The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-01-22
but only Kitchen accomplishments. all


all to hisself. He told me when he
comes by my place the next day.
Pete. I've had women stare me
down. but I'm blamed il ever | was
got away with before because one
wouldn't look ut me-"
But I've noticed them women with
long eye winkers often. and it's lookin'
down that's their strongest card.
You may hold high. jack. but it's low
and the game they're playin' fer. and
they most generally git it,
Jessie got to sayin' that If she didn't
have sweetheart back where she
comes from she'd just love Shorty to
death.
Sometimes she'd intimate that she
wasn't Twin out land and didn't have
to stay the three years out like her
folks did.
asked her one day If she hadn't
took Shorty away from them other two
girls.
That's just the trouble" she says.
with sigh. IF | could only look at
it as you do here wouldn't mind, but
back where came from they call it
takin' the leavins. suppose" she
says. Its due to you havin' more boys
than girls here, and it's just the other
way back there"
She said she just wished Shorty
hadn't ever had no girl but her.
You can catch most any kind Of "A
fish if you use the right bait, and them
inklin's of Il lover Of Jessie's shore
done the work for Shorty.
wouldn't never have told hiI, about
it if he had been unpopular with the
women. but it was too good to keep.
for figgers don't lie, and there was no
way for him to git around the number
of girls he'd had before Jessie ever
came
So he took to goin' to Headwater or
Square Deal when he had to go to
town to lay suspicion about the Sweet
Springs girl. and he nearly starved his
self to death to keep from goin' to the
house because Jessie complained about
Kit Atchison.
And poor little Kit lost all her cute.
pert ways and went around with her
head not combed pretty near all day.
Then. womanlike. quick as she's
caught about the slickest fish in the
tank. Jessie gifts plumb scornful of
him.
She don't keer to ride with him any
more. sayin's the sun Is too hard on
her skin. and Ruth. who is freckled us
turkey egg already. takes to goin
out In her place.
Pretty soon she knows more about
this country than Jessie would pick up
in hundred years and can read
Shortys brands and is learnin' the cow
business like ranchers daughter
She's sweet. gentle girl and has
plenty Of good horse sense, so Shorty
gifts so lie wants to talk to her and
just take 1t out in lookn' at Jessie.
These hester shacks. consistin' Of
two rooms and a lean-to kitchen. don't
give much room for d,yidin' up into
groups, so when Shorty comes to sec
Jessie and they was setting in the
parlor Of q evenin Ruth couldn't stroll
off into the library Or the DRAWN
room or her bedroom, as they do in
novels.
All them bein' one and the same
with said parlor. her only place to
stroll was into the room where the old |
folks was in bed or the kitchen. which |
was only biz enough to cook and eat |
in and partitions that you could throw
a jack rabbit through.
So on fine cvenin's she would git out |
on the gallery in the moonlight. and
Shorty. bein' polite thataway. would |
name 1t to Jessie that they go out anu |
keep Ruth company.
At first Jessie ID go and stay until !!
Ruth would go to bed. Then she got |
SO she'd stay little while not talkin'
any, and then make some excuse like |
her head achin' and retire herself. But |
finally one night when Shorty suggest |
ed the gallery Jessie was just out with
il all.
IF You come to sec Ruth" she says |
Detulant. lust leave me out Of 1t. III
YOU come to see me. just leave her out |
IF 1t. She's imposin' herself where
she's not wanted anyhow" she COM
planned. land trying to work on every
Dody's sympathy with her bad health
and goody good ways. She's hypO-
rrite." she says. raisin her voice. land |
on top of ii all she tries to snoop |
around and take my beau"
Shorty tryin' to stop her all the
time. KNOWN she can be heard from
the gallery. But there amt no holdin'
hat tongue. now it's started.
"She ought to be cookin' for some
body" she continues. Its all she's
II for. don't want you to speak to
her again. or to notice her.
But here Shorty reaches for his big
white hat and turns abrupt.
Hes got u temper for all he's so jolly
md "Isy spin. and she's reached the
INIT of bein' bullicd ana bossed.
That's all ! want 10 know about
7ou." he says. hcartlcss. and walks out.
As he steps ont on the porch he sees
Ruth has mounted his horse Trusty.
which he's left staked to the fence by
his thirty foot laridt. and which he's
give that name TO on account Of he |
amt truSt him no further than his |