Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-02-09

with vanity had there been any space
left vacant for 1t In his huge frame
He was especially admired by the
women, but was at ease only In the
company of those who were mar
ried. 1t was his fate to see the few
girls of the region. with every one Of
whom by turns he was in love. grow
up to marry each some less diffident
wooer
"Dangnation take it, he used to
say. II don't git up enough spunk to
cut heifer out O. the herd until some
body else has roped her an slapped
his brand on to her. Talk about too
many irons in the fire! Why. I've only
got one, an it's het up red all the
time waitin' fer the right chanel to
use 1t, but somehow never git it out
o. the Goals. What's the use. anyhow?
Nobody loves fat man."
Slim was Unfortunately pulled up by
Polly's preference for him. which she
showed by all sorts Of feminine tyran-
MES, and he was forced continually
to slap his huge paunch to remind him
self of what he considered his dis
abling deformity. Miss Polly" he
would apostrophize the absent lady,
''you don't know what a volcano of
seethin' fiery love this here mountain
of flesh is that you're walktn' over
Some day I'll erupt an jest eternally
calcify you ii you don't look Quit"
The sheriff took no stock In Buck
McKee's professed reformation and
was greatly worried over the influence
he had acquired over Bud Lane, who
/ had before this been Sims protege
Accordingly he readily conspired with
her to break off the relations between
the former outlaw and the young
horse wrangler. but thus far had met
with no success.
Payson, feeling himself absolved by
the death of Dick Lane from all obliga-
lions to his friend, began openly to
WOO Echo Allen, but without presum-
ing upon the revelation of her love for
him which she had made at his propo-
sition to go into the desert to Lanes
rescue She responded to his courteous
advances as frankly and naturally as
bud opens to the gentle wooing of
the April sun. Softened by her grief
for Dick as for a departed brother as
the flower is by the morning dew, the
petals of her affection opened and laid
bare her heart of purest gold. The
gentle, difident girl expanded into a
glorious woman, conscious of her pow
ers and proud and happy that she was
fulfilling the highest function of wo-
manhood-that Of loving and aiding
with her love noble man.
Jack Payson. however. failed to get
the proper credit for this sudden flow
ering of Echo's beuuty and charm.
These We're uScriDed to her years
schooling in the east. and her proud
mother was offended by the way III
which she accepted the young ranch
mans advances. You hold yourself
too cheap" she said lit is at least
due to the memory of poor Dick Lane"
whom. now that he was safely dead,
she idealized into u type Of perfect
manhood, that you make Jack wait as
long as you did him" When Payson
reasonably objected to this delay by
pointing out that he was fully able to
support VIE, us Lane uiiu not Deel,
and proposed, with Echos assent. six
months as the limit of waiting, Mrs.
Allen resorted to her old eXpedient-
tears.
"Boohoo! You are going to take
away my only daughter"
The colonel, however, though he haC
loved Dick Lane as if he We're his
own son. was delighted to the bottom
of his hospitable soul that it was &
man not already in the family circle
who was to marry Echo. especially
when he was a royal fellow like Jacl
Payson So he arranged compro
mise between the time proposed by
Mrs Allen and that desired by the
lovers. and the date of the wedding
was fixed nine months ahead.
1T will fall in June said the CID
fellow. who knew exactly how to han
die his fractions wife. the montl
4 when swell folks back IN the east d,
! Ill their hitchin' up, Why. come t.
> think of it. 1t was the very month
4 ran off with you ill., though | diln'
. know then that we was elopin' 81
. strictly accordin' to the book Of Ell
e kwet.''
0 Ito be continued)