Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-10-29

'N 49, NNfAS
each absorbed in his own thoughts.
Both We're magnificent specimens or
western youth. One was a little taller
than the other, not so strongly built,
but his broad shoulders and erect fg-
ure, surmounted by a we'll moulded
head, gave him the look of a husky
man. In spite of his half shaven face,
the dark bronzed complexion, with
features that would have been alto
gether too fine had 1t not been for q
cruel scar half visible under his slouc
hat that marred the high forehead
beyond repair-in spite OF sloucny
dress and red bandanna, he might al
most be called handsome. The other,
his comrade, was quite the opposite,
with gray eyes, quick with intelligence
and a twinkle that betokened good
humor, while his large, regular feat
ures were marked with the generous,
easy going temperament that the other
did not possess. Did you ever study
faces In a street car or a railway tram,
where every man was q stranger to
you? The constrasts and individuali-
ties are a never ending source or enter
tainment.
''Will you get married, Jim," drawled
the good natured one, firing of silence,
'if you locate q goo un yonder2
II can't say as to that, Bert. Some
one else might make a better guess
4 at tHdt. ALI L you hSNA 49,
OF talk bout you and
Bessie Blake? So you nave heard
| that, have you? Now, l amt forgotten,
Jim, what q good Teller you were when
we were kids on Turkey creek together,
and I'll tell you something stralght.
/ want to marry her all right, but !
hain't never said nothing 'cause-Well,
cause / amt fit and I'm poor"
The train jolted along nolsily ana
the speaker was embarrassed by the
| pause that followed, so that he finally
turned his flushed face toward his old
schoolmate. That young man was
| locking meditatiyely at the car ceiling
as he puffed away at his pipe. He was
thinking, as afterward developed, OF
the little school house down on Turkey
creek. He could almost see the small,
low seats with high, straight backs,
one of which was occupied by a black
haired little chap with eyes that wan
dered just across the aisle where Bes-
sic sort, and a jolly little towhead whom
he called Jimmie. Jim eve had a
serious thought then, and now he was
thinking nonchalantly enough of a very
| solemn topic.
You're right, old man. l don't Hk
! the way our folks speak of the old
woman around the place, and l q always
made up my mind my wife would new
err be my woman 'Tain't right. Wom-
an is a delicate creature, Jimmie" he
continued, as If talking to the toWhead
on the old play ground.
"You amt in love, be you, Bert?"
remarked the other curiously. You
have good idea for a man who never
thought about 1T, eh%
81 amt lucky enough, Jimmie. I'll
be a long time findin' a~nybodyH have
me-"
Now you're jest talking, old man
/ IQa,f r lrnnxy ynrr When wa Upra' little
fellows, do you call to mind hat day
you was married to-yes, by jinks, to
Bessie Blake? l b'lieye you're in love
with her now, man; how you're red
denim up. 'Tain't no shame to you,
fur she's the prettiest gal in western
Nebraska. FeSs up"
"Of course, we all-but what's the
use, Jim, what's the user" The dark
head fell with apparent sleepiness on
the back of the seat and he paused abb
ruptly.
you've always been a lucky fellow,
Jimmie" he resumed at length. You
never studied a bit, yet you were
ahead of us all in 'rithmetie, and /
never saw such a fellow to spell us all
down. Then you always made more
money than / die. Betcher strike a
good claim up in Rosebud"
IF / don't / can't ask Bessie Blake
to lave me, and chances are that that
eastern feller'n get her" The train
bumped along as if 1t had left the
track and then slowed down almost to
a stop. Il tell you, Bert" exclaimed
the other eagerly, Tets make a grand
lottery. Well team 1t against that
eastern felier. If you get a claim /
help you get her, and If I get a good
one / get the gal. What dye say?"
and the fair haired young giant laughed
in his good natured a
fp1f RpCGia ought IN darf6Q thof
and net you nor me. Guess we better
go 1t alone"
"Oh, go on, Bert. Let's have some
fun. P'raps we won't either one of US
get anything, anyway. It's a go"
I'D rather say that the one who gets
a good claim VIII have the first chance,
and the other'll give him lots of lee
way. Amt that better for the grip"
.Done!' said Jim delightedly and
chuckled with pleasure as he curled up
in his seat and finally IA into a
doze.
You'll get her all right, Jim, cause
you're always lucky, and / don't be-
lieve the gal would have me anyway"
said Bert Watkins. as the two sepa-
rated at a little cross roads station
out in the sandhills on their return
from Bonesteel.
The other broke into one OF his
hearty laughs as he retorted, '"Twon't
De my Iauil, bert, IL L &C..
Bessie Blake was the pride of the
ranchers for miles around, for didn't
she have an education in the seminary
and wasn't she just the same Bessie,
riding the fastest horse and shooting
the prairie chickens with the best of
them, in spite of her years in the east?
Her father, not rich, but well-to-do,
with a large family to support. The
girl possessed his generous, easy CO.
Ing nature, combined with the refine
ment and grace OF the little mother
who was the inspiration OF the Blake
household. But she was a true child
OF the prairie and when she was not
busy at the home in the twilight she
would steal out on her favorite horse,
Jiffy, and ride like the vim TO the hill
top to see the u~nrivalled western sun
set.
On this particular night she re-
manned a little longer than usual. She
started rapidly honneward, taking the
fences that ~interposed with the grace
and ease OF "a veteran rough rider.
Just as she cleared a low rail fence
her stirrup gave way and she fell sud-
denly an O bunch of prairie grass, un-