The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-04-13


4 shade Of her usual assertiveness:
Certainly I know her. and know
what you ale going to say. You want
her to marry you. and you haven't got
| the spunk to ask her"
It was Jabez's turn to look surpris-
ed ''How--how did You guess tit"
Mary laughed for full minute.
"How did guess it? There wasn't
any guess about it. I'll bet Bossy
knows it and would tell you if she
wasn't cow"
"Well, don't see anything so funny
about it" Jabez paused and medita-
lively scratched his short side whisk-
ers, the only hirsute adornment he
permitted upon his judicial counte-
nance do you-think-I stand any
showy Then, as Mary appeared to
be suspiciously ready with her answer,
he continued: you know, she gets So
week teaching our district school in
winter and SO in summer. These self
supporting women amt usually in
very big hurry to marry
Hurry snorted Mary. Il don't call
it being in hurry when woman gets
| to the age of thirtyseven. You are
one of the most prominent men in this
part of the country. You can support
woman all right. and I believe you'll
make good husband If you'll only
shave off those things you call Burn
sides and don't try to interfere with
| my running of this house when you
bring wife home. Take my advice
| don't ask her unless you mean it, for
/ believe she'll snap you UP so quick
it'll take your breath away. Who
wouldn't marry into the Hunker fam
| lily. anyway? It's the Oldest family
around these parts
''You may be right" Jabez retorted
wickedly, "but take your own case, for
| instance. Nobody seems to have been
| particularly anxious to get into the
Hunker family in that direction"
ooh, I've had my chances, and lots
of 'em that you knew nothing about.
But you asked my advice. You've got
, it, and I'm going back to my work"
Hold on 4 minute, Mary. I didn't
have the spunk to ask her. What you
said was true. 50 l wrote her letter"
and them as Mary looked anxious
(which 1 amt going to let you see.
| There's something in it about Christ
| mas, and, as that is tomorrow, she
couldn't get it in time unless the rural
carrier took it with him when he went
| along today. I ran after him awhile
ago, but the COMPOUNDED snow Is SO
heavy that l couldn't catch him and
| couldn't even make him hear me. So
the letter Is still in my pocket. I was
thinking Of taking it to her myself this
afternoon"
"Then you would be nice loon, ia
bez. Why don't you mail the letter
tomorrow and let it 60 at that?"
THAT won't do" doggedly retorted
Jabez. "She must get it by tomorrow
morning, so she cam
Mary impatiently arose, while Jabez.
| resting his elbows on his knees and
dropping his head, began again to
caress his Furnishes"
After few moments he called out to
Mary, "I'm goin' over to Miss Givens',
| but I'll be back before dark"
He clapped on his cap, coat and tip
pet and within FIVE minutes was trudg-
| ing along the road in the direction Of
the Givenses' farm, two miles distant.
As Jabez was about to turn into the
gate leading Into the Givens dooryard
he stepped behind large butternut
tree and put his hand In his pocket
He thought he would once more read
the letter It was important. In his
cooler moments 1t might seem little
impetuous and undignined. and IL there
was one thing upon which Jabes prid-
ed himself, 1t was his dignity. As his
hand reached to the innermost recesses
Of the capacious inner pocket Of his
buffalo overcOat he gave such start
! that the snow banked on his shoulders
came tumbling down his length, like a
| shower of downy white feathers. The
| letter was not there. He retired a lit
! tie farther down the road and made
more careful examination, but the
missing epistle could not be found.
| Deciding that he must have left the
| precious missiye upon the table at
| home and accepting that fact as an
omen. Jabez continued 10 the Givens
home. where lie spent most delight
| full two hours with Miss Amanda, who
happened 10 be alone. the rest of the
| family having gone to the village to
make the final Christmas purchases. A
| dozen times when Miss Amanda smiled
graciously and. as Jabaz thought, en-
couragingly he started to speak right
| out, but each time lie thought her ex-
| preston changed. and he RETAINED.
| On his way home Jabez passed Adam
Wheeler. neighboring farmer, on his
way to the village. He had come from
the direction of Jabez's house and was,
as always, whistling. even while his
head was bowed to the awful snow
| storm. He started when Jabez hailed
him with a CHEEKY "Hello. Ad. Hope
you and the folks II have a merry
| Christmas tomorrow"
i