UNKNOWN

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3636, 7 April 1906, Page 4

UNKNOWN

What Olrt r/i?.n Boer.* TnougUt She OwgM ■Jo Have. 1 v.as sramliug In front of tho Pine Mountain Lumber company’s store, Situ* ato on tho tipper Wine.’.'of the Cumberlaud, when old man Boggs came up from tho sawmill on tho hank of tho river and approached me with some degree of doubt, I thought, Pram his manner. Seeing no one clsoarouiui, ho became easier and greeted mo pieacantly. “How ate yon, Mr. Boggs?’’ I said m jvturu for his salutation. “Fineday. Any Bows up tho mountain?” “I’m toillblo like, I reckon,” ha wepouded. “Nothin Jiappcuiii our way—much. But that ain't what I want to talk to you about, colonel, ” ho added, relapsing into tho manner of doubt I thought 1 had observed at first. “Well, what is It? Any shooting going On or liable toP” “Ueckon not. Most ttv the boys has gone (o I,oc.lsvii!s for witnesses agin them moonshiner .f, and things is rcstln some.

“Tbou v.hni, 1 rouble.'-;.yau'r" He c:n>v> up qr.lia : 1 ■to mo and looked „v,.|. (■!.;; fimuldvc 1” h" -'no there Vv-aa no on,.' ,r. h- :,;in;- rli !... v-o-pt myself, “Aii’ ,cm„i ;, v i man, colonel?” iifi ashed In a whisper.

“ [ am not bo fortunate,” I admitted, with a-, rntii.li gallantry of manner and as Jimty ;t candor a : if a dozen women had been thoro. “Then I reckon yon ain't much knowm on filch things as havin yor gals gettin marriei,l ?’ ’

•‘Hnrdiy,” I confessed, with a smile. “Anyhow,” ho said resignedly, “you air old enough to bo, and I want you to gimmo u lift.” “How do yon mean?” I Inquired in sup prise.

“Don’t git stcert,” bo grinned. “It’s only my gal Susani” “Oh,” 1 said in a tone of relief. “She’s going to got married, is she?” “Kinder that away. I want to git some wedding fhiin’s and don’t want to git ’em frum tho young feller in the store, Won’t you fix ’em uji for me?” “Certainly,” and w« went in. “By the way,” I inquired, “is Susan your oldest daughter?” t . . “No; she la tho youngest.” “Isn’t that rather cutting the others out?”

“I reckon not,” he laughed. “7oußeo, they take attar me, and I didn’t git spliced till I was past 40. Susan takes niter her mammy. She got me afore sho was SO.” 1:o laughed again, and I laughed with him and threw out several pieces of drees goods ou the counter. •' “ L suppose you want something white,” I said, spreading the goods out so ho could see the effect. “That will ha very nice for a bride.”

“ What’a tho tax on it?” ho asked, without touching it, showing that he was not versed in dry goods. “Two bits a yard.” . “Gcemcntiy gosh, colonel!” he exclaimed, starting back, “I can’t afford no such goods as that. Silks and eatings ain’t fer wc tins. Hain’t you got some calico?” “Plenty of it,” Isold, and I dumped an armful down on tho counter.

“What’s this wulh?” ho asked, picking out a bright yellow piece with a rod vin« trailing through It. ‘•That’s 10 cents a yard, and it will o rfy take ton yards for tho pattern.” “ That’s sl, ain’t it?" he inquired, after o moment’s mental calculation. “Erectly." “Gimmo that, colonel. Susan alius had a weakness for yaller. It kinder matches her freckles, she says.” I cut off tho amount called for and laid it asldo.

“Now,” he said, “show mo some shoes.” “What Lind?” I asked, not caring to hazard my judgment !».;rnln. “How do thoy run in price?” 11 From sl.no up.”

“That’s preity steep for a gel that’s blip a uf-ct cr g.:i u bur'f noted, I reckon,' m\i>e!i. "i ui a ! don't git hiicuco every ilav. ami ! s'ro-o 1 Lin sic ml it. Aboil have to buy 'em !>.• her anyhow ait ft this.

Lorn me have one uv them prfratudol lar ;!mv. ” “V.'k.t :,b’A”

“About terras, I reckon,” he said, “fix is hey six l ,) in summer lime, but gittin married in nmkin her kinder proud and fho s.i.r’ • !a-V, guia to wear sterkiu's,

so you sec, colonel. w-'d Ik 1 lor yir 'em a eiru blgm'i- to ‘low ■ r :ho exivy. ”

1 picked out a pair of No. 7’s. nerd-, but not gaudy, and laid them beside the calico, ■■. sow,” ! said, getting wady to show hi'., : ;i few other articles fora trousseau, “what else?” • What el~e is thar to glt.f” ho asked Id guileless astonishment. “Ain't that enough wed din firm.- for any gulf Them Oust $9.50, didn't the,; “Vea, but I thought she might want aornotlhng else perhaps,” That remark didn't begin to express all that waa in my mind, but it was the best I could do under the circumstances.

“Likely she does,” he replied, “but it’s Jim’s turn to do tho buyin now. I’v« dons my sheer. ” “When Is the weddingf ’ I inquired as I wrapped up the trousseau I had mid him. ‘ ■ It’s dona tuck, ” he answered ns though surprised at my question. 1 was pmwled to the full extent. “I don’t understand what you mean,” 1 said.

"The weddln’e over," he explained “It tuck place ylstlddy.” “But what are you getting these things for now?" I asked, more astonished than ever.

“Gaze, now’s the time,” he said, with a short laugh. “You don’t reckon I was goin to git all these yor weddln flxin’s aforehand and run the reak nv havin the whole shootin match flash In the pan, do youf Jim’s atiddy and shore footed, hut Susan alts to ateppln mighty high and actln m«ky when she’s got good old’s on to her back. She takes atter her mother, Susan does.”

I hadn’t a word to say, of course, but ns Mr. Boggs started out I handed hhn a bolt of blue.ribbon and told him to S'iv;s it to tho brld i), with my complinmi;!*. without knowing wtacvly whether blue ribbon matched yellow on lion with a rod vino trnillng through it. or not. A Str.-.is-gin Marta •‘1 vt,vs to t!:..- thfutov v;b«.'i your wUy fitu i bry-egh out h>r che iir;>i time " ••You W'-'.v '.h ue, wort: and I '"ev.' sou 1 be.-a l'' , ' , ei 7 V.T, wiio yti .viih'U:,. and to mr ni.-Dt you vawtwd too, vfbh i.ho test.” ‘•j ;.,ul i > yaw a. I.f 1 iuuin’U .-'oiuel.od. Would i'.'ivo aiu.jjocu’ii me of being the m. tl. U - " m IL.se u Subject'Anyway. The .-.lob (iti chorii.-') — v .Vr« after M.; :i«l won) going to lynch him. She Jailer—But he’a loft town. The Well, then t ;u4 uasameO'