Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-12-19
lOriginal.l

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knocked and, receiving no response,
opened it and went in.
Ivan leaned on his hoe handle and
scratched his head. He believed all the
ills that fall upon men come from wo-
men. He had had an uncle whose wife
was n shrew and had seen his uncle
under the lash of her tongue. Conse-
quently he had not only resolved that
he would never marry, but lived in
dread lest some woman should get him
in spite of his resolve. And now one
had effected an entrance into his cita-
del, and he saw defeat staring him in
the face.
With Il sigh he went to the house
| There stood Sonia by the hearth, on
which she had thrown some fresh
wood. She looked up with an embar-
raised smile, color overspreading her
| face.
What do you wish, Sonia? 2" Ivan
| asked.
Il wish to be your wife, IVAN
| do you not know that 1 have re-
| solved never to marry?"
Yes: have heard that
''Then why do you come here?"
To this question the girl made no
reply.
There are better men than 1 want
you. Some of them have ten times the
land have, with many cattle besides"
and there are better girls than
want you, girls with much more dowry
than mine"
"Then why not both choose for our
selves?"
Il have chosen"
Ivan stood n picture of irresolution.
He was like one drawn into a vortex
without power to resist. On the one
hand was the girl the freight tingeing
her face, pair of neat ankles protrud-
ing below her short skirt On the other
hand was his shrewish aunt. whom he
could never Danish from his remem-
brance."
Suppose he said presently, that l
make your mother a present of my
best cow"
"She does not wish a cow"
"And a horse for your father"
"He has already all the stock he can
use"
SIS there nothing l can give to gain
immunity
Sonia unused awhile before replying. |
Then she looked down into the fire and |
said softly:
Yes, Ivan: there is one thing. Give |
me that, and l will depart"
what is it?' asked Ivan.
"a kiss
"Oh, that is easily givenw And, ad-
vancing toward her. he slipped his
ho,. ;.% i,i,, har
face. put his lips to hers. He had in
tended to give her scant measure, but
somehow when his lips had got into
position he lost power to take them
away. The consequence was that the
clock on the mantel licked many sec
onds before the kiss was finished.
Then Sonia said:
Now 1 will go, IVAN
Ivan followed her to the door and as
she was about to depart said:
"a kiss is Il little thing to pay you
for giving me up, q very little thing.
If you wish 1 will give you another"
mo, Ivan; you have paid in full. l
will not take another"
She stood with her hand resting on
the doorlznob, Ivan very near her.
"If you will give me back the one l
have given,'' he said. II will send the
COW to your mother in exchange"
That's a fair bargain" she replied.
Again Ivan slipped his arm about
her waist, raised her face and took a
long kiss.
She opened the door and was going
out when he called her back.
Come to the hearth" he said, land
warm yourself before going out into
the cold"
Again she stood by the fire. and Ivan
said:
For another kiss 1 will send horse
to your father"
81 think perhaps father might use
another horse"
This time the kiss was longer than
any of the others. When it was FIN
ished Sonia asked:
"Why did you bring me back to the
hearth? 1 was not cold.''
MY horse is very valuable. / wish
ed to be within hearing of the clock to
count its beats and be sure 1 was get
ting good measure"
would you like your horse and COW
backY'
How could / get them?"
She looked down into the flame.
"Oh. yes; will buy each back for
kiss
81 do not mean that"
'What do you meanw
you may have them back if you
will marry me-"
Ivan repurchased his horse and his
.ox1, NV, oivinor hivnSalf for fbaro Tor
for him, he did not get
'hrew, but an excellent wife.
+. A. mitchell.