The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-12-01
OBJ. -
Candle 5esf
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sy r. 4. Mitchell.


working for Farmer BathGate ~
went to him when the crops WEI
ready to be taken IN. aiHs Hsslik"dd
so well that when the harvest Il
over he concluded &c keep ~ fuF cssS
day work during he winter In 4
summer Ruth Eathyafe. his daugh g.
used to brine Us out cool drinks. al
we two young inen seon beeame a,
ious for some sign OF prefercnce-a
that either Of us had airy ntenii
toward her: IL was just ordina.
rivalry. But Ruth was mighty part s
lar not TO make the slightest din
ence between us.
When the autumn came On. rhe foo
der was In shock. the weather gettln
cold, and the logs were blazing on IL
hea -th. the farmer and his family an
Josh and | used TO SIS around IT,
blaze. TALKING and telling yarns. IN.
was a happy winter for both Josh an
me. We didn't either Of Jus suspec
that VIC were both dead gone on Rnt'
nor cid we foreSee Whit was 10 hal
pen 10 break up cur pleasant circle
That's the trouble. with pleasant time
there's always something that make
them pleasant. and. ten TO one. It's III
very thing to break up the L!easuro
Since il is all over know thai whA
made our enjoyment - kee' vas I,utl
and it was Euth that. spoiled'h- ali
not Intentionally. for. rs ! said4she fl
vorcd neither of US. She cou,dp't hav'
kept US two fellows from cr3duall,
falling in love with her If she ha6
wanted to-
At first Josh and | used to spes'
about little occurrences concerning BIZ
with perfect freedom, Th1fW cease
to say anything to each other that In
volved any relation with her. and final
" we never mentioned her, \ yea
passed, the pleasantest / have eve
known. and when we'd filled the barn
and there was little to do one day Josl
said to me:
There's something / want to say +
you. Ben. The harvest Is ended, and
doesn't seem just right for two strap
ping fellows like us TO put Farmc
Bathgate to the expense Of keeping u
all winter. There's enough for one +
do. but net enough for two. It's IL,
opinion he'd let one of us go. bu
doesn't like 90 decide between Us
What do you say t., playing game @
seven up to settle which, shall e.
out?"
81 reckon there's something in whi
you say. JOSH" replied in as melar
choly a tone as his lilies treated u
mighty well. and we ought to reliev
him of the responsibility Of sending o.
one OF us. and you and /, too. hav
been square 10 each other. | don't G,
actly like your plan of playing gam
to find out which shall co, for on
MIGHT have more skin than the othe
! l think we'd better let something els
than cards decide between us. Mr.
Bathgate was making scandlcs tn
morning. Now, what do you say
your choosing caud.e AID / choosin
one cut Of the sane mold III t.Sltin
Them az the N ne tire? 'Hhc one who's
/ candle goes out fir; is to %
II think that would be good wa
/ to SETTLE it
We were in eur room 1t to time
we occupiec Il r&om l"ce''rr- AID
was goin@ out to set I've - ~ - we
I met Ruth at the G"2r
i've heard wEai YOU 'r-e have bee
1 - ~
lion, and you're riyht FarA doeSn
need but one extra hard i'i- vi1tC
but he won't serd away "itLtr Of 20
III GO down arc set the candles ar
light them tor You.
We were both mightil! pleased
have her ia this AID waited patient
till she came back with the candles.
would yen choose for usf'' we boz
said at thr same moment
IF you wish me t.
Placing candle sefo''e each of U
she scratched natca in each han
and lighted hem at tie same momeI
Then she left The room without
glance at either OF Us The caudl
were short and would burn out in
tween one AID two hours Josh and
played coed msry Canes Of sew
IN. occasionally glanri"g az the ca
dies with apparent III oncern. lat re
" with suppressed nspense 1t W
not till they had turned down 70 wit
I'm an inch Of the socket that motto
difference Then / saw that my ca
die was burning the slcwer. Wh
Josh's began - flicker there was 81
three-eiSLths of an inch Of mine le
Ee blew It out and turned away
/ conceal his feelings. | expected Ru
10 show enough interest in which
US was TO remain. TO ask before col
TO sleep. hut she didn't. We'll" | Sd
TO myself. lit doesn't make any diff
ence, after all. which goes first. We
both go soon enough. She doesn't wa
either Of US
The next day Josh told the farm
that he thcught he'd look for work
: the city and left us. He had no soor
{ gone than Ruth began 10 bestow up
e me little attentions This was az
:, enough to induce me to show my Il
D ,nyS and .Tet " III ~ "a. 1t n =
ment In laSS than a month al
.nsh's departure was engaged.
II After our engagement / told u