The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-06-05
A CAUTIOUS MAIDEN.
(By BRYANT c. Rogers.l

(By Bryant c. Rogers.)
John Fletcher, farmer, and his wife
didn't say to each other or to anyone
else that their daughter, Mile, was
captious. They never used the word
and didn't exactly know its meaning.
What they said was:
Isn't that child (and later on the
girD plaguey odd trait developed, and
at sixteenP
The older the girl grew the more
that plaguey old triat developed, and
at 10, had she lived in town, she
would have been referred to as cap
tious girl and a coquette. Her cap
tiousness up to that time had worked
no great harm, but now it began to
bring trouble.
All at once it became apparent that
Mile and the hired man were in love.
She was 10 and he 43. He was
steady-going old batch, and he looked
upon the girl as a child, and he had
to be told in so many words that she
was in love with him. He was hoeing
corn one day as steady as clock and
wondering in a dreamy way why a
farmers hired man wasn't born with
two backbones, so as to let one rest
while the other worked, when Miss
Mile came down from the house and
began:
"Peter, l am in love-"
Good, Lordl" he exclaimed, as he
gave a jump.
Eyes, l am, and who do you think
the Teller ise"
II can't think"
"It's you'll
Bless my soull'
II thought it would jolt you. Yes,
Peter, you are the man"
"But-but"-
"Kneel right down and propose to
me-"
"But can't. l dasn't. Your folks
wouldn't let US marry"
at isn't for them to decide. Do
get a proposal, or do you scorn a
girls lover
Il thought they always courted
| first" was stammered.
Come to think of it, l guess they
do. We will sit out on the back steps
in the moonlight tonight and court. "
At eight o'clock that evening the
farmer saw them sitting out there in
tender attitudes and asked his wife;
What in thunder is that gal up to
now%
ooh, that's some of her odd
notions" was the reply.
"But she can't be in love with OLD
Peterp
Cant she?"
But has he got the cheek to tall II
love with herr"
"How do / known"
The wife refused to say a word tc
the girl and the courtship continued
two or more evenings. During thes'
evenings Peter has proposed and ha'
been accepted, plans had been laid al
to where they would live, and brida
tour had almost been decided upoi
when the farmer decided to put hi
foot down. There was no need Q
action on his part, however, Miss Mil
lie came to him and said:
Father, wish you would give oil
Peter the bounce"
why what forp
Because for three days l was i
love with him and got him to propos
marriage"
Whats happened7"
81 don't know, but / wouldn't maj
iry him if he was the last man on thi
earthl Bounce him and bounce hir
quickp
The father went out and foun
Peter sitting on the barnyard fenc
and waiting to say to him with
sheepish air: David, can | speak
you a momentl"
What is It
"I-I love your daughter, and
"You pack your buds and gitI
And he got" with Miss Mill
looking on and laughing. That was
specimen of what her parents calle
her oddity. In two years she fell
love with Eve different hired me
and got them all bounced. There we
other farmers around and they hs
sons who fell in love with the girl al
reached a certain point which W;
generally the end of the first wee
and then they were suddenly ar
promptly told to make their skiddo
There would be broken hearts al
threats of suicide, and mothers Ike
on the jump to administer catnip te
What in blazes do you do the
things forl" shouted the father as Il
girls thirteenth victim passed out
the house with his hopes crushed
earth.
II don't know, father. l like 'em
first sight, but in about three da
they begin to make me very tired"
But you can't go on in this wa,
"Nop
You'll turn down some chap who
commit suicide over it and there'll
the duee to pay"
Eyes, / suppose so"
Miss Mile had added the scalp
Aha etwNaAnAh .,soks,,r - Lar rolIac4.