Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-05-10
HARRIET'S WEDDING.

in the hearing of Jephthah Horrlck
and his two strapping sons that the
daughter and sister Of the house,
Harriet Horrick, was remarkably
pretty young girl, he would have
been stared at in amused amazement.
The three men toiled away on their
big Idaho ranch with their whole In
terest centered in their rapidly In.
creasing herds of cattle and sheep and
took Harriet quite as matter OF
course, as they did the bald noun
tain top they gszed at uneeeingly ev-
cry morning.
Only once had the wandering at.
tention of the three men been actual
ly concentrated on Harriet and then
it was because their personal welfare
was threatened.
Jephthah Horrick answered knock
at the door one night just after sun
set. What might you want ? he
inquired OF the stammering youth who
stood there. 1t appeared from the
callers incoherent explanations that
he had come to see Harriet.
"Get out of here |" was Jephthahs
explosive and instant greeting to his
would-be guest. 81 don't want any
pale.face drug clerk from Knob City
hanging around here Remember,
I've handy gun and can shoot very
straight !" he beloved after his has
tily retreating young man. Harriet
did not care personally. The caller
had persistently annoyed her with at
tentions whenever she went to Knob
City on shopping tours. She was
glad to get rid of him, though, natur-
ally, her fathers method did not meet
with her unqualified approval. The
two brothers looked at her with ma
tive and searching interest.
"Should say we didn't want him /
Tom had finally gasped. what I'D
we do without Hat to run the house
for us?"
The girl had smiled rather bitterly,
but said nothing The men Of the
household spent the rest of the even
ing making statements Of the powder
and-shot fate of any daring man who
came with courting in his eye and
finging childish gibes intended for
rare bits of friendly humor at Har-
riet.
1t is not to be wandered at, then,
that when Harriet, one memorable
afternoon in September, went to Knob
City and at the house Of one of her
few girl friends made the acquaint-
ance of Wood Burroughs, the young
easterner who had bought nearby
ranch some time before, she neglected
to mention the fact at home. Bur-
roughs rode beside her as she left the
bustling town behind and struck out
toward the mountain top with the set
ting sun behind it. To within a mile
of the Horrick place his road lay with
hers. The air was clear and thin as
crystal the dry, rich smell of the
fall woods was in it. Harriet uncon-
sciously lifted her head and drank it
in. She sat her horse magnifcently
and the man beside her, who had
scarcely taken his eyes from her since
their meeting, watched her with
growing admiration. Besides her
striking loveliness of face there was
an atmosphere of dignity, Of mental
balance, about the girl which won
him. 1t occurred to him comforting
ly that she wolld never be i'll at ease
in New York-or wherever she might
be placed. Then he laughed deris-
lively at the rapid pace his meditations
were taking. She looked up inquir-
ingly at the sound.
81 often do it, Burroughs explain
ed half-humorously to her. Living
alone SO much, l have to make com.
pany of myself and so 1 forget when
far better company is at hand. Mis-:
Horrick, when am 1 apt to find you
at home-if you will let me come and
see you some day p
Harriet looked into his fine face
] with the touch of boyish appeal in il