Ripley County democrat., 1917-04-27
THE BEST MAN Wins
BY SUSAN Z. cLAeErT.


"You have heard Of the place paved
with good intentions, Pauline. dear.
am afraid many bricks are laid to my
credit, for my Intentions are always
good but fail Of accomplishment. ]
mean to write, but somehow never 90.
This time you must forgive me, for
am most unhappy. And my unhappl-
ness came from out clear sky. Since
then 4 have sounded the depths. Fa-
ther Is obdurate. Mother sides with
him.
1T is nothing but pig-hended obsti-
macy In father. Anyone looking at
Howard would know he Is q gentle
man. He certainly Is good to look at,
and, Of course, think the sun rises
and sets In him. But father will not
listen when tell him we are engaged.
He merely snys: When you care for
man, Jane, You can marry him as soon
as he asks you, but 50 long as 1--we
a make-believe one shall never have
you
July 10TH thought my letter had
reached you but have just found It in
my portfolio. When ! wrote a month
ago I thought myself encompassed BY
misery. but my feelings were as moth
Ing to what they have been the past
few DAYS.
.Father told me | must break Off
nv engagement: that | should not see
Howard apnin, I stormed. He mere
" snid. lame nut on your hat and take
drive with your mother and me-
That was all.
" told myself ] wouldn't. But l.
had never dlsobeyed father In my life
aud we started on that drive. 1t was
n long one II took us three days to
reach this place: little farm at the
end of nowhere. thirty miles from the
nearest railroad stationl There is no
post sfllce, no telephone, no car!
"July 2Oth--PauIne, dear, It Is a
comfort to chat with you, even II my
letter has to wait forever. and forever,
to reach the office. do get so hungry
for home news. Mother has written
once, but not word from dad, which
shows plainly that am still In dis
grace. Today Peter told me he might
go to the station for mail. II he didn't,
he thought Dan Ishaln would take my
letters. Whoever Is Dan Isham2 I
haven't seen a man, except Peter, since
father left me here. I wonder II he
Is as old and wrinkled as Peter"
"July 2lst--He came before had
finished my letter. Just an ordinary,
farmer sort Of person. He has nice
eyes. saw that, although he turned
them away at once. wonder what he
thought Of mef
august l0th--I am. seeing good
deal OF Dan Ishan. He lives on the
next place, wherever that is.
"TIe isn't q BIT like Howard, but he
knows where to find the loveliest wood
flowers. and this morning showed me
the cutest little open-moluhed baby
birds; moclsing birds, he said they
were.
August 24th--Dan came this morn.
ing and asked me to walk to Kings
Creek with him. don't know what
got Into me, hut felt I must talk of
Howard. told Of our engagement,
and how determined father is TINT II
shall be broken of, but tl,at,I was de-
termined to marry him when came of
age.
..And when will that her No asked
.Your appenranca this morning sup.
ucsts nothing 50 ,nucb M that of y
pretty snolled child Of Twelve.
..spoiled chll1p / rosped could
mt ccnttol NV vo,ee 90 + trrnad INV
back on him. AsI did so I caught
sight of something that turned me cold
with fright. Coming towar,l ms with
lowered head was 4 great black bull
.with a shudderlnr sob eauuht
hold Of Dan and hid NV face aa,,Inst
his shoulder.
..wbv ch,ldr Tben ,ba low mnt.
ter Of that owful animal moda him
t,,rn sudJsnlv WnI Won helleva ma me-
Pauline Don Isham laughed hut NJ
didn't let me 70. He put his hand nm
der INV chin and made me look 81 him
what he saw Ia nv eyes do not
know. what / saw in his made me |