The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-05-08


to court Diantha Bowman, the rosy
checked. golden-haired Idol Of his boy
hood Dinntha's cheeks were not rosy
now. and her hair was more silver than
gold. but she was not yet his wife.
And he had tried so hard to win
her! Year after year the rosiest ap-
Piles from his orchard and the choicest
honey from his apiary had found their
way to Dinntha's table; and year
after year the county fair and village
picnic had found him at DIantha's door
with his old mare and his buggy,
ready to be her devoted slave for the
day. Nor was Diantha unmindful Of
all these attentions. She ate the ap-
pies and the honey. and spent long
contented hours In the buggy but she
still answered his pieaiings. with her
gentle: II hain't no call to marry yet.
Phlneas.r and nothing he could do
seemed to hasten her decision In the
least. It was the mare and the buggy.
however that proved to be responsible
for what was the beginning Of the
end.
They were on their way home from
the county fair. The mare. head
hanging, was plodding through the
dust, when around the curve Of the
=oad shot the one automobile that the
town boosted. The next moment the
whizzing thing had passed. and left
superannuated old mare booming
through q cloud Of dust and dancing
on two wabbly hind legs.
Plague take them autymobiles !"
snarled Phineas through set teeth. as
he sawed at the rens. Il ak pardon,
I'm sure. Dlanthy," he added shame
fncedly. when the mare had dropped
to n position more nearly normal hut
l hnin't no use fur them ere contrap-
tions!"
DIantha frowned. She was fright
ened--and because she was frightened
she was angry. She said the first
thing that came into her hcad-and
never had she spoken to Phlneas 50
sharply.
III you'd have some use for 'em.
PhIneas Hopkins. you wouldn't be
crawlIn' along in shiftIess old rig
like this: you'd have one yourself an
be somebody For my part. like
'em, an I'm Jest achin' ter ride in EN-, .
to0.r'
Phineas almost dropped the reins
In his amazement. "Achln' ter ride
in en-" she had said--and MI that ne !
could give her was this ''shiftless old
rig that she so scorned. He remem-
bered something else. too. and his face
famed suddenly red. 1t was Colonel
Smith who owned and drove TINT au-
tcmoblle, and Colonel Smith. too. was
bachelor. What If Instantly In
Phinens' soul rose fierce jealousy.
Il like hoss. myself" he said, with
some dignity. Il want somethn' that's
alive!"
Diantha laughed slyly The dan.
ger wns past. and she could afford to
be merry.
"Well, 1t strikes me that you come
pretty near havin' solnefhIn' that
want alive jest cause you had some
thin that was:" she retorted. "Iseally.
Phineas, didn't s'pose Dolly could
move so fast 7"
Phineas brIndled.
Dolly knew how ter move once"
he rej0Ined grimly. Cause nobody
pretends ter say she's young now, any
inoren we be- he finished with some
defiance. But he dropped visibly at |
Diantha's next words.
"Why. don't feel old. phIneas.. an |
! mint old, either. Look at Colonel
Smith he's Jest my aee, nn he's got
autymobiIe. Mebbe I'll have one
some day.
To Phineas II seemed that cold
hand clutched his heart.
"Dianthy, you wouldn't really--ridc I
In onel he faltered.
Until that moment Diantha had not !
been sure that she would, but the |
quaver In Phineas voice decided her. |
Wouldn't l? You Jest wait an
sect"
And Phineas did wait---nnd he did |
see. He saw Diantha. not week !
later. pink-cheeked and brlght-eyed.
sitting BY the side Of Colonel Smith
in that hated automobile Nor did he |
stop to consider that Diantha was only |
one of dozen upon whom Colonel
Smith. In the enthusiasm OF his new
possession, was pleased to hestow that
attention. To phineas il could mean
but one. thing. and he did not. change
bis opinion when he heard Biantha's
account Of the ride.
1t was perfectly lovely she
breathed "Oh, Phineas. 1t was Jest
Ike fiyin'l"
Flyinr" Phineas could say no
more. He felt, as II he were choking
choking with the dust raised BY
Dolly's plodding hoofs,
~An' the trees an the houses swept
By like ghosts" continued piantha-
"why. Phineas, could a rode on an
On furever."
Before the ecstatlc rapture In Di-
nnthas face Phineas went down In de-
Ieat. Without one word he turned
lway--but In his heart he registered
J solemn vow; he, too. would have an
automobile; he. too. would make Di-
lnthn wish to ride on and on for