La Junta tribune., 1907-02-16

now, tnen- Hannah, things are 20
Hg 10 hum
II was Aunt Judith Weiimaa who
spoke- She hAi arrived from sna
osr visit 9th her sister In Michigan.
and the pan had been talking for the
hst hour ON the veranda. while Farm
- Henderson was doing up the chores
at the harm
asked
Il mean several things. ! mean that
] have never heard of q case like IT,
Your Minnie has been Old enough to
Oarry for these last three year.. and
you've let feller dawdle around here
and make sleeps eyes at her and Keep
an other feSlers away and yet hasn't
asksi her ~ he his and maybe three
sore years doing il. I call II . mean
sbame. When ] say that thing are
00ing To hum ] meon that somebody
has got To toe the mark mighty soon
o. get out You and Elisha ought TO
have put Your foot down long ago"
'You wouldn't do anything to en-
barrass Minnie.' pleaded the mother.
That's according. ! guess the en-
barrassment will all he on the other
side however. Embarrassment is all
right in a girl. Hannah. but II shouldn't
be carried too far Both OF us were
snharra ssed when we were girls. but
ne weren't 50 much 30 as 20 kill oar
prospects Of getting married. We knew
when our beaur had hung around long
ssough, Has Minnie ever given this
char a jog:"
''M-rcy. no. -.-''-'.. - -
Have you or Elisha ever given him
. jogT'
"Never-'
''Th~u II remains for Judith Wellnap
- do II. and she's right on deck. with
10th elbows stuck out. II won't be Q
week before we'll know whether Joel
Davis means business or is just sitting
around like bump on log
'Bnt you wont
81 don't know what I'll do. except Z"
you needn't ask questions. . don't be
lIeye In folks getting married within .
week. aud I don't believe In eourtinG
for half lifetime. A fellow either
wants a girl or he don't If he d0rs. let
him take her: IL be- don't. let him shy
~ and give some one else = chance
Minnie Henderson Was twenty years
80 and \ recognizeti belle for ten miles
around. Everybody WAS agreed that
- would make somebody y good wife
ne had been keeping company" with
Joel Davis for nearly three years. Joel
was bachelor Of twenty- seven. living
- tlx. - . Ia -
yen>4 Aad ln6lnstri0eas, and evesyhsaly
SAID that be would make some girl
good husband. Hut Joel was also bash
fuI and retiring. lie was In love with
Minnie. TO be sure. but that very fact
made him trcmble In her presence. 4
hundred times over In the last two
years be- had resolved 10 propose. Int
on each and every occasion his courage
had eOzed out Of his fingers ends. lie
felt that the time must and would
come. but whether II would take an
earthquake or cyclone TO bring IL
about be wasn't sure.
Il was three days before Aunt Ju-
dith saw Joel. She liked his looks. and
that changed her plans somewhat. She
hadn't been going 10 say word to
Minnie. but now she changed about
aud Opened fire with:
We'll. I am astonishcd! So that's
the fcIlcr that has been hanging
around here for half his lifetime anJ
VIII probably die OF old age on yonr
fathers DOORSTEP" -
II don't know what you mean by
hanging around retorted Minnie.
with blush and toss Of her head.
why. coming over here two or three
times n week to talk about grasshop-
pers and tater bugs. ! am surprised
at you. What can you see In such q
felIsf to encourage him; suppose he
Knows pumpkins from squashes. hut
IN bet big apple that II you asked
him when the pilgrim fathers landed
he'd fall on the veranda. Minnie Hen
derson. IL you are the girl take you
to be you will send that feller packing
this very evening"
~rou misjudge him. aunty. He does
not push himself forward, but I assure
you that
''I've got eyes In my head" snapped
heY aunt. 1T never takes me over fve
minutes to size up man. Joel Davis
Is m ft- He'll always he ten days be-
hind the Fourth Of July. It's wonder
your father and mother have allowed
L."
Minnie choked down a sharp answer
and went on TO her room to cry. and
Aunt Judith sauntered into the kitchen
TO say to her sister:
There. now. I've got the thing start
ed, and you and Elisha have got TO
turn in and help me. Minnie will cy
and then get mad and then see Joel.
and tliereI he a wedding before you
know II. Don't you weaken when the
tine comes"
KaxA dar Loci came In thu, h0usx. tn