The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-01-21

knew no more than to be sweet and
bidable to Grabbed task-mistresses
They were the Grjmley sisters who
had taken her. as they said daily. out
of charity. and to whom she served
for hands. feet and eyes. She was
rated sharply If she talked back.
which was seldom, since she had rath-
er talent for silence than for speech.
The sisters were not consciously I'M
kind-it was just that they had fallen
into the way of fretting at everything
Life had defrauded them of the nat
ural outlets--husbauds and children.
Therefore. they made the most of such
small worries as remained to maiden
gentlewomen.
Minerva came to them when she
was ten. For the next eight years
her appetite and her trick of breaking
things, especially those she was han
ding with utmost care, had served as
vital grievances. But since she was
full grown she ate much less, and
hardly ever let fall anything, no mat.
ter how fragile or precious; hence,
the Miss Grimleys had had to invent
new sin for her. They had chosen
to find 1t In her possible future hus-
band. According to their notion. she
was always intent upon matrimony.
and scheming to ensnare whatever
masculine person chance threw in her
way.
The young circuit rider, for exam
pie: Jim Mace, the constable. who
rode by the. big gate every day; the
two Leonards, who farmed the lower
place; even the young fellow clerking
over at the crossroads-hadn't he &C.
tually tried to get board at the Grim.
ley mansion? DR.. Bell. the one per-
son who dared speak up to the Sis
tiers, rated them soundly for such sus.
picions. No wonder, he said, poor
Minerva, as shy and modest as any
white rose, was awkward, almost rude,
indeed. to all the young fellows she
encountered, and therefore likely to
die an old maid
Miss Jane and Miss Abby nodded
approval there. Minerva was to have
everything when they were gone-it
would be quite enough to keep her
like lady. Husbands were but wor.
ries most of the time. AS for children
they shook their heads and sighed.
| Clearly. in their Judgment, woman
was lucky to escape such things. Look
at Minerva herself! Where would
she be now If the Grimley's had not
chosen that better part?
| DIR. Bell, who had tongue as rough
and heart as warm as his great coat,
growled at them. After while. be.
ing strategist, he did something else
something which. at first blush.
made him laugh great shouting
laugh. When his wife asked the
meaning of it. he said enigmatically:
"Oh, I'm going to cure some chronic
cases by provoking an epidemic"
| And that was all she could get out
| of him, no matter how hard she tried.
She could not try very hard, since,
like the rest of the neighborhood, she
was giving all her mind to the coming
session of the synod.
1t was to be a great occasion, min.
listers, their wives, sons and daugh.
tiers, we're coming by the score Their
number would not be too great, how.
ever. for the countrvside's hospitality
With no provocation whatever from
the church, DR.. Bell fixed it SO the
Grimleys would have rather more
than double share of the clerical in.
flux: Namely, Deacon Brown and his
wife; DR.. Henshaw, pulpit Samson
| just beginning to look about him over
the edges of weeds not yet rusty;
Prof. Balderson, famed for persuad
ing money into college channels; and
young Lee, not yet come to full or
dination How the doctor managed
all this is not known. He was almost
INSCRIPTIONS when it came to carry
ing out a plan. At least two other
households were full of bitter jealousy
over the parceling out of guests, but
the guests did not suspect it-least OF
all those fated to sit at meat with the
Grimleys.
| Miss Jane was famous cook. Miss
| Abby was past mistress at preserving
| Minerva made cake that was simly
| heavenly, and black Susan WE a mira
| Gle of efficient strength in the kitchen
So the visitors rejoiced that their lines
had fallen as they had. Indeed, all
through synod week they could moi
say enough in praise and gratitude tc
! their hostesses. AS consequence
Miss Jane and Miss Abby forgot eth
er to scold or to suspect Carried
away by the tide of hospitable i'm
pulse. they showed for what they were
! excellent gentlewomen, of the first
rank. -
AS for Minerva, she fairly bloss
omed., Even the most callous onlook
| er saw in her new creature. She
was so radiant, indeed, that, before
three days were out, Prof. Balderson
a seasoned bachelor, made UP his
mind to marry her-if he could. He
changed his mind after good Siste,
Brown had let fall words of wisdom
ats providential," she said, nod
ding toward Minerva and young Lee
IF ever anybody was cut out for .
pastors wife, it's that; sweet girl
/ and I'm mighty glad Ito believe bott
of them have found 1t out" ~
Slight observations brought the pro
lessor himself to the same belief. Fo
half an hour he was right down crest
fallen-then he flung up his head ant
actually whistled. Possibly the sigh
of Miss Jane had nothing to do wifi
it. But certainly that afternoon, ant
all through the days following. h.
kept pretty close to her. Miss Jane
Twas in a state of mind. 1t was plair