Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-06-12

clod with the steely polish OF the plow-
share upon It, threw it at the mare.
| 1t struck her on the flank. She gather
| ed her feet under her In sudden alarm,
then slowly relaxed. looked slyly for
standing, suddenly wheeled and am.
bled of home. leaving Seffy prone on
the ground as her part Of the joke.
The old man brought Seffy in tri-
! umph to the store-porch.
"Chust stopped you afore you got
| to be a anchel!" he was sayiag We
couldn't bear to sink about you being
a anchel-an' wiss the anchels stand
pa harp upon your forehead. crown
within your hand. ! expect-when it's
complaining time
Sefry grinned cheerfully. brushed off
the dust and contemplated his fathers
watch-held accusingly against him.
Old Baumgartner went on gaily.
About an inch and a half apast
ten, Seffy, I'm glad you amt break
ing your reputation for being fast
nachich. Chust about a quarter of an
inch too late for the prize wiss flour
on its hair and arms and its frock
pinned up to show its new spetticoat!
Uhu! If / had such a nice petit
coat he initiated the lady in ques-
ton. to the tremendous delight of the
gentle loafers.
Seffy stared little and rubbed
some dust out of his eyes. He was
pleasant but dull.
.Yassir. Sef. If you'd a-got yere at a
inch and quarter apast! Now Sans
got her. Down In the cellar a-licking
moiasses together! Doggone II Sam
don't git eferysing-eXcept his due
bills. He don't want to be no anchel
tell he dies. He's got fun enough yere
but Seffy-you're like the flow of
molasses in January-at courting."
This oblique suasion made no i'm
preston on Seffy. 1t is doubtful If he
understood 1t at all. The loafers be-
gan to smile. One laughed. The old
man checked him with a threat of per-
sonal harm.
Hold on there. Jefferson Dafis Bus
to laugh at my Seffy-except chust me
account I'm his daddy. It's a fight
word the next time you do it."
Mr.. Busby Strengthened his coun-
tenance.
He don't seem to notice-nor keer
bout gals-do he?"
No one spoke.
NO. durn him. he amt no good.
Say-what1l you give for him. hah?
Yere he goes to the highest bidder
for richer. for poorer. for better. for
worser. up and down, In and out.
swing your partners-what's bid? He
ken plow as crooked as a mules hind
leg. sleep hard as 'possum In winter
time. eat like a snake. git left efery
time-but he ken ketch fish. They
walt on him. What's bid?"
No one would hazard a bid.
"Yit a minute" shouted the old fel.
low. pulling out his bulls.eye watch
again. what's bid? Going-goIng-all
done-going-"
"A dollar,"
The bid came from behind him. and
the voice was beautiful to hear. A
gleam came into the old mans eyes as
he heard II. He deliberately put the
watch back In its pocket, put on his
spectacles, and turned. as II she were
a stranger.
"Gone," he announced then. Who's
the purchaser? Come forwards and
take away you property. What's the
name. please?" Then he pretended to
recognize her. ''Oach. Sally. Well.
that's lucky, He goes In good hands.
He's sound and kind. but needs the
whip" He held out his hand for the
dollar.
II was the girl OF whom he had
spoken accurately as prize. Her
sleeves were turned up as far as they
would go. revealing some soft lace
trimmed whiteness, and there was
-four on her arms. Some patches OF
II on her face gave n petal.like effect
to her otherwise aggressive color. The
pretty dress was pinned far enough
back to reveal the prettier petticoat-
plus n pair of trimly-clad ankles.
Perhaps these were neither the gar
ments nor the airs in which every
farmer.maiden did her baking. But
then. Sally was no ordinary farmer
maiden. She was all this. 1t is true.
but she was. besides. grace and color
and charm itself. And II she chose to
bake in such attire-or. even. II she
chose to pretend to do so. where was
the churl to say her nay. even though
the flour was part of deliberate
makeup" Certainly he was not
at the store that summer morning.
And Seffy was there. Her hair es-
capped redness by only little. But
that little was Just the difference be-
tween ugliness and beauty. For.
whether Sally were beautiful or not
about which We might contend bit
her hair was, and perhaps that is
the reason why 1t was nearly always
uncovered-or. possibly. again. be-