Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-07-24
The Man Who
WasLaughedAt
By SADIE oLcoTT

made money at raising sheep, he held
his head pretty high. He had a daugh-
ter, Rosa. who was a rustic beauty.
Muldrough didn't propose that Rosa
should taxi up with a cowpuncher or
anything like that. He intended her for
a ranchman. like himself. who rode
over his broad acres and bossed others.
A ranchman came counting his
daughter. true enough. but not the
kind of ranchman Muldrough was
Stubs. He came out from Missouri
to start ranching on fifty acres of land
and with a dozen sheep. He was the
homeliest man in the west. and so ig-
norant was he of western ways that
be didn't ever carry a revolver. He
caught sight of Rosa Muldrough one
day skimming along on horseback, for
all the world like a swallow. only a
hundred times as pretty. and he want
ed her right off.
He was a very honorable fellow,
Stubs was. almost as honorable as
he was homely. One morning Null
drough was standing ON his porch, boot
ed and spurred for a ride over his do
main. when he saw Stubs coming up
to the house mounted on a horse as
measly looking as the rider was home
ly. When he reached the porch. with
out dismounting he said in a cracked
voice:
Mr.. Muldrough. I've come to ask
you for your daughter-that is, If she'll
marry me. I've got fifty acres of land
and a dozen sheep. but that isn't all
the property I've got. There's $675 in
the Dime Savings bank of ~Independ-
ence. Mo-, and 1912 in
He got no further. Muldrough put
his hand to his hip, drew his revolver
and, pointing it at him, said:
Ctr
Stubs looked up. apparently more
surprised than hurt, and. digging his
heels into his horse, rode away saying:
VERY well, Mr.. Muldrough, I've TAX
en- the right course in asking your per-
mission to win your daughter before
speaking to her. Now, since your treat
ment of me | give you notice that III
win her If l can without your permits
sion"
A burst of laughter. in which was
mingled a lot of scorn, was the only
reply to this threat. Then Muldrough
went into the house and told Rosa all
about it. She didn't laugh as he did.
for, down in the bottom of her heart.
she sympathized with Stubs on ac-
count of the treatment he had received
from her father. But Muldrough did
not notice this and never dreamed that
he had anything to fear from Stubs
through Rosa.
Some time after this. when the girl
was out on her horse. she met Stubs.
He rode right N, looking at her visit
fully out of his eyes till he saw her
draw rein: then he came to a stop.
Mr.. Stubbs," she said. II wish to
say to you that a man who pays a wo-
man the highest compliment he can
pay her-provided he wants her for
herself--is entitled to a civil reply. My
father was not warranted in his treat
ment of you the other day, especially
cAA(G JOul (d06C was pea WY Jill
able. Nor was he authorized to speak
for me. Though L highly appreciate
the compliment you have paid me. l
decline your proposition because l do
not love you"
II thank you for saying it to me in
stead of never giving me an answer at
all. I'm sorry you don't love me- l
love you and shall always love you.
I'll never love any one else"
why do you especially want me,
Mr.. Stubbs?"
Because l do"
"There are plenty of girls in the
world far more attractive than l."
mot to me-"
81 wish you didn't feel as you do.
1t troubles me to give any n pain,
and to be the cause of your spending
your life alone distresses me very
much"
"And I don't like the idea of dis
tressing you. I'm not going to distress
you any more than l can help. If you
think my being about here will have
that effect on you I'll go elsewhere"
ooh. | wouldn't drive you away from
here. That would be selishness. L
can't love you, but l can sympathize
with you"
After a few more words they both
rode on, When Rosa had gone some
distance she drew rein. turned her
horses head and looked back. Stubs
was sitting on his horse. facing her,
not far from where she had met him.
She waved a hand to him. her turn
ed again and rode on.
One day Muldrough went home aft
err being out all day to find his daugh-
ter gone. She had left a note for him.
believed with tears, saying that she
had gone off to be married. She knew
her father would not consent to the
match. so she was obliged to 90 away
and he married somewhere else. She
did not give her lovers name.
NFuIdroucrb okornad until he loarno5