The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-03-18

tiiiteS 70 worship at the Bottom churc
q nave oeen impossible, all conceded,
4 make a mora perfect match. h ms
1 nad force and maturity and judgmen
ne was q born leader, sharp at baI
: Sains' ana given to holding what l
U had gained: he had moreover. an in
, pf'ssiVe dignity n a tremendous Sc
respect.
= 1t seemed to the old squire as
!, providence had raised UP the man I
take the place of the son who had bee
, oen1ed him. Therefore he had has
tened to invite him home at the clos
OF the service, and after the ample din
ner, mad smoked with him in the grea
front room, and mad talked over tn
crops ana the prospects in Sugar Val
ley and the Bottom. and the state q
tile grocery trade, and the outlook, an
nad grown every more salts
ned with himself and with all tn
world. Then, after the dishes had bee
dried and the dining room "redde,
p he had called in Rose, who ha,
sat by the west window, the sun in he
hair, and she had ondled the cat, an
pretended to read the story in tn,
weekly paper while they talked, ant
all had seemed idyllic and as it shoule
have been.
The personality of Karl Keichlin.
was strong and dominating. He wa.
SER made and therefore self conferred
he had fallen in love with Rose a,
hrst sight, as he had expected to do
' az "a pCSdl Ills WOO1IlS with con-
huence. That any Woman in her right
nina, be she even the daughter of the
great Squire Hartswick himself, could
iail to be flattered by his attentions,
fau never entered his mind. He owned
three sarms clear OF debt. beside his
grocery business ana mis- home estate,
BUT even without these material good
Things, ms personal charms were surely
enough. He was plump and cherub
laced, a man to give the impression of
great Cn1t1if,- n~l -
gfoofned, stil young, he fancied, and
sun fascinating to the sex. Moreover,
ne had heard whispers of the old mans
wish, and he knew the great power of
MS expressed desire. Truly. he held
the long suit and all the master trumps.
and he wooed, therefore, as he who has
already won.
But, alas!
Rose Hartwick was not q girl to be
impressed by mere proprieties. She
cared not a snap what people expected
OF her, or for what was considered the
proper thing. What she wanted to do
she dld, and the people might talk. If
she took 1t into her head to ride her
horse astride a mans saddle, she did
1t, and IL she disIiked a thing she said
SO nat and honest, cut where it might.
She was her own sweet, unconyentfon-
al self and nobody else, and the valley
loved her for it.
From the first Keichline had struck
20 Htesislloiy Iunny, so funny,
indeed that she giggled at the sight Of
hlm. His dignlf1ed, self important air
was almost too much for her, even at
the Sunday dinner. She felt an unholy
impulse to prod him with a hat pin
pnder the table to see him jump and
look shocked or to creep Slyly UP be-
hind him as he sat spinxlike and i'm
and shout in his ear boo
o-o-o!' or to pull the chair suddenly
from under him as he was taking his
seat at MS place solid and aldermanic,
and nave him come down with a crash.
shaking the blancmange and the chick
en- Jelly. She was only a girl, despite
her 20 winters-a sweet, Joyous UNI
spoiled country girl. who had never had
a sick day, and who was trimming over
young life.
On Keichline's third visit to the VAL
ley the squire had arisen after the first !
cigar and gone out without a word, |
leaVlhg the two in possession of the |
room.
1t was time for the second act.
There had been an awkward silence
for a moment, then the man had bris-
lled up In a most engaging way, had |
Wet his lips, and wheeled his chair |
about SO as to face her. Somehow he
not SO much at his ease as he had
to be.
fIhats fine weather now, isn't it?"
ne began unctuously, in a tone so diff
ferent from that which he had been
using to the squiretthat it seemed al
most to come from some one else.
Yes she said primly, fighting hard |
with the beginnings of what she knew
was irrepressible.
Very fine weather, very f1ne!" There
was conviction in his voice. Then sud-
as il he were giving a conf1den-
tip Q the markets, he added
Intensely, Il think we sha have fineI
weather tomorrow
Yes" h said again solemnly, hard
y daring to breathe. Then she caught
sigh1 OF his little plump hands clasped
lightly across his stomach, the thumbs
wiring very slowly, and it was no
Use. The giggle came out with a burst
g save her life she couldn't have helped
T.. He looked up with a Jerk, utter sur
prise written r all oye his face. Then
ne forced himself to a sickly grin.
.Ah-why, Q seem to be in a good
Ah-that's good. 1 always
Ike to set She caught sight
again OF the little fat thumbs, twirling
rapidly now. fought hard with her
handkerchief, then burst out again. He
short In dismay, and looked at
her as II she We're suddenly sick. Then
ne lanced down over his clothes. felt |
Of his necktie, and ran his hand over
his hair.
Yes" She checked herself with an
effort. You always like to see-9,
paused interrogatively.
"Ah, yes. as / vas saying, I always
like to see. All, yes, I take the
greatest delight to see-ah-'
He was ratified, his face flushed
he breathed audibly; and there
We're beads of sweat on his forehead
He cast another swift glance down over
his clothes; then he tried again to
but there was nothing to say.
oh, I'm afraid my cats got a bird.
she cried, casting a quick glance out
into the garden. Here, Dick, stop."
She dashed out unanimously, and on
the instant he was at the mirror look
ing himself over from every point OF
view. Then he peered into all the COR
rers OF the roOm and even under the
sofa. for he had read stories of con-
ceaied small boys. He found nothing
wrong. There had been nothing to
laugh at.
There could be but one explanation,
the sex chiefly from what he
had read and he had read somewhere
that girls always giggle when they are
embarrassed. The thought relieved
him: she would soon get over that. He
strolled out into the yard, and forgot
MS woes IN contemplation OF the fat
ness n KlGry OF the old Cnufresa hor