Bisbee daily review., 1910-12-29
ASKING FOR
 HER
 B. OSCAR COX
iae. hy American Press
 Association.

 lngs she held in her hands and Hfied her skirts to her knees. Her hair had fallen down her back. and her straw bat hung from ber neck over the hair Sine was as pretty e piece of human icsh as ever saw. fellfin love with her right away and. luckily for me. didn't have much trouble getting her consent to ask her father to give her to me
 The old man owned a stock farm. Among the animals on it was q bay Ally. pretty as picture. that ! very much wanted. That was at the same time i wanted his daughter He set great store by Lucy. and | knew that it would break him all up to lose her. It's no fool of a job to go 10 a man and ask him to give up the girl he's raised from babyho0d. and didn't have any fancy for il. l rehearsed all wouid say 10 Farmer Hodges. would in trodure The subject by asking if he would sell the bay flly. praise her 10 the skies. then offer him a big price for her This would put him in good humOr. taking advantage of which | would ask him for Lucy. parted from Lucy at 10 o'clock on moonlight night at the gate. lt bs'- ing arranged that l should go up the next evening after supper when her father was smoking bis pipe on lbe porch and then and there put in my application. l didn't say anything 10 Lucy aS to my intentions with regard to opening the subject. for when we separated hadn't thought anything about that. ! just told her l was gu- ing Co brace up and ask for her. It was hot evening when l called. and the farmer. instead of sitting oa the porch had put his rocker on The grass before II. where he could get more air He asked me to hare q chair that stood beside him. and sat down for the hardest job of work 1 ever did iu my life
 -'Sellin' much stock just now. Mir. Hodges E' I asked.
 "Uh. get rid of a few animals now and then. but l cant say I'm dUin' very much"
 Reckon ! can take one of 'em off your hands If you and can agree on l price I've taken a shine to that liI- He bag lilly with one white foot ard white spot on her forehead"
 "You mean Lucy. ! reckon"
 "I was speaking of the bay lilly" ! stammered, suspecting he had fore stalled my real object.
 she's Lucy I've called her after my daughter. Shes rattlin fine anI- 1 mal'
 You i,et, 2, l h;,StGled Io chime iD rea turn.
 "!lind and gentle as suekin' dove, 20 lHean tricks about her. easy soin'. obgLicnt to the riBbOns-in fact. shes the best iiUIie girl I've got on The 1 place.'
 That's just the disposition I want I wouldn't like any baking or kicking or anything like that. l don't believe ! in using the whip. but if there's any | thing vicious ! think it ought 10 be | laid on we'll "I wouldn't mind putin her thrcugt her paces to show you what she car do''
 ''Oh. it isn't necessary. I've seer | her going She's mighty well put IT too. What do you want for herr At that moment, looking up. l saw | Lucy herself-the real Lucy-at tht window Her fathers back was 10 ward her. so he couldn't see her. l faced her She wore very peculiar | expression. Indeed. she looked maC enough 10 bite through a nail. Wha had occasioned this alteration in hel since the last time l had seen her couldn't for my life imagine. The ap | partition threw me completely out o my reckoning.
 If you want Lucy" the farmer re l piled. with the deliberate twang O enc selling horse. you can have be to try. If you ike her you can keel i her on any terms satisfactory to you If you don't like her So. can turn he back on me"
 How much of this my love heard didn't know. for before 1t was finishes ! she ducked
 "You1l have 10 excuse ne just now. continued the old man. There come man to make dicker for some ( | my racin' stock. Do as you plssis about Lucy"
 1t was a terrible disappointment ( ge; DO further in the matter. CT. ratheI not to get 10 the real object of m visit. bur a man came in at the gat and the farmer went to meet him.
 looked up at the window where In girl had appeared but she was no there. I waited tir there was nobod about. when she came down and marching right past me. made for th road. l followed and called 10 her:
 Lucy. For heavens sake what's tb
 matterg
 What do you mean by talking s about me"
 About your
 "Yes. I heard you. So you're goin to apply the whip, are you? Not O
 me"
 But, Lucy
 And father. What has come ove