Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-03-18


swing, and he is the farmers idol
and no mistake about that. hnt tboy
say the other side is trying hard to
get him tangled up.
This Holt bill nc has soneezed
through both Houses, in some wav or
another, but he can veto it If he viii
ana ne ought to. The people that
are asking for that franchise are rich
enough to buy it. and instead Of CIV
ing away all that territory. It ought
70 be sold at living prices to farmers
tnat would go out there and deyelop
the believe he'll do the right
thing, but it'll be a pull. His wife Is
the daughter of old man Holt. and
l know he'd hate to give her anv
worry, but it'll near worry for her
n him., too, if he decides to. be his
own man while he is in office. There
y a ring up there at the capital"
a yaWn interrupted him. n
Hebby laughed and apologized.
l pelleve you are as daft over him
as MISS Patty is, Rufus,,n she said.
Let me tell you what an absurd
tn1ng Miss Patty is meaning to do.
afternoon I ran up to her house
on an errand, and I found her com
posing a letter to the Governor. h
leau IL oVer to me, and had me help
ner 70 get 1t into some sort Of shape,
Dut didn't dare correct her smelling
n has written her good opinion Of
MIN, and sending her a box of her red
irish roses, to show him that the
west could make as fine roses as
Florida, and she went. over the same
Old tale you have heard before Of
those Irish roses being the first. civil
lzed lowers planted on the prairie.
she is going to send the letter to-mor-
row, and a bunch Of roses by the
same mail in a shoe-Dox! The Gov
ernor will laugh at her poor little
letter, ard he won't even look at her
flowers. Why, Rufus, I've seen the
kind OF roses they have in the citv.
great things as big as a teacup, with
stems a yard long, and such colors!
BY the side of them, Aunt Patty,s
tlght little red roses would look like
humble prairie blossoms indeed. T
told you what he said in his speech.
didn't T."
YES" replied Rufus, obviously.
IF l were the Governor, I would not
care how big and fine the city roses
we're; I'd appreciate those from some
body that admired and thought kind
ly of me-"
Hebby stretched up her strong
young arms above her head, and
laughed.
Il don't know whether you'll ever
De Governor, Rufus, but I'll tell you
"nat you will be inside of twenty
years, II you and I both live-you'n
be the richest man in this community.
Pa says so, and I know it is the
truth" ii
He made no immediate reply, ana
again that look came into his ewes
mat she could not understand: but
presently he began speaking of per-
sonal matters. and Hebby's face
klndled as he told her of a new poul-
try-house he had that day begun from
some plans she had once mentioned
TO MIN. Their new house was already
nnlshed and furnished, and he was
living there, and in leisure oments
working hard to fit out the runs and
yards to Hebby's hearts desire.
When Hebby went to sleep that night
she was thinking happily of the new
lie she was to enter with so much
energy, and now and then came an
occasional thought of Rufus. good
temper and gentleness. He was q
dear fellow, even If it was true, as her
father had said, that their worldly
success was going to depend on her
:" shrewd management more than
upon Rufus hard work.
The wedding was to take place at
ten O'Clock, but although Hebby and
her family sat waiting and ready.
the groom did not appear at that
hour, nor at eleven, nor at twelve:
n then some one rode over to the
new house to investigate.
Hebby was the first to see the mos.
senger come flying back down the
road in a cloud of dust.
"Quick!" he shouted. "Some of
you go over to Rufus'-he is badly
hurt! I'll go on to town for the
doctor.
He did not tarry for any explana-
lions and Hebby, anxious-eyed and
pale, was soon driving fast toward her
new home with her father. She hur-
r1ed up into the house and through
It's rooms, calling Rufus lame. then
through the back yard, and down
unoer tne slope, where the poultry
runs extended to a little spring.
Here, Hebby!" answered the voice
OF Miss Patty Parker, and there. lust
beside n of the new poultry-houses.
amid a litter of freshly cut tin. Law
Rufus, pale as death and with his
eyes closed. Miss Fatty held his head
upon her knee, and with one hard
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