The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-07-26
TEN MINUTES
WH TIT
Short Story
Writers
The Best He Could
(By Donald Allen.)

/
| al the age OF 10 years little Miss
iDixie Harland stood up on chaii
and made an astonishing statement
TO the grandmother, who was South
lern born and had given the child hel
name. Ii was to the effect that SIZE
would never marry any one but q
hero. That statement mad been re
lpeated eyeFt year waen grandma
ipad her annual visit OF two weeks
land on this particular morning. when
Miss Dixie was in her Goth year, she
had said with more than usual EN-
Iphasis
Yes. I'VE had lots OF beaux, but
I'm still waiting for that hero
im 10 years old and I've never
found one yet said grandma
But there must be some some
where
You see, dear, things aren't like
they used to be. Men are in business
or at work, and not thinking OF the
hero business. III a man was to ride
around the country looking for a
chance TO be hero he'd he owing for
his board and laundry bills within a
month
"But | know | couldn't love a man
who just walked about with his shoes
polished and sigar in his mouth.
might as we'll marry an eight-day
clock What could admire him forf
NO, grandma-l'll wait / don't ex-
pect brigauds are coming along to
carry me off, and some lone man is
going to slaughter the whole band
and rescue me, but it must be some
man who does his best TO be hero
in some way--some courageous
enough to grasp the opportunity"
"foor Dixie" sighed the old lady.
"Whan / came this time I hoped TO
hear you were engaged, but | reciS-
on iii have to give you up
Let the hero appear az the psyche
logical moment and I am his laugh
ed the niece, as she left the house TO
make a trip TO the village post0tice
ana a store on TWO
Mrs lIarland was a widow and not
In good health There was brother
Jimmie, lG years old. but he was
away on visit. 1t was Miss Dixie
who was the head of tae house That
was why, when she had been gone
half an hour and was tumbling over
some silks in the store, the cook at
home called her up on the store teie-
phone TO say:
"Oh. Miss Dixie, the big kitchen
is on Ere, and the house has
got to go
"Empty your salt box into the
range,' was promptly commanded.
Yes. Miss Dixie. bat there's al
roaring aud o crackling and lots OF
smoke, I've told your mother and
she's tainted away. d've told your
grandma. and she's dropped like dead
hi her tracks, I've told the sardener. 4
md Oh. Miss Dixie"
aim COMING. Keep up the SALT"
AS Miss Dixie ran 10 the store door
she forgot how she had come TO town (
lin her rmahout on on foot Just 4
then peddler drove mp with his
lorse headed in the right direction 1
md got down To the girl It was /
vehicle 10 take her home in ten min +
ues-she didn't care what Kind. She +
pushed by the owner and mounted 10 I
he high seat. and she never heard I
lim calling as she lifted ihe lines 4
Ind the whip. The drst Cut OF he /
after lifted the old horse ont of MS i
Iresm. the second started him on q /
.allop. and the third called ior run
way speed
on went Miss Dixie's hat O0 went 4
,aes of paperrags irom the rOoi or
- vagcn There was black smoke /
n the sky from the direction Of the Z
sagland homestead
Another cut-two-three-fOur OF I
hem, and now the old horse was (