The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-06-05

SS'Ss
the postofiice, owe back fences, one
fact was discussed With fine interest.
Some We're cynical, some amused. some
sympathetic and kindly-all We're curl
Gus as to the ALLY Rob
bins had a beau.
The neighborhood was interested in
Sally. She was one of those pretty and
charming girls, who, through some In
consistency of heredity, as though the
refinement of a former generation had
redeemed itself at the last moment, are
born i'm a family of poverty and Hitter
acy. Graceful. fine-compleXioned, With
rank. expressive eyes, she had none OF
the duh ugliness of her class. What a
shaine!" everybody said. She should
be dressed decentlN, sent to school and
given a chance TO live like other girls"
But the school WAS three miles off, in
q lonely country. n Sally's parents
feared the negroes that travel the pub
lie road She was needed at home. too,
for she was cook and waSherwoman.
and in the busy season She worked the
crop. Then, after an early breakfast,
the family went to the field. the father
in front riding his mule, the Women in
stained homespun dresses following.
their faces hidden in bonnets, their
hands swathed in bandages to keep off
s%unburn. While the mar plowed. the
women hoed, OF knocked down cotton
stalks, and the children who were toe
small TO work brought water from some
nearby spring. JuSl DeloIe Ioo' dliu
dark Sally FASTENED home and prepared
the heavy. greasy food that gave the
Robbins family. particularly the chill
dren, a yellow, puffy skin.
In Il country where negroes are the
laboring class. MIR. Robbins was criti-
cised for making his women folks work
in the field. Sally felt this disapproval.
this pity of the LANDLORD class. Like an
ostrich. she hid her face in a bonnet
and bent her head while working, and
on returning home she cut through,
avoiding the public road. Not that the
neighbors were unsympathetic. They
offered her clothes, invited her to sun
day school and to their entertainments.
Rut Mr.. Robbins refused to let her go;
whether from meanneSS, as some
thought. or pride. or Ignorance. or be-
cause he resented patronage. no one
knew.
Thus, as is. Sally knew none of the
delights which other girls of the neigh
borhood had as their right. She had
never been to a party, or a dance, or
taken a straw ride. she was even de-
MED. for lack of clothes. the social side
of going to church. And Mr.. Robbins
allowed no young man to call on Sally.
True, a fruit peddler of the community
"a man of 30-nlade it a point to pass
the house frequently, and even found
courage when Mr.. Robbins vas away
to leave a basket of fruit and indulge
in rural gallantry. For a time Sally
was interested in him-he was her first
lover: but the interest gradually dulled.
To Sally. 80 was am impossible age. In
the novels which she and her mother
read together secretly the young lord
was never over q. His skin was ala
baster, his curly, perfumed hair fell In
ringlets over his pellucid brow. md
the foul accusation of illegitimacy. this
proud scion of a noble house held aloof
from society and stood beside fountains.
signing and rolling his eyes oward
heaven. seldom smiling. and then only
in Il melancholy fashion, displaying
even, pearlN teeth.
1t was one of Sally's day dreams that
such a one might appear before her.
Whence he should come. what manner
of youth he should be. she had no
was not the man. He was too Old.
spoke a dialect, chewed tobacco. and
YOU heard his laugh a mile away. But
one day in early spring the Robbins
got a boarder-a travelling salesman
who wished to work that territory.
His name was Silke. and he was agent
for IL picture charging house-one of
those concerns which execute With such
fidelity the breastpins, watch chains,
earrings and MISUNDERSTANDING but
the eNpression-of deceased country
people.
He made an impression in the Rob
bins family. for he had that engaging
air of worthlessness which seemingly
appeals to the uninitiated, and a GER
tain shiftless pathos about his eyes sug-
gested that at some time or other he
might have been short in his accounts.
This, and a little tenor voice, in which
he sang lowly and sweetly of forsaken
girls and widowed mothers, went TO
Mrs. Robbins heart; and MIR. Robbins
was fascinated by his knowledge of so
many trades and accomplishments
notably magic and hypnotism. Indeed.
before he had been there two days he
had won them over by his glib manner
and a certain familiar condescension.
which people in the country like in their
city cousins. He not only told their
fortunes and taught Mr.. Robbins -
sleight of hand tricks, but showed Sally
how to milk the COW, shelled the peas
put up a stove pipe. They evinced their
appreciation by giving him for enlarge
ment a tintype of little Epinetus, their
third son. who at the age of 3 had
chokec to death on a peach stone.
AS for Sally, she saw in the nict,,re
enlarger the aristocratic fitness. the
savior fare, the tone of voice. the out
ward elegance, the subtle delicacy of
an idealized lover; he came to her. as
IT We're, In the aureole of the Lord
Ieclls OF yellow fction. She noticed his
hands, SO white and slender, unlike the
pecdlers. which were large, red and
hairy; and his pale complexion and his
clothes, which were more stylish every
Gay than ner fathers on SUNDAY And
noting all these things, she felt an awe
of this magnificent young man. and vet
mingled with it, a yearning to be with
him. to talk to him and hear him talk
a vain wish that some day she might
be friends with him.
Much to her surprise this young man
proved not to be naughty, but Jolly
and of amazing good fellowship. He
began to pay her attention. She no
ticed that seemingly by accident he
sat next to her at the table; that he
strolled down by the lot when she
MIXED; hat when she went out at
night for the last bucket Of water. he
was at the we'll to draw 1T for her,
While they fingered over their little
meetings he talked of himself and his
travels. He told her what he made,
how he spent it, the amount and cost
of his possessions. He described the
life OF large cities. He RECALLED her with
drummers' anecdotes. Like an actor
he made of himself a character, lord
ly, devilish, worldly wise and fascinat-
ing.
BY degrees his attentions became
more personal, more intimate and sub
tie. He said agreeable things to her;
and one night while he was reading