Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-05-01

\ lp X1SSA
"Bll1, why does this cloud overhang
your bright young brow?' l asked kind
~.
Bill sighed. He Is tall and fair and
broad-shouldered and twenty-five, and
football-made. He thinks he knows tie
world and human nature.
"I'm worried to death, Molly"
"Oh, Bill! What about?"
1.-THE Club" said he, sadly. you re
member how well we did last year,"
I didn't, but what matter? "Of
course" I said.
Were rotten this season. We
haven't a man In the team who can
play full back Last year we had Nor
gan, but he's gone back to Cardiff
just like a beastly Welshman."
"But IL his homes thereY object
ed mildly.
ugh! It's sickening. We've got a
much heavier lot of fixtures now, and
we shall just be swamped. Think of
the Bollington Rovers, for instance
they'll simply wipe the ground with
us-"
II hope not" said l, feelingly. If
this deluge goes on"
He dropped into an easy chair and
plunged his hands into his pockets.
Look here, Molly" he burst out,
you're always a good friend to a
chap"
My spirits fell.
you're going to ask me to do some
thing unpleasant" said l, warmly. II
won't do it, Bill It's no good. It's
because I'm not pretty that every one
thinks I'm g~ood-natured. I've been
driven into being good friends to too
many young men, and
He stared ut me in surprise.
"I've always thought Of you as being
the most unselfsh girl I know" said he,
..and 80, when 1 was in trouble, I nat
uraly turned to you for help"
Every one does" said I, In quiet
evaporation oh! go on"
He turned his eyes on the fire..
TITS this way,"-he said, slowly.
There's a chap called Alexander
1 don't suppose you know him, but he
used to be at the Grammar School here,
and he's just down from Oxford, and
q ripping good full-back. He's on the
trial for the county already, and he's
played twice for Nottingham. l don't
know how they got hold of him, I'm
sure; but he'll join them as sure as
blazes #
"Bi1l!"
II beg your pardon" said he, hastily
"but you see my point. I've been tc
him about It, and Wuthers tackled
him in the Club the other day, and he
said be knew most of the Nottingham
chaps, and liked 'em, and he liked theil
ground and clubhouse better than ours
and thought on the whole he'd prefer
to throw In his lot with them. He's Q
pig-headed, domineering sort Of beggar
The kind of maxwell, the more yor
want him to, the more he won't, dom
you knowT
"I know" said T., sympathetically'
What could he want me to do here
Bill SuI upTiSul III iSSNiuSu Ae ui
easily.
"We came to the conclusion, Wuthers
and I, that the only possible chance 81
getting Alexander was to leave hin
quite alone ourselves and persuade
some woman to get at him."
"Bill!" So this was what lie want
ed.
you're a sensible girl Molly Dom
you think it's a good plan?"
"If you think" said I, Indignantly
shat I am going to try to influence
perfectly strange young man-
Bill stared.
.You don't think l meant your h
cried, In unfiattering amazement.
I collapsed and returned his starr
blankly.
"Oh, no. said he, hastily, what W,
Thought, Wuthers and |. was that w
must get some pretty, fetching kind 0
girl, with winning ways
81 see" said I, slowly; thank you
Bill"
"Eike that little Miss Meadows" h
pursued blindly. "Musette, they cal
her. She could wheedle a horses hin,
leg OF, I believe. Al least, Wuther
says 50. He's been refused by her sev
On times. He knows her pretty we'll.
HE seems TO-" said ], coldly. .Woul'
you have liked it, l ask your"
you know her, too, don't you, Mo-
lyT"
eyes," said 1, slowly, II vas q
school with her. Certainly l know
her"
-Then what do you think of tn
idea?"
II think" said I, slowly, that NJ,
settle Meadows can do most things. OF
yea"
.There!" cried he, triumphant.
you must talk her round. Molly, an
yet her to tackle Alexander. Thos
strong-willed, pig headed chaps Al
oftsn like wax with a pretty girl, aren'
theyr
4very often. saHid .But why nc
- her yourself, 8ily'