The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1917-02-22
THE BEST MAN WINS
BY SUSAN E.. cLAGETT.


"You have heard Of the place paved
with good intentions, Pauline, dear. l
am afraid many bricks are laid to my
credit, for my intentions are always
good but fail Of accomplishment. l
mean to write, but somehow never do.
This time you must forgive me. for l
am most unhappy. And my unhappi-
ness came from out a clear sky. Since
then ] have sounded the depths. Fa-
Their is obdurate. Mother sides with
him.
ut Is nothing but p~ig-headed obsti-
hacy In father. Anyone looking at
Howard would know he is a gentle
man. He certainly is good to look at,
and, Of course, I think the sun rises
and sets In him. But father will not
listen when / tell him we are engaged.
He merely says: When you care for Il
man, Jane, you can marry him as o o
as he asks you, but so long as ! live
m%ake-believe one shall icy have
Eou.'
"July 10TH thought my letter had
reached you but have just found 1t In
my portfolio. When l wrote a month
ago / thought myself e~ncompassed by
misery, but my feelings were as moth
Ing to what they have been the past
few days.
Father told me l must break off
my engagement; that l should not see
Howard again. stormed. He mere
~ said, Jane, put on your hat and take
drive with your mother and me-
That was all.
81 told myself I wouldn't. But I
had never disobeyed father In my life
and We started on that drive. 1t was
/ long one. 1t took us three days to
reach this place; a little farm at the
End Of nowhere. thirty miles from the
dearest railroad stationl There Is no
post office, no telephone, no car!
July 20th-Pauline, dear, 1t is a
comfort to chat with you, " If my
etter has to wait forever and forever
10 reach the Office. I do get so hungry
Tor home news. Mother has written
)nce, but not a word from dad, which
shows plainly that / am still in dis
grace. Today Peter told me he might
20 to the station for mail. If he didn't,
he thought Dan Isham would take my
letters. Whoever Is Dan Isham? I
haven't seen q man, except Peter, since
'ather left me here. I wonder IL he
S as old and wrinkled as Peter"
"July 21st-He came before I had
finished my letter. Just an ordinary,
farmer sort of person. He has nice
eyes. saw that, although he turned
hem away at ice l wonder what he
thought Of me?
august 10TH am seeing a good
Zeal Of Dan Isham. He lives on the
aext place, wherever that is.
"He isn't a bit like Howard, but he
Knows where to find the loveliest wood
lowers, and this morning showed me
he cutest little open-mouthed baby
birds; hooking birds, he said they
we're.
August 24th-Dan came this morn
ing and asked me to walk to Kings
Creek with him. I don't know what
got into me, but I felt I must talk of
Howard. l told Of u engagement,
and how determined father Is that it
shall be broken off, but that I was de-
.ermined to marry him when ] came of
age.
"'And when will that be?' he asked.
Your appearance this morning sug-
gests nothing so much as that of q
pretty spoiled child of twelve
"'Spoiled chiIdr l gasped. I could
not control my voice. so l turned my
back on him. AS I did so I caught
sight Of something that turned me cold
with fright. Coming toward us with
lowered head was a great black bull.
with a shuddering sob I caught
hold Of Dan and hid my face against
his shoulder.
"'Why, chiIdi' Then the low NUT
ter Of that awful animal made him
turn suddenly. VIII you believe me.
Pauline, Dan Isham laughed, but he
didn't let me go. He put his hand I'M
der my chin and made ME look at him.
What he saw In my eyes I do not
know. What I saw in his made me
again hide my face against that old,
faded blue shirt. Even through my
fear ] was glad father had told How
ard Chandler / should not marry him.
81 did not mind Dams laughing.
there was such comfort in feeling his
arms about me, but for propriety's
sake I tried to slip from them, when
he said:
"'Jane, that steer is n of Peters
OK team, and is as gentle as a lamb.
Truly I am thankful he put In an ap-
pearance Just now, for have been
wondering ever since you began talk
Ing of Chandler, how long I would have
to wait before you found out you loved
me instead. For you>do love me. There
Is no question about my feeling for
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