The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-01-09
She Forced the
Issue
BY CORONA REMINGTON

Luthur Furman clucked cheerfully
hickory wagon and filpped their sleek
tanks with the ends of the relns.
"Git up, Dolly and Pete" he COM
manded but the animals paid little at
tentlon to him and went on at their
easy gait. AS they Travelled along the
smooth even road the reins Stacked
and the drivers thoughts wandered
far afield With nature in wild riot
of spring JOY all around, 1t Is hardly
sensible to expect a young man to con-
centrate entirely upon the details Of
blowing and planting.
The horses carried him ploddingly
down the road and after while he
noticed small object In the distance
as they approached. Soon he could see
that 1t was moving; then that 1t was
a woman-that it had on little blue
Bingham dress as fresh as the spring
morning itself, and he knew that be-
meath the little blue bonnet two laugh
Ing brown eyes were dancing at him.
The girl waved In friendly greeting |
and suddenly hot and cold flashes |
chased themselves up and down the |
big frame of Luthur Furman. His
hands shook as he transferred the
reins to his left hand and jerkily
raised his hat. Big, steady calm Luz
thur Furman reduced to a state of
utter, stammering helplessness by the
sight Of a little blue dressl
"Helloi" greeted Lily Saunders as
she came alongside the wagon. Fur
man stopped his horses and fumbled
with the reins, looking everywhere ex-
cept at the girl.
where you going?' he asked.
get some duck eggs from Mrs. Wat
son. Mamma wants to set hen. Co
ing to pillow that place next ours to-
day."
"Uh-huh p
'Ill be seeing you. Better have din
ner at our house."
With q friendly nod she went on |
her way and was soon buried in specu-
lation as to whether or not she would
Care ask her mother to let her kill one
of the early friers- In his honor. To be ,
sure they weren't quite big enough,
but-but-
That morning as Furman went up
and down the soft burrows behind his
horses he did some deep thinking and +
arrived at some painful conclusions. 4
Head over heels In love Tor two solid h
years-enough saved to get married q
on and simply couldn't find the courage q
to propose. Mentally he kicked him
self up and down the length of the II
field and vowed that he would settle G
the matter at dinner. a
Lily screwed up the courage to n
breach the subject Of friers to her fl
mother-and won Her heart sang II
as she hurriedly baked cake and fl
put on the kettle to "scald" the chicken,
and all the morning she fitted from el
cook stove to table and table to dining ii
room and back again. She wanted s,
to prepare the meal herself, so her a,
mother willingly left her the whole e,
field ST
Just as the whistle at the sawmll d,
shrilly blew for noon Furman APP
peared around the side Of the house. oil
ITS ready!" she called from the ri
kitchen. Wash up in hurry. Luz A
thur. so nothing will get cold" 1,
Even more tongue-tled and silent dc
than usual he filled the basin ON the tn
porch shelf with water and washed his m
face. He would not eat until SC
he thing was settled. Mechanically sh
ne threw the water out Of the bowl
md hung up the towel. 70
Lily" he began hurriedly, az he be
stepped into the kitchen. er
She looked up from the baked po- 10
atoes she was taking out of the oven an
md at the sight of him the color
ushed into her face.
"What Is it?" she asked, straighten-
ng up and closing the oven door with TN
Ter foot. Ia
"-I-oh." his head reeIed and he eq
noistened his lips with his tongue. co
"What is it?' she asked again en- p 20,
"Aren't you going to tell o oo
ne?" ~
"I-I-will you-will-you-go- n
e-dance-with-me- he an
abbled out breathlessly. In,
He'd run off the track againi Mis- on
rably he trudged into the dining room %,
ehind her, carrying two steamlng oOt
ishes. Never mind, he'd have an m,
tier chance that night. but he did eo
vish II were over. He ate silently and the
lily had feeling Of distinct disap- oh,
ointment. He didn't praise single nm,
hing and she had cooked 1t all by oof
erself-the young frier and every rim
hing. am
She could barely keep the tears back drf
ntil the meal was over. then she SIN
1shed up to her room and cried. An
our later, she dried her eyes and sat
airing at the wall. 7
Poor Luthur," she murmured after wa
while. II guess 1t Is hard. but what owe
IN I do7 Maybe he's afraid | won't Tn
Ike him and he's so proud-lf he only the
new" she smiled wa
Many moments passed while she sat La