The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-01-16


ever tasted He also took some pot
cheese under misrepresentation, swal-
lowed 1t and said to himself that he
had been through worse things than
that. Then, when his appetite had
just begun to develop, the inroads on
the provisions warned him that it was
time to stop. Meanwhile they had
ranged the fields Of old times at ran
dom, and as Red took in Miss Matte,
pink with excitement and sparkling as
to eyes, he thought, BLAST the supper!
It's square meal just to lock at her.
If she amt pretty good people, l miss
my guess"
1t was a merry meal. He had such
q way of telling things! Miss Matte
hadn't laughed so much for years, and
she felt that there was no one that
she had known SO long and so well as
Cousin VIII. There was only one jar
ring note-Red spoke of the vigorous
celebration that had been followed by
the finding Of gold. 1t was certainly
we'll told, but Miss Matte asked in
soft horror when he had finished,
you didn't extraordinarily
"Did I?' said he lost in memory and
not noticing the tone. well, l put
my hand down the throat Of that
mans town and turned her inside out.
1t was like as if Christmas and Fourth
Of July had happened on the same
day"
ooh, WILL" cried Miss Matte, Il
can't think of you like that-rolling In
the gutter" Her voice shook and
broke off. Her knowledge of the eff
feet of stimulants was limited to Fair
fields one drunkard-old Tommy Me
Kee, a disreputable old Irishman-but
drunkenness was the worst vice in her
world.
Rolling in the guttcrw cried Red in
would l roll in the gutter? What's the
fun in that? Jimmy Christmas!
wanted to walk on the telegraph wires.
There wasn't anything in that town
high enough for me, What put gut
tiers into your head"
II supposed people did that when
they were--like that"
81 wouldn't waste my money on
whisky if that's all the inspiration l
got out Of it." replied Red.
"Well, of course / don't know about
those things, but l wish you'd promise
me one thing"
'Donew cried Red. what is it?"
81 wish you'd promise me not to
touch whisky again"
"Phew. That's a pretty big order"
He stopped and thought minute. IF
you'll make that never touch it when
1t amt needed leaving when it's
needed to what's my idea of the square
thing on promise, III go you, Matte.
There's my hand"
ooh, | shouldn't have said anything
seemed such pity such splendid
mani meant think You mustn't
promise me anything, WILL" stammer-
ed Miss Matte, shocked at. her own
daring.
Here" he cried. I'm no little kid!
When / promise / mean it! AS for
your not having any right, amt we all
there is? You've got to be mother and
sister and aunt and everything to me.
l amt as young as have been, Matte,
and l miss Sideways terrible at times.
Now, put out your fin like good pard-
ner, and here goes for no more rhine
caboos for Chanta Seechee Red-time
quit drinking, anyhow" he slipped
a ring off his little finger. Here, hold
out your hand" said he. 'I'll put this
on for luck and the sake of the prom
ise-by the same token, I've got a
moose on you now, and you're my prop
erty."
This of course was only Cousin
Wills joking, but Miss Matte noticed
with sudden hot flush that he had
chosen the engagement finger-in all
ignorance, she felt sure. The last
thing she could do would be to call
his attention to the fact or run the
risk of hurting his feelings by trans
ferring the ring; besides. 1t was pref
ty ring, rough ruby In plain gold
band-and looked very well where it
was.
Then they settled down for what
Red called good medicine talk. Miss
Matte found herself boldly speaking
Of little fancies and notions that had
remained in the inner shrine Of her
soul for years. shrinking from the mat
ter-of-fact eye Of Fairfield; yet this
big. ferocious looking Cousin VIII
seemed to find them both sane and in
teresting. and as her self respect went
up in the arithmetical her admiration
for Cousin VIII went up in the geo.
metrical ratio. He frankly admitted
weaknesses and fears that the males
of Fairfield would have rejected
scornfully.
Miss Matte spoke Of sleeping up
stairs. because she could not rid
herself Of the fear of somebody com
ing In.
II know just how you feel about
that" said Red. "My hair used to be
on its feet most of the time when we
were In the hay camp at the lake beds.
Gee whiz. The rattlers! We put hair
ropes around-but them rattlers liked
to squirrn over hair ropes for exercise.
One moruing woke up and there was