Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-05-06

now. Why should he not ask Katie
TO he its mistress and his well beloved
little wife: Then and there he would
do it.
She had hidden him lift her into a
grapevine swing that looped itself
from branch 10 branch of w wild
plum trees. They We're white with the
fullness Of their blossom tide.
She was but a light armful. He
could easily have put her in the covet-
ed seat with one hand. but he trembled
under the pressure Of her sweet young
body. and his great heart thumped vio-
lently against his ribs, all because he
was such a coward Ralston. you see.
The swaying Of the swing set the
delicate plum blossoms a-falling. They
gemmed her brown hair and fell upon
her lap. She filed her little hands
with them and laughed gayly:
Such pretty. gauZy petals. They
look like fairy lace. Titania's wedding
veil might we'll have been woven of
just such stuff"
He had thrown himself on the ground
at her feet. His great brown eyes were
full Of the dumb alteration Of a slave.
when 1 get married." he heard her
say, "Ill have a wedding bell made
Of the wild plum blossoms-so much
daintier than the stiff, conventional
things me always sees"
He laughed nervously. "I'll have a
whole wagon load of them gathered as
soon as you say the word"
She stared at him i%nsolently. "What
word:"
Such a little word. Katie-yes."
She still held him mercilessly with
the blue eyes that had taken on the
chill Of polished steel.
What are you talking about, John
sic Ralston"'
He rose from his %crouching posture
to tower over her commandingly.
Don't you know that l love you.
Katie? You will have to answer Yes
to that. There's no other honest an
swer."
She flung her answer at him defiant
ly: Yes. What them
And don't you know that l want to
marry you? Haven't you known it
these half dozen years, Katie:"
"Yes. What them
"Then'-he held out pleading hands
to her-"oh, my little girl, will you
not come to me while the sweet wild
plums are ~blossoming for YOU and for
me: I will try so hard to make you
glad all the days of your life
From under her crown of wild flow
erS she looked at him with q cruel
smile Of negation. She vaulted lightly
earthward and stood before him with
her small hands clasped behind her.
Standing thus, she dealt him his death
blow.
"Nevcr. eve never. John Ralston.
I'll marry no coward, an it please you,
sir. Why didn't You kill Dave Sturms
the other day instead of turning the
other cheek: All, you thought would
eve hear Of it, but you see I have-I
have Her pretty face was dark with
passion. NO ma shall ever point the
finger of scorn at my husband. We'd
ding bell will never hang over You
and me, John. Goodby."
She flung him a knocking farewell
from the tips of her fingers and sped
homeward alone through the leafy
aisles of the forest,
He stood like Il man who has re-
ceived his deathblow in battle. All
the sweetness had gone out of the
air, all the light out of the sunny
day. He flung out his hands with q
gesture of despair.
She had never loved him or she could
not have condemned him unheard.
How easy to convict her Of error if
1t had been worth while.
Ii was then that he retired to the
Cross Bayou place and took up the life
Of a hermit crab. all because he was
a coward, you see.
Only one human being accepted him
unquestioningly. believed in him abso
lutely. That was Black Prince, anC
when Johnsie Wen into retirement or
the Cross Bayou place Black Prince
went with him.
Prince was his foster brother an(
his chattel. Nanny Ann had nurset
them both from her fuli matelnal 1oun
tains. There was nothing princely
about the chattcl ave his loyalty an(
a chivalric devotion that found all The
reward it asked in celebrating self fo
the object i'll adored.
Me and Marse I0Ansie" comprised
the universe for Black I'riAce.
From Black Princes point Of view
life as ii was lived nj Gross Bayou b.
''me and MarSc JohnSip' was sinpI,
perfect. a little labor and "A Great dea
Of resting-what more could heart o
MAI ask:
II the white man had his periods 0
self disgust and bitter r~ctrcspectiol
the black enc was never the wiser 70
it. If there came to the master mo
ments of passionate longing. when
shadowy girl face looked at him fror
out the memory land with a crue
smile Of negation ~ her sweet face
the chattel was the sGddcr fo
it. If Prince was conscious of any d,
, fined longings, it was to have thing
90 on just as they were forever an
forever unless, indeed, it might be fo