The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-18

miles to worship at the Bottom church.
nave been impossible, all conceded. to
make q more perfect match. The man
q force and maturity and judgment;
he was u born leader, sharp at bar
gains, and given to holding what he
had gained; he had moreover, an i'm
prtssive dignity and q tremendous self
respect.
Providence had raised up the man to
take the place of the son who a been
denied him. Therefore he had has
tened to Invite him homo at the close
OF the service, and after the ample din
ner. had smoked with him in the great
front ROOM. and mad talked over he
crops and the prospects in Sugar VAL
ley and the Bottom. and the state OF
the grocery trade. and the outlook. and
had grown every moment moro salts
fled with himself and with all the
world: Then, after the dishes had been
dried" and the dining room "redded
up" he a called in Rose. who a
sat by the west window. the sun in her
hair. and she had fondled the cat, and
pretended to read the story in the
weekly paper while they talked, and
all had seemed idyllic and as 1t should
have been.
was strong and dominating. He was
self made and therefore self centered.
He had fallen in love with Rose at
first sight. as he had expected to do,
and he had begun his wooing with con-
idence. That any woman in her right
mind, be she even the daughter OF the
great Squire Hartswick himself, could
fail to be flattered by his attentions,
Lad never entered his mind. He owned
three earms clear of debt, beside his
grocery business and mis- home estate
But even without these material good
things, his personal Charms We're surely
enough. He was plump and cherub
faced. a man to give the impression of
great solidity N Importance. we'll
groomed, stu young he fancied, and
still fascinating to the sex. Moreover,
he a heard whispers OF the old mans
wish, and he knew the great power of
his expressed desire. Truly, he held
the long suit and all the master trumps,
and he woced. therefore. as he who has
already won.
But. alas!
Rose Hartwick was not a girl to be
impressed by mere proprieties. She
cared not a nap what people expected
or her, or for what was considered the
proper thing. What she wanted to do
she took 1t into her head to ride her
horse astride a mans saddle, she did
1t, and II she disliked a thing she said
so fiat and honest, cut where it might.
She was her own sweet, unconvention-
al self and nobody else. and the valley
loved her for It..
From the first Keichline had struck
her as irresistibly funny. so funny,
indeed that h giggled at the sight Of
him. His dignified. self important air
was almost too much for her. even Mt
the Sunday dinner. She felt an unholy
impulse to prod him with a hat pin
under the table to see him jump and
look shocked. or to creep slyly up be-
hind him as he sat spinxlike and i'm
pressive and shout in his ear boo
%o-o-o!" OF to pull the chair suddenly
from under him as he was taking his
seat at his place solid and aldermanic,
n have him come down with q crash.
shaking the blancmange and the chick
en- jelly. She was only a girl, despite
her 20 winters-a sweet. Joyous I'M
spoiled country girl. who had never had
a sick day, and who was brimming over
with h Zest and The urge of Joyous
young life.
On Keichline's third visit to the val
ley the squire had arisen after the first
cigar and gone u without a word,
leaving the two in possession OF the
sitting room.
1t was time for the second act.
There had been an awkward silence
for q moment, hen the man had bris-
tied UP in q most engaging way, had
wet his lips. and wheeled his chair
about SO as to face her. Somehow he
was not so much at his ease as he had
expected to be.
That's fine weather now. isn't it?''
he began unctuously. in a tone SO diff
ferent from that which he had been
using to the squire that 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 fine!" There
was conviction in his voice. Then sud
denly, as II he were giving a coniden-
II tfNl tin phr1lf thn = orlr1x, H. IL IL
intensely. Il think we shall have fine
weather tomorrow
Yes" h said again solemnly, hard
ly daring to breathe. Then she caught
sight of his little plump hands clasped
tightly across his stomach, the thumbs
twirling very slowly, and it was nc
use. The giggle came out with a burst
to save her life she couldn't have helped
IT.. He looked up with a Jerk. utter sur.
prise written all over his face. Their
: realizing that he must do something
, "Ah-why. you seem to be In a gooe
. humor. Ah-that's good. I Away.
> like to see She caught sigh,
: again of the little fat thumbs, twirlint
: rapidly now. fought hard with hel
stopped short in dlsmay. and looked a
her as II h were suddenly sick. Ther
. he glanced down over his clothes, fel
of his necktie. and ran his hand owe
his hair.
Yes" She checked herself with a,
effort. You always like to see?
She paused interrogatively.
"Ah. yes. as I was saying. I Away
like to see. All, yes. I take tn,
greatest delight to see-ah-"
He was ratified" his face nushe,
scarlet: he breathed audibly; and ther
were beads of sweat on his forehead
!. He cast another swift glance down owe
: his clothes: then he tried again t
speak: but there al nothing to say.
: "Oh. I'm afraid my cats got a bird.
she cried. casting a quick glance on
: into the garden. Here. Dick. stop!"
She dashed out unanimously, and O
the instant he was at the mirror look
: ing himself over from every point 9
view. Then ne peered into all the cor
= ners of the room and even under til
2 sofa. for he had read stories OF con
. cealed small boys. He found nothin
e wrong. There had been nothing t
laugh at.
There could be but one explanation
q He knew the sex chiefly from what h
Ie had read. n he had read somewher
le that girls always giggle when they al
embarrassed. The thought relieve
10 him: h would soon get over that. H
o strolled out into the yard. and forge
Ls his woes In contemplation of the fat
h ness NJ glory Of the old Squire's hel
= itoDo