The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1907-03-20
WAN TE D,
A MAN
BY M0rf60
McCuIE0cb. Williams


mustache, his eyes downcast, his heart
beating like a trip hammer. Well
might it beat fast! He had just asked
Squire Malcolm for his daughter. The
squire was q choleric person at the
best of times, but this morning his
humor was fendish. Orestes, of course,
did not know that.
There was a reason for the mood,
slight, to be sure, but any reason was
sufficient when the time came for one
of the old gentleman's RACES. He was
nearly as proud of his melon patch as
of his daughter and felt it a personal
insult If anybody else presumed to
have melons earlier. Yet here were
those miserable Dawsons, outlanders,
city bred at that, sending him melon
fully ripe with their compliments and
all because he had laughed at Dawson
and his gardener when they had talked
to him about a certain extra early
kind.
| Now, it would be quite ten days be-
fore he could return the sending.
want my girl, eh? Isn't there
something else? Don't be mealy
mouthed. Ask for my eyeteeth or the
farm and all the money I've got in
bankI" he roared at poor Orestes. who
stood nervously shifting his feet. by
George, sir, I'm amazed at your mod
Grafton! OF course I've raised Edith
Just a-purpose to see her throw herself
away. Don't interrupt me, sir! 1
know all you're going to say-you love
her and don't care a bit that she'll
have more money than any other girl
around. I've heard that from better
men than you are. l tell you, as I've
told them, she's not for any such cat
tie. / want her myself yet awhile.
When / give her up it's going to be to
a man. Be of with you now, sir, and
don't let me see you here again-not
unless you're willing to swear there
shall be no more of this nonsense"
"I'm going" Orestes said hoarsely,
turning half about. But what you
call this nonsense is going to last
with me and with Edith. too, believe
Well wait year to let you come to
better temper. But I'm going to see
her across your gate every little while.
/ won't ever set foot on your land
again, though, unless you ask it."
"Do you think I'll have such scandal
GUS behavior" the squire shouted. A
hand fell over his lips. Edith had
crept up behind him.
"Unless you will have it l shall go
with Restes right straight off," she
said, with a set Of the mouth and
lowering of the brow that made of her
her fathers daughter. In suffocating
anger that forbade speech the squire
waved the pair away. Edith would
not go. She held out her hand to Ores
ties. saying: ''I'll be at the gate tonight.
Well settle things there" Then as
the young fellow strobe off she fetched
cool water to battle the squire's head,
famed him and made him sit under
the grapevines. saying no word to him
until he had come to semblance Of
reason. When she saw his head droop
thoughtfully and his cane make faint
plunges into the turf she whispered:
Don't fret yourself sick, father. You
know you can't really say anything
against Restes He's as good as he's
ugly"
Hes a molly coddle, brought up at
his granny's apron strings" the squire
interrupted.
"Then 1 like molly coddles, and I've
been brought up to know men," she
said, running away to see about din
ner. The squire looked after her with
q scowl that softened at last to q sigh
He thought the world Of her. Love was
indeed at the bottom of his scorn for
poor Orestes.
Fate had hard lines ahead Of the
squire. Edith went duly to the gate
every Wednesday evening at shutdown
and spent an hour there in earnest
talk with her sweetheart. Even the
squire could not bring himself to ig
more Orestes completely when they
met, but he never went beyond the
gruff nod all the three Sundays before
he was laid by the heels. Obstinacy-
of man and beast-brought that about
Blicky, the buggy mare, took occasion
to balk just at the top of the lane
hill. and, instead of humoring her by
walking up what remained of the rise
her master sat tight and tried to make
her pull him. The result was much
backing. kicking and at last an upset
vehicle and broken leg for the squire
with the prospect of spending a month
at least fat on his back.
He roared and ragged IL by any chance
Edith was out Of his sight For two
weeks she did not see Orestes, bur
when the third Wednesday came she
put on her bonnet with the air Of a per
son not to be gainsaid. At the door OF
the squire's room she paused to say
"If you want anything. father, rims
your bell-it's right there at hand-and
Sally will come In. You'd better ring
it every little while. else she'll go tc
sleep. l hate going. but there is no
other way-not unless you
She stopped tentatively, her eyes
wistful. The squire glared at her, his
eyes full Of fury. $50! This is your no
ton Of duty" he said thickly. every
well. Go your gait! I'm old and help
less, but there are few things I can
do"
Eyes. you can ring for Sally and
scare her out of her Wits" Edith said
trying to laugh as she walked away
At the doorstep she was tempted to
go back, but the thought Of Orestes
waiting so patiently at the roadside
was too much for her.
The squire lay for ten minutes tense
" brooding, his face drawn and lined
Then he sat up and began recklessly to
hitch himself out of bed. Within reach
were the crutches which he was to es-
say tomorrow. Once he put out his
hand to the bell, but drew it back, NUT
tering: mo! By the Lord, I'll do it all
myself! I'll show them they can't run
over me-not quite" Then, still NUT
tering and mumbling, he wrapped him.
self in his dressing gown, reached for
the clutches and swayed and staggered
across to the door,
The squire sat down heavily upon the
second step Of the broad stairway and