Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-12-09

The saccharine quality of the con-
%versation and the romantic type of
Percival's beauty could not quite
blind her to the consciousness of the
~clergyman's troubled face as he sat
at the writing table in the library
just beyond, nor hat her aunt
glanced in the parlor disapprovingly
as she rustled by to join the lonely
figure.
Margaret" began her aunt one
night after one of P~ercival's calls,
do not get it into your head that
Harriston is any more thar a
colossal bluff. He doesn't care for a
thing on earth or in heaven beyond
his wi pretty SELF"
"Oh, Aunt Jean, If that be true,
why should he come here?"
H here for the reason he
~frequents teas and other silly, man
less functions, for the sake OF the
incense you and other women, who
should have more sense, pour out SO
literally before the shrine Of his self
love-"
you are unjust to him, auntie.
He really cares for big things in life.
He tells me often Of his longing to
perform great deeds for the good Of
mankind.
"Humph," grunted none toe
patient Aunt Jean. "if he could be
induced to get off the pedestal built
on his love of self for a minute and
use a little old-fashioned common
sense. it would be much more to the
point than all this dreamy moon.
shine"
you are unjust t o Percival. Aunt
JEAN" repeated Margaret.
"Percival, Percival; we'll, what al
one expect any way from a man with
a name like that" .
Please don't, auntie.''
Very well. I'll say no more, but
my chief consolation is that in your
heart you care no more for him than
/ do. You are fascinated by his ro-
mantle looks and high-flown speech.
I pray earnestly. dear child, that you
do not throw away beyond recall the
substance for the shadow"
And Aunt Jean left Margaret to her
own not very happy reflections.
On a Saturday afternoon not long
after this conversation Margaret vent
for a stroll in the park with Mr.. Har-
riston. It was an ideal red, gold and
green autumn day. Every grass plot
in the park was filed with gay,
laughing children, but finally Mar
garet and Percival discovered and
took possession Of a bench in a path
way deserted but for an infant sleep
ing peacefully in a baby carriage op-
posite.
Percival, his languishing brown
eyes looking unutterable things, be-
gan to hold forth in the language
that seemed to go so we'll with his
type Of manhood, while Margaret sat
listening entranced.
81 assure you. Miss Startled, knight
errantry is not dead" he went on
grandiloquently; the things n can
do in these modern days are as great
as noble. as chivalrous and are of
larger import than most of the deeds
done by knights Of old. And when
the chance to mo to prove this.
I promise you I shall be ready"
"Oh. If Aunt Jane and some others
not fail to be convinced Of his
SEiSNEIG MdI-
garet to her own soul.
"In the meantime" resumed Per
cival. IL"
Before he could say more a terri
fed scream rent the air.
The baby carriage opposite had
started down the sloping pathway
and was perilously ~careenfng from
side to side. The infant was yelling
Justify.
"Stop that carriage. Oh. run.
run cried Margaret to Percival.
Suddenly she caught sight of the
cleaning lake in the distance. The
baby c-rriage was rushing toward it.
She rushed forward and reached the
handle bars just as the clergyman,
coming from a side path. stepped in
front of the carriage.
Over the squirming and indignant
infant their eyes met. And for the
FIRST time Margaret saw clearly and
truly. There was for them in that
brief moment in all the world only
one man and one girl, music and
laughter. springtine and love.
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