The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-03-27


he knows how. In the second place.
interferin' in these here sentimental
affairs is a mighty ticklish business,
and I'm here at this picnic to have a
good time. I'm a-goin' to have it. too!
Saying which, he beat hasty retreat.
But he had hardly succeeded in plac-
Ing section Of the picnic crowd be-
tween himself and Mrs. Todhunter
when a young girl came running along
his trail. breathless, and with mis-
chievous eyes.
Mrs. Todhunter wants you to come
right back to her. colonel" she an
nounced. She's short on men to help
her, and she's awful busy. Wants you
to come right away. sir"
Colonel Todhunter glanced whimSi.
cally at the messenger. Amt that just
like mans wife? She didn't want
Judge Boiling when she SAW him. Oh,
no! It's me she wants. And III bet
she's got the hardest job on the
grounds picked out for me right now"
Then he turned to the amused girl
SOu, Nlloo lAoilSe, 1t Sdlu
ruefully. please tell Mrs. Todhunter
I'll be there in two or three minutes"
Suddenly, but little distance ahead
he saw Tom Strickland parting from
Mary. They were handsome couple
the cOlonel's daughter an exquisite type
Of the well born southern girl. her hair
and eyes rarely pure brown. her skin
of almost baby fairness, a proud little
mouth. IA joyous bearing; the youth a
tall and we'll built young country bred
gentleman. his eyes a clear blue, his
hair sunburned yellow, his mouth
and chin clean cut and firm. Colonel
Todhunter approved heartily of both
AS Mary left her companion and went
to join her mother. Il second girl, with
obvious intent, crossed Tom Strick-
lands path, She was of different
type, a pebean beauty. black haired
with passionate eyes, full red lips. a
suggestion Of rich animal life in her
movements.
You ought to be ashamed Of your
self. Tom Strickland" she said in a
low tone, a little break in her voice
You let me drop like was sOlnethin
you despised just the minute you
caught sight Of Mary Todhunter.
wouldn't treat dog that way, Tom"
There was something pitifu in the
utter frankness Of surrender with
which the speakers eyes confessed her
liking for Tom Strickland Colonel
Todhunter knew her well. She was
the granddaughter Of old RATE Dog
gett. who had been private soldier
in a Confederate regiment during the
civil war The family belonged to the
class once known as poor whites"
but old Doggett had been good sol
dier, and Lottie-May. his granddaugh-
ter. owed her membership in the
Daughters of the Confederacy to the
esteem in which he was held.
This was even more than conces
sion to inferior caste. The darkly
beautiful country girl whom old RATE
Doggett's son had married in another
state had gone away from home one
day, leaving her baby daughter behind,
and never returned. picturesquely
handsome Indian herb DOCTOR" who
had been peddling his wares in Nine
veh for some days and was known to
have paid bold attentions to her, dis
appeared at the same time. Lottie-
May Doggett. inheriting the same vital
beauty of soft roundness. red lips and
sensuous black eyes, had grown up in
Nineveh. defiant. under the shadow Of
her mothers shame.
Tom Strickland stared at the girl,
plainly surprised. why, Lottie-May,'
he exclaimed; Il won't let you think
such thing. | only hurried to say
'Howdy' to Miss Mary becaus she had
just got here. Anyway"-and here he
smiled teasingiy-"I could see with one
eye that STAN Tucker was just wild
to have talk with you"
Lottie-May's eyes flashed. STAIN
Tucker-shucks." she cried scornfully
II wouldn't wipe my feet on him. Tom
when you're around. and you. know it.
But can tell you one thing"-and here
note of proud vanity sounded in her
voice" tryin' hard as he is to git Miss
Mary TOdhunter to marry him. just
like you are. STAN Tucker loves me
more in one minute than he will love
her in his whole lifetime"
'Lottie- May" calculated Tom angri-
ly, you mustn't. talk like that. You
ought to be ashamed. You've got no
right to couple Miss Mary Todhunter's
NO no, that's it," interrupted the
girl holly. Il mustn't mention Mary
Todhunter's name in the same breath
with mine. 1t amt right. you think
Well, | willard l hate her. hate
her,
Il didn't mean that. LottieMay." pro-
tested Tom You know | didn't mean
that .s
But the girl was gone. Hagar-like, ;
she moved with a sort Of outcast pride, !
her, pretty head held high. her eyes
flashing. In moment she had disap
peared in the crowd. I
tom" said Colone! Todhunter. ad.
vancing. you'd better be hurryin' to