The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1908-06-13

| II struck her on the flank. She gather
ed her feet under her in sudden alarm,
| then slowly relaxed, looked slyly for
| the old man, found him, and under
standing, suddenly wheeled and am
bled off home, leaving Seffy prone on
the ground as her part OF the joke.
The old man brought Seny in tri-
| umph to the store-porch.
"Chust stopped you afore you got
to be a anchel," he was saying. "We
couldn't bear to sink about you being
a anchel-an' wiss the anchels stand
1 "a harp upon your forehead. crown
within your hand, l expect-when its
complaining time"
Seffy grinned cheerfully, brushed OF
| the dust and contemplated his father
watch-held accusingly against him.
| Old Baumgartner went on gaily.
About an inch and a half apast
ten. Seffy, I'm glad you amt brea X
| ing your reputation for being fast
nachich. Chust about 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 petticoati
Thu, II | had such a nice petit
| coat" he initiated the lady in ques-
| ton. to the tremendous delight of the
gentle loafers.
Seny stared little and rubbed
some dust out of his eyes. He was
| pleasant but dull
"Yassir, Sef, if you'd a-got yere al a
inch and quarter apast. Now Sans
| got her. Down in the cellar a-lickiug
don't git eferysing 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 threat of per
sonal harm.
Hold on there, Jefferson Dafis Bus
by" he child. Il don't allow no one
to laugh at my seffy-except chust me
account I'm his daddy. It's 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-whatll 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 snake. git left efery
time-but he ken ketch fish. They
walt on him. What's bid?"
No one would hazard bid.
"Yit minute" shouted the old fell
low. pulling out his bulls-eye watch
again, what's bid? Going-going-al
done-going-"
"A dollar"
The bid came from behind him, and
| the voice was beautiful to hear A
| CLEAN came into the old mans eyes as
he heard it. He deliberately put the
watch back in its pocket. put on his
spectacles, and turned, as If 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.
1t was the girl of whom he had
! spoken accurately as a 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
| it on her face gave a petal-like effect
| to her otherwise aggressive color The
| pretty dress was pinned far enough
back to reveal the prettier pettieoat-
plus a pair of trimly-clad ankles,
Perhaps these We're 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, it is true,
but she was, besides, grace and color
and charm itself. And if she chose to
bake in such attire-or. even if she
| chose to pretend to do so, where was
the churl to say her nay. even though
the -four was part of a deliberate
"make-up?" 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 it was nearly always
uncovered-or, possibly. again. be-
cause it was so much uncovered was