The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-10-03
BETTY'S
BY LOIS EN- e RY.

iNis why W L Nou - WI "
TO dinner some time? He must think
II rather funny for you not TO. where
you go ont together so much"
81 know, mamma, but l don't believe
] want to. yet awhile.
You know how terrible the boys act,
and they are so refined at his house.
The night / was there to dinner every
thing was served in courses. / dont
know what he would think of us
everything on the table at ono and
the boys yelling like wild Indians.
Betty stopped and kissed her mother
lightly, Its awful sweet of you TO
think Of IL, but let's not bother about
1t yet awhile"
Then minutes later, as she was going
down the old creek road with Jack
Somers, her heart began to sing a
little tune of happiness.
They had gone fully a mile from
home before they noticed hat the
breeze had stllled, that the sun was
hidden behind black clouds, and that
the air had grown very oppressive.
why" said Betty, as she looked up
at the sky, whats that-thunder?"
She jumped up from where they had
been sitting on the grass as "a drop OF
rain spattered her new hat. why,
Jack, it's raining"
Jack jumped up and looked about
with worried eyes.
Gracious, Betty, I'm afraid you'll
get wet. Wish I'd taken an umbrella"
There are no houses around here
and we can't possibly get home with
out getting Wet" said Betty, resign
eddy.
The thunder drew nearer now, the
wine was rising, and 1t was getting
very dark overhead.
I'm awfully sorry, Betty should
have"
Whow! The elements now seemed
at war with one another. Rain fell in
torrents and the thunder doomed,
crashed and rumbled, filling the air
with n continuous, deafening roar.
Half an hour later the two streaming
figures were met on the piazza by the
whole Thurlow family.
Good land, Betty, we were most
worried to death" said her mother a.
she hustled forward anxiously. "You
go right up to your room and change
those wet clothes. Your father will
take care of Mr.. Somers.
As Betty was removing her wet
garments she sighed a~nxiously, mo
telling what father and the boys will
do"
Presently Jacks rich laugh and the
boys shrill yelps began to come from
her fathers room. Betty could not
keep from dimpllng as she visioned
Jacks slender figure in her fathers
clothes.
Hurry mp. Betty" whispered her
mother up the back stairs. "Mr. SOM
ers is going to stay to dinner and it's
most time to take II up"
"Oh. dear" Betty hurriedly threw
her dress over her head and hurried
down the stairs. II wonder what that
table looks like, anyway"
what are you going to have for din
ner. mamma?'
"Macaroni, with tomato sauce, dear"
answered her mother soberly.
ooh, mother" said Betty, with hor-
ror in her voice.
II didn't ask him, Betty. I would
have known better. II was your father
He acted as If he was awful pleased
because pa asked him. Now don't
worry, dear. There's that nice cream
pie / made this morning, and I've got
n chocolate cake, too. Here they come
now. You sit right down here, Mr..
Somers."
The young man gave her a pleasant
smile and sat down beside Betty. It
seemed to her that the boys never
acted worse.
She wondered IL this horrible meal
would ever come to an end. Everything
else was already at an end, she thought
miserably. Jack Somers would never
have any use for her with a family
that acted like this.
They were all beginning on pie now,
excepting Jack, and he was having a
second helping of macaroni.
At last dinner was over, and Betty
and Jack went out on the piazza. It
was just growing dusk and the air was
full of that delicious sweet GOODNESS
which follows summer rain.
Jack moved nearer tn Betty. HIS
shoulder grazed hers lightly. Betty"
he said at last. you've got the incest
family l We saw. Everything here at
dinner tonight was so homelike and
jolly. You know II doesn't seem much
like home at our house. I don't know
when I've enjoyed n meal as much as
l have tonight"
He put his arm around her and gent
ly drew her toward him. Betty. I can't
put 1t of any longer. Do you love me
well enough to marry me?"
Betty drew her breath in tremulcus-
ly and then dropped her head on his
shoulder and began to cry.
What's the matter, Betty? Don't
Won love me we'll enouoh -,