Wayside Courtships

nt down to breakfast. Mrs. Mills defended Herman against the

functory examination soon put him in possession of a

him at di

s colder'n a blue whetstone, so put on all the clothes you've go

es

everything'

n beside a woman, who drove the powerful team. Whether she was young or old

Mattie Allen! What you doin' out such

ed a clear, boyish

o' stars!-yo

e wagon side, Herman sa

e glove and gave him a friendly grip. "Get right in,"

r sympathy. "This is what comes

ed the girl, "or I'

y beside her. She was not at

ight. It's mighty c

down with the baroo

able to come-he had another attack of neuralgia last

ive for you?"

She looked at his thin coat and worn gloves with keen eyes. He co

horses and sends the heavy wagons booming and thundering along like mad things. The wind was keen and terrible as a saw-bladed sword, and smote incessantly. The desolate sky was

, isn't it?" s

fe for me, tra-la!" sang Herman,

t do you think of P

e," said Herman, pou

She ought to marry a man like Br

ond bundle of magaz

in the Popular Science that ma

la! Oh, the farm

ld?" she as

le face upon her

p right down under the

ins. He hated to give up, but he could no longer hold the blankets up over his knees, so he slippe

of the snorting horses, and encouraged them with shout

e glimpses Wallace had of the land appalled him, it was so flat and gray and bar

inst the wagon box. "This ends it! If I can't come home without freezing

thin-blooded, Herman. Life in the city

at city than freeze stiff

m into a yard before a lar

up. "Hello, dad! Take the team. We're just naturally froz

n in; I'll tak

tumbled toward the h

in the kitchen door. "Hello, muz!" he sai

e, sir. Herman, tak

f from her head and neck, and hung up her cap and cloak like a man, but she gave her hair a l

r, child?" ask

enjoy

tacey. "I believe

t a chance to do anything

is tongue. "Exci

hings are slower her

een, but her supple and splendid figure was fully matured. Her hair hung

rman said, as he put his arm arou

first time that Stacey was a

the chairs, child

are room off the parlor the family sat waiting f

blessin

e said

d the potatoes

you are a ministe

studied

denomi

heological rabbits to-night, dad. With jaw sw

ist," Stace

en jaw. "Baptist?" The old man turned to his son, whose smile angered him

, father!" be

'm boss of t

yourself, old man. Don't mind the old

guess I-I'd bett

s all right. The old man's a littl

ith indignation. He felt as if something fine were l

the old man, having taken his

a little the cussedest Christian I ever knew. Stacey

oat with trembling hands,

er's sick and cross. He'll

her frank, kindly

r of Christ. You'll apologize for this, or

a sweet and gentle nature, he grew sad, and, yielding to the pressu

t back on the nail. She did not show t

restore something of the brightness which had been lost. All

bedroom, Herman fixed his bright eyes on him, and some

had a settlement on this th

s look, but shuffled sullenl

his scrape. I didn't suppose the old gentleman would act like that. The older he ge

say he didn't mind it, but he too

sic hath charms to soothe the savage brea

glees wonderfully intermingled. They ended by singing "Lorena," a wailing, supersentimental love song current in war times, and