The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-10-24
CHAPTERII III.


the girls had said about Jim.
at which she laughed heartily.
q but grew very red and showed
some annoyance when he related what
they had said about choosing a farm
In the country and especially when
reference was made to Squire Haw-
kins. | shall never forget how my
plate looked after it had gone around
the table. 1t had left my table empty
and had come back piled to the brim
with every sort Of vegetable on the
table. Miss Ellen laughed when | con
fesSed that | did not know how to eat
rice, nor would she rest content until
she had taken my plate and arranged
it according to the manner of eating
rice In that section. She covered it
with butter and sprinkled a little salt
on it and, handing it back to me, babe
me eat it, telling me that it was a part
of my education. She laughed again
when | wanted to put pepper on it,
but she would let her father put a lit
tie dish gravy over it If 1t were not
palatable. l ate it, not because | liked
1t then. for | would have eaten so
much sawdust had she told me it was
good and asked me to do SO.
Every now and then, after l had
swallowed some rice. | would look up
to find her eyes fixed roguiShly on me,
and then we would both laugh. She
seemed to relish the idea that | did
not like the rice and that | was eating
~ l,~,, 900 che bol Gx,I ~ md to1l mo
to do SO. | made this fact very plain
to her by the faces | would make in
swallowing it. She confessed after
ward to a little malice in forcing me
to eat It. and later, when | really be-
gan to like it, she would often say,
'Will you have your rice with cream
and sugar or it or a little pepper, Mr..
Palmer?'
After dinner We went on the porch,
whore Bud brought us pipes. 81 hope
you like the pipe" he said as he hand
ed me an old brier root. I'VE have
given up cigars lately-on account of
The tariff" he added with a big, good
natured laugh. | said | did; that it
was my chiefcst luxury in my univer.
sity days and | still preferred it to
cigars. Colonel Turpin said that if |
did not object to music Ellen would
play us something; that she always
did when he took his after dinner
smoke. | said that | could not imagine
greater luxury. and | leaned back pre-
pared to undergo any amount of tor.
ture and outrage to my artistic nature.
for | knew something Of music, as my
father had been a splendid performer
on the piano and had given me the ben
eft Of his knowledge. Instead of hymns
and waltzcs, however, there tioated
through the window to us the sweetest
notes | seemed ever to have heard. |
sat dreamily thinking of this lovely
girl and her odd surroundings when
she appeared at the window and asked
If there vas anything that liked espe.
cially.
II do not know if you care for
Chopin" she said. Father does not
know it is Chopin, but it is the music
he likes, and 50 | always play some of
the noCturneS for him"
The truth is, Miss Turpin." | said.
81 did not think of what you were play
ing, but was merely feeling the effect
of the music. Your playing seemed to
me to be a part of the scene out here.
as if it were an accompaniment to the
moon in its wanderings or to the stars
in the silent Watches
Ny speech sounded like f~attery and
I blushed as the thought came to me.
Il hope you will forgive my praise if
it seemed extravaganza" | said. but |
only said what was in my heart with
out rejecting that you might take ii
for fattery." | had been accustomed
to pay compliments at will and some
times, | fear. was given to fattery. but
l would not lave had this young girl
think me guilty of such Ill breeding
for anything in the world.
IF that is the way you feel" she an
swered sweetly. Il will play something
for you and trust to pleasing father
and, going back to the piano. she play
ed ~something-I do not know what.
Bud said he had never heard her play
~ DcIOIt, anu. tlOuSu 1 dShcu lIcl Olltl
after that to play 1t for me again. |
never heard it. yet the strains even
now go through my head when | sit in
the moonlight or lie awake at nights
thinking Of Ellen.
She disappeared after awhile to clear
the table and wash the dishes,
thought. with some resentment. Colo.
mel Turpin talked politics. and I soon
learned that he was decided In his
views. though somewhat mixed in his
politics. ! found on that he was ad-
dicted to the habit Of writing pieces
for the papers. but never under his
w name. lie chose rather such mons
de plume as "Vox Populi." Citizen"
and sometimes Patriot" He did not
believe thai writing was the profess
sion of a gentleman unless one could
hide ones Identity. Yet he felt that
the public should be educated by this
means. He was a Democrat. but be-