Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-02-13

IT was a very successful picnic.
They spent the afternoon In wander
ing around In the usual picnic fashion,
developing appeites, until 1t occurred
to Red TO liven the performance by
showing them the art of roping as
practiced upon an old cow found IN
the woods AS spectacle II was a
failure. The combined efforts of all
the hooting small boys could not make
that COW run. She even stretched her
neck toward Red, as though saying;
Hurry up with your foolishness. |
have cud to chew and can't stand
here Idle all day" So Red golloped
by and threw the moose over her head
as an exhibition of how the thing was
done rather than how II ought to be
done. Nevertheless picnic parties are
not hypercritical In the matter Of
amusement, and the feat received
three encores. The last time he missed
his cast through overconfidence, where
at the old COW tossed her head and tail
In the air and tore off at an elephan-
tine gallop, with bawl that sounded
to Red nightly like derision.
burned IL she amt laughing at mev'
he cried. But as a matter of fact 1t
was a hornet and Its unmista kable
sting that injected this activity into
her system.
1t was all very pleasant to Miss Mat.
tie. as ones first picnic In many years
should be. She enjoyed the crisp green
sod, the great trees standing around,
parklike. with the sunlight falling be-
tween their shade like brilliant tat
tiers of cloth Of gold, while from the
near distance came the tiny shouting
Of cool waters. They had a camp fire
at night. making the moonlight still
more mysterious and remote by con-
trast. The quartet of strings played
for the ears OF those who cared TO
listen and for the legs Of those who
chose to take chances on tripping their
light fantastic toes over tree roots In
the grass.
Red loved music. and he loved the
night. The poetic side of his memo
ries Of watching the Dipper swing
around Polaris while he sung the cows
20 sleep came back 70 him. In his
ulnd be saw the vast prairie roll on to
szEuity. ssw the mountains stand out.
a wcrtd Of white peaks, rising from a
sea az darkness. Again he heard the
pE2InffVe Startling of an Indian whistle
&C the song % the lad down creek,
made tunefrl By the charm OF dis
txnzcs
Having a good time. Matter he
szkes1 with a smile
the best ever had. WILL she an
swered smiling back unsteadIIy.
Posr lady The size Of an occasion II
- many standards. whether the stand
ART be lnghes or feet or miles Miss
Nantes events bad been measured in
hunstresiths Of an inch. and ii took
greed many of them TO cover so small
Al acrlnn IA a successful picnic on
beautiful might Her eyes were hui
mid her mouth smiled and dropped at
the CORNERS alternately. Red felt her
happiness with keen sympathy, and
- BE looked at her. suddenly she
changed In bis eyes. Just what the
difference was he could not have told,
NOR whether 1t was In her or In him
A sudden access OF feeling, undefin-
able, unpiaceable, but strong, pos
se&sed him. There Is a critical tenn
perature In the life OF man, when
no amount OF pressure can ever make
the more expansive emotions assume
the calmer form Of friendship. There
was something In Miss Mattie's eye
which had warmed Red to that de
gree, but he didn't know 1t. He only
knew that he wanted to sit rather IN
necessarily close beside her, and that
be would be sorry when 1t came time
to 60 home. And he was very silent.
During the drive back to the house
he spoke In monosylIables: he went
straight to the barn with Lettis after
ward. and made no attempt to take
the usual frank and hearty good night
kiss.
you're as glum as an oyster!'' said
Lettis, when they reached their quar-
tsrs. whats the matter, old manY'
II don't know, Let; feel kind Of.
quiet, somehow"
"6ick? Or something 20 wrongY'
mo; nothing OF the kind It's Just
sort Of an attack of stiffness. but
fsel durn good"
Lettis laughed. III It wasn't you,
Red, ia say you were In love-" be
raid.
r. was well the barn was dark, or he
would have seen a change wonderful
- behold come over the ex-punchers
toee. ~rhe lad has hit IT. he said
- nimself b astonishment: aloud be
nvunted ~hunh" scornfully. ana
aroused himself for an unnecessary
1eAe or two.
1lm Matte had noticed the attack
- stiffness" and Immediately tried to
1nston ~ blame upon herself. what
~ che done7 She couldn't recall
anything She remembered ohe had
ro11 occnothing about the WY his hair
1cckod with ~ moan nhfning On It.
Nw&ope be had taken o6conoo at that
~ rcmark wan enllroly connpllmont-
~ b0k sometimes po0p<o m touchy
H1lG4t ouch things. Gtill. int was not
M 1eoef Ike Copsin VIII. Ghe must
ave e2id o. dom som6thlng. though
WAT eoujd Il bel OF, what pitlful