Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-07-24

disrespect than she had ever ad-
dressed to any one:
You ought to be glad that do not
take revenge or 1im! II he wasn't SO
little / would. But he's not worth
bothering about. Sacked me, did he?
I'll show hint"
why, Sally! What would you do?"
Put him over my knee and spank
him and then pen him in the cellar!"
Sally. don't talk lie that" pleaded
the old man. ut sp'iles your voice."
And Sally gave him then and there
a rude specimen of how her voice was
being spoiled-which l may not re.
produce. But it was expressed in
anathema. Indeed. others had noticed
that her voice, somehow, had lost its
soft richness. She was particularly
kind to the young storekeeper now,
and he was particularly reckless and
drunken. And rumor presently had it
that she was known to be drunk with
him sometimes!
day. Che had waited to tell her this)
you don't think-you don't believe
that I-said-'
Il know" said Sally in voice that
froze him, that you are a fooi-and
am not fond of fools. Go away! Be
glad don't lick you!"
And then rumor had 1t that she and
Sam were to be married-"for spite"
But. curiously enough. the person
most affected by all this was not Sal
ly. nor Seffy, nor Sam. 1t was Setfy's
father. whose sufferings were nearing
agony. Nothing could be done with
Seffy. And course OF the love between
them, which had never been ruined
since Seffy was born, was often ruified
now. The old man, as their relations
grew strained. became more and more
exasperated at Seffy's lack of initia-
tive
.Gosh-a'mighty! You goin' to let
that molasses-tapper set right down on
you and nefer git on? Can't you see
that she wants you? 1t don't matter
what she says! Don't you know It's a
dare? Air you going to take dare?
Why. you usen't to when you was a
baby! When you year that burned
new laugh OF Sally's can't you see that
somesing's wrong? She's drinking!
That's what! You think shed laugh
SO and drink II she wass happy? You
was a fool-yas. a durn fool. It's your
fault. Go right up to her like a man
and say So"
'I did" said Seffy.
"Hah. you did? An what she says7"
'She said she knowed it,"
"well-begoshens! She's q worse
fool. Gather her In and make a fool
OF Of her and git efen! Turning her
back on an OIL man that harms no one
and her guardeen yit!"
Alas. this was another thing he had
done to secure the pasture-field-
made himself her legal guardian!
I'll gife 1t up-the guardeen. Yas-
sir. She ken take keer herself. Fool
of course. Bose fools! You wait
tell she marries that durn molasses-
tapper II you want to see fun!"
There was such real agony In the
old mans voice that Seffy suffered.
too.
"Pappy. I'm sorry-I amt no good.
l expect. l guess Ill go away before
the wedding"
..wedding-wedding! You goip' to
let that wedding go on? And him Git
the pasture-field? Put him between
us and the railroad"
How can l stop 1t. pappy?"
BY marrying her YOURSELF"
81 got enough, pappy." said scfy
hopelessly. They'd lynch me II I
tried 1t again. l guess I'd better go
away"
Quick anger famed in his fathers
face at this invertebrate submission.
And his voice. when he spoke. was
harsher than Seffy had ever heard II.
Got enough-got enough-that's all
you know, And go away! That's all
you ken say. you bull-headed idiot!
Go and apologize and git her back.
Don't run. Then marry her next day.
That1l settle the molasses-tapper,
expect. and show that you got an inch
or two OF backbone! Choke her
chsroform her and carry her on"
CTo BE CoSTINUEDJ
80 - rrn xay,,-,nr