The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-04

gins an fine cIO'es. But 1 couldn't see
him fer looking at Mary Frances. Shed
changed since mOrnin' from tn chill
springtime Of maidenhOOd inter tn
warm summer of beauty. An her sweet
face were er white altar with all tn
candles lit afore it," Pappy paused and
gaZed out upon the mist-covered val
ley. The mountains herded grimly
against the darkening sky and their
mOnStTOus shadows stretched across the
mists over the doorsill.
Mister" he resumed softly, I hahn
never pretended ter be nOthin' bet eT
blamed fool; still, reckon, I kin tell eT
angel from eT goose feather. an when
l seen mer little gal standin' thar all
ready fer her baptism in love an sOr-
rer. L knOwed 1 were in tn presence of
somethin' holy. an I could have fell
down on meT face afOre her.
" 'Pappy,' SEE she, hOldin' ter her dress
prutty with Jest two fingers like hit
were her wing she were fixin' ter preen,
this air Mr.. Junius Boyd. He air pros
pectin on tn Ridge. I met him down
tn road er piece an he asst me did I
reckon yO'd give him er place ter stay,
an I telled him I lowed 20 would
''The1--- tn fust time 1 set eyes on
Junius Boyd, an ] felt trouble comm
plain ez yO' see tn shadder of Blood
till he run off with Mary Frances, an
he never fooled me nary time. 1 hain't
been drivin' er stage an watchin' men
to an fro twenty years fer nOthin'.
knOwed from tn beginning thet he were
jest er damned goOd-looking jackass
goin round tryin' ter put his OngOdly
mark on ev'y inherent thing he seen.
BET 'twa'n't no use ter talk ter
Mary Frances. She knOwed no more eT-
bout savin' herself an a rose erbout
dodgin' butterflies. One day we were
settin' out thar on tn bench, an
were tryin' ter make up mer mind how
ter warn her, when she spoke up the
honest way she alters had:
'Pappy,' SEE she, EFF er man tell you
he loves 70, hits bound ter be so, hain't
it?"
" Tibet depends right smart on tn
man. honey SEE I; sometimes he air in
earnest, then ergin he hain't. When eT
Teller begin ter cut up them kind of
shines yO' keep watchin' till you find out
which way his undertow runs
Bet eff yO' air er gal, PapDy, how
kin 20 tell sech?'
Well, now, Mary Frances, I hev
been er sight things in mer timer sol
der eT Ku-Klux, eT farmer an er
stage driver, but thet's one priverlige
gal-ef I were, mebbe I'd new no more
sense an yo' hev. YO' mought recOl-
Ieck this though SEE I, hintn' plain at
her an Boyd. No matter how much er
man Dertends ter love you, eff he tries
ter draw you ter him agin yO'r jedg-
ment, yo'd better not go
'She want even listenin', mister, jest
strainin' her bright eyes across tn
valley watchin' fer him ter come home.
He run of with her tibet same night,
an were tn only person IN the valley
tibet he'd nothin' condemnin' ter say
erbout Mary Frances, fer I knowed her
eyes were holden. Partheny lowed she
alters expected tn gal ter do some sech
trick. Bud complained that God were
again him, an they all charged hit UP
ter tn way me an Marthy pampeTed
her.
she left er note fer me- fun of happy
sayin' they we're ter be mar
ried in Blue Ridge. I could tell she
never suspiciOned nothin wrong, bet we
all knowed eff he'd aimed ter marry her
good an honest he'd a lone hit here at
home Long arter' ards she telied me
they did hev some sort Of tomfoolery i'm
Blue Ridge tibet she thought were a
civil marriage. an thet she never
knowed till tn day he left her. two
years later. thet she want his lawful
wife
Them were dark days for US, mister
Bud SOckwen got so trifiin' ne Jest
natchelly died. Partheny went back to
her folks. an thar want nobody Twin
out this fur but me an Marthy. I were
gittin' too old TO drive tn stage. so we
Jest set here an waited fer Mary Fran
ces. KNOWN ef she lived she'd be
Obleeged fer con1e hack soon ar late
Tn feelin' were so strong sometimes u