Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-04-09

lake. The mothers carried the dinner
and placed 1t in. the shade of the will.
lows. But a cry Of black ants was rails
ed, and, as the women were already
exhausted from wading in the deep
sand, Mrs. Pashley ordered Ike to
transfer the dinner to a place of safe
ty, as if he were the state militia.
"Take the dinner out by the lake
not too lea the water" directed Mrs.
Pashley, who was going about with a
panied, c~onsecrated face as if they had
just been shipwrecked ON a desert is
land.
ForrIke the forenoon passed gloomily
away, but he put in a good days work
waiting ON the women.
AS dinner time approached they be-
gan to expect the other picnickers to
look them up, but no n came, so Mrs.
Pashley SEM Ike to Coggin's gap to ask
the minister and his crowd to come to
Feathers gap to eat, as that would
save carrying the dinner a mile.
Ike struck out through the woods
that skirted the bluffs above the sand
dunes. When he had gone about half
the distance he met Phyllis Jones.
"Hello!" he shouted.
"Where you been?" cried Phyllis.
Feathers gap"
Though Phyllis had a good DISPOSE
ton and a great capacity for work, ma
ture had not seen fit to bless her with
much chin, but she had an honest free.
kled face. and Ike considered her per-
lection.
I'VE supposed you folks had gone to
the wrong gap" explained Phyllis, $50
the minister told me to go over and tell
Mis- Pashley that, as she had the din
ner, we'd all come over to Feathers
gap to eat-or If she'd ruther come
mis- Pashley d ruther eat where
she is, so that's settled" answered Ike
easily. Then he proceeded to forget
the other p%icnickers entirely.
"Lookie." he cried, producing a dingy
candy heart bearing in bold red letters
the suggestive motto, "Be My Honey"
II mean worse'n that" limited Ike
darkly. slipping the heart into her
hand, Immediately presenting her with
another s%accharine sentiment, "Yours
For Eternity"
After reading this solemn promise
Phyllis fished out a candy heart from
her w pocket. which as a thrifty and
secreted for this very emergency, and
gave it to Ike, who read with great sat
isfaction, 81 Am Yours.''
"When?" he asked briefly.
"Not till after %butcherin' time," an
swered Phyllis promptly and firmly.
CAV, Thunderstorm" cried Ike, great
ly displeased. "Talk sense"
"You don't want me very bad if you
can't wait till I'm ready. Pete Jen-
ner d wait till doomsday."
"Ill-Tll wait till next grass-if you
say So" vowed the distressed dairy
man recklessly.
mo, Ike. Butcherin' times long
enough. I'll be ready by then"
"Lookie," cried Ike, there's a path
that leads to the lake. Let's go down."
Following this path, they found a
little COY sheltered from the world by
high clay ridges that shut them com
pletely from view of either gap. Here
they sat hand in hand watching the
waves and, growing hungry, lunched
on a whole bag Of amorous worded
sweets that Ike produced from a bulg-
ing pocket.
Maybe we ought to look the others
up" suggested Phyllis after a long sea-
son of blissful munching.
CAV, thunder-nov objected Ike.
"There might be something to do
somewheres," she added vaguely.
II done it ALL" Ike assured her.
In the meantime the minister's wife
and her satellites waited impatiently
for Ike and the other picnickers.
Lets feed these children and eat
ourselves" suggested Mrs. Jenner.
mo-" said Mrs. Pashley emphatical-
ly. "The others might not like it."
"Mis' Peters would have a fit if we
ct without her." declared Mrs. Blish
"Let's all go owe to Coggin's gap and
then send Ike and Brother Pashley
back here for the dinner"
mo. If we go, We'll take the dinner
with u.s." said Mrs. Pashley. "Albert's
chest isn't strong"
Its a long walk to tug all. these
%victuals." sighed Mrs. Blish.
"But l guess it's the only thing tt
do" replied Mrs. Pashley. "Mrs. Jen
ner, you get the children together anG
We'll 60"
They went through the woods. as Ike
had gone. for that was the shortest
way.
At last they fled thankfully dow1
the crooked path into Coggin's gap
But the Rev. MI. Pashley and his hal.
Of the crowd were not there.
where's Ike?" burst out Mrs. Blisf
as she sat cumbrously down on thu
sand to rest In the shade of an an
covered willow.
"And where's Brother Pashley ant
the rest gone to-" exclaimed Mrs. Jen