad
With that seized my nosegay, set
went down the side stairway to the
street
Mount staggering on the taproom
porch, spied me and rubbed his startled
eyes. But seized him by the painted
cape of his fox trimmed hunting shirt
and jerked him to and fro savagely.
Idiot! Tippler. Pottle pot.' l cried
In a rage. I'm to be married-d'ye
hear2 Married! Married. Get me a
parson! Take my nosegayl So! Now
walk behind me as IL you knew what
decent folk are accustomed to do at a
sudden wedding"
How can | get you parson IL I'm
to march here behind you, bearing this
nosegayT' he demonstrated. siding
away toward the tavern again.
you stay where you are!' l said.
Then l called a servant and babe him
find a parson to go instantly to the
house of Thomas Foxcroft in Queen
street and there await my coming.
Mount, almost sobered through sheer
establishment, regarded me wildly.
"Jack, old friend" said In a burst
of happiness, 1--WE found her, and she
will be my wife by noon! Give me
Joy. Jack. and mind that nosegay, idi-
OF! Hold it aloft. else the streamers
will trail in the dust! Now, then,
follow me! Gingerly, idiot, gingerly!
"If you are to be welded at noon, )"
he said timidly as we were hurrying
through Cambridge street, "what are
we going to do until then-walk the
streets like this?"
I stopped short. 1t was quite true
that I was not expected at Mr.. Fox
cr0ft's before noon, and 1t was now
but 10 o'clock or a little after.
81 can't sit still In that tavern" said
sLet us walk. Jack! l am mad with
happinessr'
At IL o'clock Mount and l leaned
back against the railing Of the south
burying ground watching the busy life
OF the camp on the common. / had
never before seen so many soldiers to-
gether nor such q brilliant variety OF
uniforms. We sat there on the grass
watching the marines drilling. The
artillery trotted clanking past for ex-
ercise at the Fox Hill redoubt. and
presently we heard the dull BOOM
booming of their cannon along the
west shore of the bay.
sprang TO my feet impatiently, adj
justed my sword and busted the skirts
of my coat.
Its not half past IL vet" observed
Mount.
Il don't care" muttered. II shall go
to Queen street now. Come, Jack!
cannot endure this delay, tell you"
He did not answer.
"Come, Jack" l repeated, turning
around to summon him. what are
you staring at. many
AS spoke roughly clad man push
ed in between me and Mount, swing
ing kn0DDeu SUCK. announcer man
followed, then another. Mount had
leaped to his feet and backed up to
my side.
Its Bully Bishops gangv' he said
thickly. Leave me, lad. or they'll
take us both!'
Before could comprehend what was
on foot half dozen men suddenly
surrounded Mount and silently began
to close In on him.
'Go" muttered Mount fiercely, push
Ing me violently from him.
''No. you don'tE' said a cool voice at
my elbow. I'VE want the Weasel, too
for all his flne clothesg'
They rushed us against the fence Of
the burying ground, bruising us with
their cudgels and knocking the war
Ratchet from Mounts 6st. In the up
roar around US heard cries OF death
to the highwaymeny' xii the roguesr'
A vast crowd was surging up on all
nfxru Q~1<4eA~~ H..r~-v ky>nlv n = s,r~,< = "A