The Snowflake herald., 1921-11-04

In musty old ledger kept by James
Rutedge, the owner Of Rutledge's tav-
ern, in the year 1882, is an entry un-,
der the date of January 31st which
reads as follows:
Arrived this dag Eliphalet Biggs
Of 26 Olive street, St Louis, with one
horse"
Young Mr.. Biggs remained at Rut-
ledge's tavern for three weeks with
his arm in a sling under the eye Of
the good DOCTOR The Rutledges were
Kentucky folk and there the young
man had found sympathetic hearing
and tender care.
1t had done him good to be hurled
against barn door and to fall trem-
bling and confused at the feet of his
master. He had never met his master
until he had reached Hopedale that
morning. The event had been too long
delayed. Encouraged by idleness and
cOnceit and alcohol, evil passions had
grown rank in the soil of his spirit.
Restraint had been q thing unknown
to him. He had ruled the little world
in which he had lived by a sense of
divine right He was prince of Ego
land-that province of America which
had only half yielded itself to the
principles of Democracy.
1t must be said that he served his
term as a sober human being quite
gracefully, being a well born youth of
some education. A few days he spent
mostly in bed, while his friend, who
had come on from Hopedale, took care
of him. Soon he began to walk about
and his friend returned to St. Louis.
His fine manners and handsome
form and face captured the little VII
lage, most Of whose inhabitants had
come from Kentucky. A week after
his arrival Ann .Rutledge walked over
to Jack Kelso's with him. BIN fed
up the stick ladder as soon as they
entered the door. Mr.. Kelso was
away on fox hunt. Ann went to the
ladder and called:
"Bim, saw you fly up that ladder.
Come back down. Here's a right nice
young man come to see you."
"Is he good-looking" BIN called.
"Oh, purity as a picture, black eyes
and hair and teeth like pearls, and
tall and straight, and he's got
be-e-autiful little mustache."
That's enough!" BIN exclaimed.
'T just wish there was a knot hole In
this floor"
"Come on down here" Ann urged.
"Tm scared" was the answer.
''His cheeks are as red as roses and
he's got lovely ring and big watch
chain-pure gold and yaller as dan
delion. You come down here"
"Stop," BIN answered. "P1l be
down as soon as can get on my best
bib and tucker"
In a few minutes BIN called from
the top of the ladder to Ann. The lat
ter went and looked up at her. Both
girls burst into peals Of merry laugh
ter. BIN had put on suit of her ia
theirs old clothes and her buffalo skin
whiskers and was a wild sight.
"Don't you come down looking like
that" said Ann. "Tll go up there and
tend to you"
Ann climbed the ladder and for a
time there was much laughing and
chattering in the little loft. By and
by Ann came down. BIN hesitated,
laughing, above the ladder for a mo-
ment, and presently followed in her
best blue dress, against which the
golden curls Of her hair fell grace
fully. With red cheeks and bright
eyes. she was a glowing picture. Very
timidly she gave her hand to Mr.. Biggs.
'It's just the right Dress" he said.
"It goes so well with your hair. I'm
glad to see you. have never seen a
girl like you in my life. I'm going to
come and see you often, If your
mother will let me"
A blush spread over the girls
cheeks to the pretty dimple at the
point of her chin.
you'll see her scampering up the
ladder like a squirrel" said Mrs. Kel-
so. "She isn't real tame yet"
perhaps we could hide the ladder
he suggested, with smile.
"Do you play on the huteT BIN
asked.
"No," said Mr.. Biggs.
'T was afraid" BIN exclaimed. my
Uncle Henry does" She looked into
Mr.. Biggs' eyes.
Mr.. Biggs laughed. 'That smile OF
yours is very becoming" he said.
At this point Mr.. Kelso returned
with his gun on his shoulder and was
introduced to Mr.. Biggs.
ct welcome you to the hazards of
NV f,reside," said Kelso. $50 you're
from st. Louis and stopped for re-