The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-07-10

DOVE PIE AND HONEY
Ely ROB McHEYNE.

daughter 10 the ldlQSOIue young
westerner who had won her love.
That was more than a year ago; now
the big. brown-faced ranchman sat in
the door of his little shack, watching
a duststorm drift over the face of the
setting sun. and thinking of what the
hard-headed old financier had said
back there in his luxurious home in
various New York.
slim figure Ia a blue dress came
slowly up the lane of umbrella trees.
It was Jims wife. There was tired
stoop to her shoulders that was all
too plain in spite Of the poise of her
chin. She lad old Henry P.'s chin.
superb be ready in a minute.
jim" she said.
What YOU goin' to have2
q found some partridge eggs" she
said. holding out the blue sun-bonnet;
I'm going to make an omelet. Then,
there's dove-pie and mesquite honey.
Jim burst out laughing.
Why, Jim" cried the little woman,
terribly hurt Il thought you liked
partridge eggs"
Come here, little girl; He heid
out two great brown arms and she
pumped into them regardless of eggs
and independence alike.
What was it, Jim" she asked.
when he had kissed away the tear.
oh nothing. little linnet; it was
the-the dove-pie and the mesquite
honey
But we haven't had them for ever
SO long. ! thought yo-'d-" She had
to bite hard on her lower lip to keep
her chin steady.
How would my Sallie o like to see
little old New York;"
20, Jim, Jim, you dear old thing"
Her arms we're about his neck.
Really? Don't tell me it isn't SO
When"
Tomorrow.
How perfectly de Not tomorrow?
What1l -"
Wear what you've got till you get
to Chicago. and then get something
fit to steal into Broadway in, after
dark. You couldn't get anything here
but a string of beads and a Navajo
ring if yous to wait a year. Tomor-
row you're off at daybreak."
Put you're coming, too
why, little gray goose, | couldn't
get away on a bet. Come, let's have
our doyepie and honey" and he
swung her in at the open door
They were rather silent as they
drove into the little railroad town the
next evening There were plenty of
things to be thought Of
The big fellow stood on the platform
and watched the train pull out, and
the little figure in the gray gown and
turban left its impress on his heart
rather than his mind.
After all. there's a feelin e-tSss=
dom comes with this sort of thing
Jim walked up the street with a light
step. There was a hum of congenial-
ity about the open doors of the sa-
looms, billiard balls clicked in secret
merriment behind curtained windows,
while from the subterranean depths Of
some basement near by came the long
roll and cataclasmic clash of the
bowling alley The ranchman was
transported mentally. TO the days be-
fore he met her. and his feet turned
without hesitancy into the Gold Dol
lar
"Elullo, Jim" He was greeted on
all sides No one dared ask him TO
have "a drink. and he stood talking
with the proprietor A game of faro
was on at one side of the room; the
roulette wheel was thronged with
players. MeXicanS. Indians and white
men mingled amid a perfect babel
above which rose the song of a rather
corpulent half breed girl and the
stringy tones of an outworn piano
"Hullo, Jeem," said the singer,
making her way toward him. You
no spin EN- any more, no? You use
play-you use spen lot O da none,
Helm You 'membah dese?" She held
up a finger. displaying a fashy ring
"Nita," said jim. slowly. I'll buy
that ring"
You geey eet to me 4 no SELL
Appealing to an instinct that he
knew to be strong in her, he stepped
to the roulette table, where he placed
coin on one OF the large numbers.
and continued 10 play until he had
won Then he turned to Nita:
Take it: give me the ring" She
slowly drew it off and laid it in his
hand. As he rode nome under the
stars Jim took the bit of iewelry
from his pocket and threw it off into
the sage brush.
The next morning things at La
Ranch Bonita had a desolatc air.
She's about TO Albuquerque now"
said Jim, and he drew a solitary
chair 10 the table. A step sounded
on the threshold
I'm back" said cheary voice.
YOU"
Jim. | just couldn't do it. and
when the conductor told me | could
redeem my ticket, | turned around"
Now. look &ere, young lady"
No Jim. it wasn't on account OF
you. You know how tired | was of
everything when | left New York?
Well, | haven't been away lCng
enough yet thought | was home
sick. but when the waiter brought in
my dinner. and | saw all those horrid
silver covers over the fish and things
we'll Jim, it Just reminded me OF
the restaurants on Broadway. Hon
estly, it was all | could do to keep
from throwing ethem out of the win
dow. and | just couldn't wait TO get
back here to breakfast. What you
goin' 10 have, honey"
That's it," said jim; that and
dove pie