Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/306

 "You don't say so!"

"Yes, he's been preaching you at me ever since you came the first time. I pretended to be indifferent to draw him out. He would say, 'Now Sallie, there's a man for you,—no pretty dude, but a man, with a kingly eye and a big brain. That's the kind of a man who does things in the world and makes history for smaller men to read.' "And then I'd say just to aggravate him, 'But Papa he's as poor as Job's turkey!'

"Then you ought to have heard him, 'Well, what of it! You can begin in a cabin like your mother and I did. He's got a better start than I had, for he has a better training.

"I am certainly glad to hear that!" Gaston cried with elation.

"You may be. For Papa is a man of such intense likes and dislikes. The first thing that made my heart flutter with fear was that he might not like you. He loves me intensely. And I love him devotedly. I could not marry without his consent. You are so entirely different from any other beau I ever had, I couldn't imagine what Papa would think of you. You wear such a serious face, never go into society, care nothing for fine clothes, and are so careless that you even hung your feet out of the buggy that first day I took you to drive. I was glad to have you in the woods and not in town. The boys would have guyed me to death. In fact you are the contradiction of the average man I have known, and of all the men I thought as a girl I'd marry some day. I am so glad Papa likes you."

That evening when they reached the house, she hurried through the hall to her mother who was standing on the back porch. There was the sudden swish of a dress, a kiss, another! and another! And then the low murmur of a mother's voice like the crooning over a baby.