The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-12-31

The little mirror slipped from Ma
les fingers and lay shattered on the
ioor.
Marie is very superstitious. She has
4 horror OF. crossed knives. spilled salt
and especially of broken mirrors. So
Of self-protection for the dear girl
ran be the least bit disagreeable when
things go wrong) l told her the fol-
lowing true story:
, In the little town in which l was
born there lived joiner named NAL
veuil, who had learned his trade In
Paris and was renowned far and vide
for the remarkable excellence of his
But though his skill
was admired. and though he never
gave the slightest cause for offense,
he was not we'll liked. Perhaps 1t
was because he was SO mortally home
~, and also because he seemed to
prefer his own society to that of 9th
ers; ".
( II Malveuil, like the other young men,
had frequented the tavern and strut
ted about in his best clothes on Sun
day afternoons nobody would have
paid any particular attention to him.
But he stunned his fellows, spoke lit
tie and. laughed not, at all. Every
day, from morning to night, his tall,
gaunt figure and ugly, red-bearded
face could be seen bent over his work
bench. Long, solitary evening walks
were his only diversion.
- Great surprise was therefore occa-
stoned by'Shfs appearance, one sum
mer evening, at the weekly open-air
dance; but as he stationed himself by
the side of the musicians and re-
manned motionless through the en-
tire evening, his presence was soon
forgotten. For several weeks in sue.
cession he repeated this performance,
the meaning of which became appar-
ent when it was observed that his
eyes never left MARITIME, the prettiest
girl and the most notorious flirt in the
village.
MARITIME laughed scornfully when
she was told of this discovery. The
young men leased her: Don't you
feel proud? Still another admirer!
See him; casting sleeps eyes, the wild
mani"
She made pirouette and replied
! unabashed: "Itdon't care What is
one more or less when l have Sc
many?"
r. But such a one!"
''All the better!'
She neither frowned nor smiled or
+ the Joiner but as she was resting aft
er, quadri1le she saw him suddenly
leave his post and march straight
toward her. =. '.' %.
What impelled her to accept his in
,vitation? Perhaps she /. felt flatteret
because she had been the first t.
charm and tame the wild man" Al
all events, she astonished everybody
by whisking through the next waltz
with him. -,
On the following day, however, the
mere mention Of the name of hel
strange admirer was sufficient to pro
woke her to mirth, and two days after
ward she had ceased to think abou
him, engrossed as she was with rib
bons, laces and other adornments' o
her precious person.
So she was very much surprised one
afternoon, when her uncle was bus.
| repairing a saddle and she was sit
ting in the back room, to see the join
er, enter the shop, cap in hand, ant
accost: the. old gentleman. She lis
tened, of course. but failed to catcl
any but the last words of the con
versation.
: Well. after all, good looks are not
everything" her uncle said. Il hav'
nothing against you. If the little on
is agreeable, shan't stop her mar
rying YOU"
And when shall come for her an
swer?"
Come tonight and ask her your
SELF"
Malveuil came, but wasted a Ion
4 time in desultory remarks inter
spersed with periods of embarrasse,
silence. He felt almost certain of
refusal, but at last he plucked up coul
age and said abruptly: ~ have com
to ask you to be my Wife"
MARITIME did not 4erive quite a
much. pleasure from this proposal a
she had anticipated, for the humbl
though eager entreaty in her sutton
eyes checked. the cruel, premeditate
reply that rose to her lips. Only TO
the instant, however. Then she re
4 turned to the plan of action upo
which she had decided after consult
ing with her girl friends.
people who marry" she said, mus
have furniture, and no one can max
that so we'll as you. First make tn
furniture, and then-well, we will see
/ do not promise anything, mind"
Malveuil was forced to content hin
self with, this ambiguous answer. Mex
morning he selected his finest wood
and went to work. He shut himsel
Eup In. his shop and for weeks, neve
X, y. x