Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1914-01-08
DOvE-PIE AND HONEY
BY ROB m'cHEYNE.


honey a mighty monotonous diet after
the honeymoon"
They were the words with which
old Henry P. had closed the interview
that had resulted in his giving his
daughter to the handsome young
westerner who had won her love.
That was more than year ago; now
the big, brown-faced ranchman sat in
the door of his little shack, watching
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.
A slim figure in a blue dress came
slowly up the lane of umbrella trees.
It was Jims wife. There was a tired
stoop to her shoulders that was all
too plain in spite of the poise of her
chin. She had old Henry P.'s chin.
Superb be ready In a minute,
jim" she said.
What you goin' to have?"
IT found some partridge eggs" she
said, holding out the blue sun-bonnet;
I'm going to make an omelet. Then.
there's dove-pie ana 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 held
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.
ooh, nothing, little linnet; it was
the-the dove-pie and the mesquite
| honey"
"But we haven't had them for ever
so long. l thought you'd" She had
to bite hard on her lower lip to keep
her chin steady.
How would my Sallie like to see
little old New York;"
20. jim, Jim, you dear old thing!"
Her arms were about his neck.
Really? Don't tell me it isn't so.
/ When?"
Tomorrow"
How perfectly de- Not tomorrow?
What1l I-?"
"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
4 but a string of beads and a Navajo
| ring, If you's to wait a year. Tomor
/ row you're off at daybreak."
"But you're coming. too?"
Why, little gray goose. couldn't
/ get away on bet"
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 feeling of free
dom comes with this sort of thing
1 Jim walked up the street with light
/ step. There was 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.
"Hul-lo, 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 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, "Tll buy
that ring"
you geev eet to me; l no sell"
Appealing to an instinct that he
knew to be strong in her, he stepped
to the roulette table, where he placed
a coin on one Of the large numbers,
and continued to 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 home under the
stars, Jim took the bit of jewelry
from his pocket and threw it off into
the sage brush.
The next morning things at La
Ranch Bonita had a desolate air.
She's about to Albuquerque now"
said Jim, and ne drew a solitary
chair to the table. A step sounded
on the threshold
I'm back!" said CHEEKY voice.
"You?"
Jim, l just couldn't do It, and
when the conductor told me | could
redeem my ticket. I turned around"
Now, look here, young lady"
mo, Jim. it wasn't on account of
you. You know how tired / was of
everything when ! left New York?
Well, l haven't been away long
enough vet | thought | was home