The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-01-15
SAM BROWN.
by CLARA GusrA.


| "Nell, do quit that everlasting scratch,
scratch, scratch. and listen to little whole
some advice. You're positively getting sal
| low, porting over books and manuscripts 30
nuch-go visiting Nell, out to Uncle Bill's,
and my word for it, you'll come back as fresh
as buttercup"
/ "Thank YOU for the implied compliment,
! Harry; 'sallow,' Ell? So; see what you
are aiming VI, brother mine; you're afraid
/ III disgrace our family by having my NAL
den name engraved on my tomb. stone! An
| old maid sister! Horrid amt il ?" and
looked into Harry's merry brown eyes for
reply. -,
worse and worse Should ever survive the
| disgrace? Bah blue old maid sister
| I'm not certain but ii would prove too much
sellor Mt Law ahem - and Harry elongated
his mouth, and raised his eye hrows.
1 Oh! in all the world there is not such
I darling AZ brother Harry! and am not
! alone in this opinion, for Josie Campbell
thinks just so, too, according to appearances.
/ llarry's fears had some grounds, it must
be admitted, for | had written poems and
and stories for the papers and magazines full
/ four years; but could hardly be, with pro-
priety, called sold maid,o since had yet to
see my twentieth birthday. voluntary
/ confinement indoors had slightly paled nv
checks, and the prospect of pleasant visit
ut Aunt Ruth's was charming, now | had
thought of it. Yes, Uncle Bills farm was
celebrated for its cream and strawberries,
aud | remembered that June was just the
time for the berries, and all things consd-
cred, told Harry I'D 60. And did. just
| two weeks from that morning saw me on
board the cars for Littleton, and just seven
hours after that was set down in little
dingy depot, (papered from caves to founda-
| ton with yellow posters and mammoth nd
yertisements,) and told that | had o mile
and half to walk before reaching Uncle
Bilps. Glorious prospect Hot june day
| thermometer at IS O, cattle cooling in the
shade, swallows dipping in the pool, geese
swimming in the brook, "blue" perspiring
and wearied beneath the weight of heavy
carpet Gag, srooping along the dusty road in
search OF Uncle Bill's-cream and straw
berries.
By-and- bye cloud Of dust appeared on
the hill, and shortly afterwards big mar
ket wagon trundled up alongside of me and
stopped. l thought of robbers ia Mexico,
and robbers in the Hartz mountains, and had
~
membered that oil my heroines were remark
ably brave creatures, never allowing them
selves to cry out if a grizzly bear sat on the
sofa with them; 90 suppressed the half ut
tered sound, and STAGED about"
Nonsense, No danger, unless TO my sus-
ceptble heart. Perched upon the high seat
OF that market wagon was one of the frank
est handsomest faces that was ever shaded be-
meath u straw hat, Eyes blue as the deep,
deep ocean, hair rich chestnut brown, and
such an open, honest smile irradiating the
whole face lie looked almost rs good as
brother Harry.
Excuse my freedom, Madam but YOU
seem wearied, and the day is warmth you
will accept OF such accommodations as can
offer, shall be pleased to let you ride"-
and the blue eyes waited for u reply.
| hesitate not n moment, but delivered
my person and carpet-bag up to the custody
Of the stranger, and was soon comfortably
eusconccd by his side.
After a few remarks ON common place sub
jects, (the weather of course included, he
inquired my destination. told him William
Deans, and asked him the distance "Some
miles directly in my way, however," and
the blue eyes smiled, though the lips kept
proud and still as ever.
''Some miles, was q wonderful long dis
lance it seemed to me, but | said nothing;
a big market wagon, driven by handsome
man with blue eyes, didn't 90 half so hard
as had always thought.
1t was near sunset when we drove up to
Uncle Blli's door, and after the first raptu-
rous greetings between myself, my FIVE cous-
ms, and Uncle Bin and Aunt Ruth had been
exchanged, made inquiries concerning my
conpagnon du poyage.
"A nice young chap" Uncle Bill said,
''honest and smart, with u powerful heap o.
lcarnin' that he's got to college--home on a
vacation now-come to help his father hay
IT,"
''Rich young Teller, studying to be a doc
tor" said Aunt Ruth, smoothing out her
apron strings, ga gall would do well to have
him"
every handsome, good-looking young
man. said e0usin Matilda aud Jennie in n
breath; and "a frst-rate clever fellow"
said Charles and Will but little baby Mat
ties testimony was worth the whole:
Gle dood-brings Matte thugar pums,
and div her big doll"
"Yes, but bis name ? you havn't told me
/ his name yet.o
/ "Samuei--Sam Brown, most of us call
him. said cousin viii, whistling, 'Pop goes
| the Weaselo
OH horrors--Sam, dear Sam beloved
Samuel--dreadful! But could not it be
! Frenchfed, and called Samfne2 No, that
only made it worse! IL was too bad
pair Of blue eyes had no business to an
swer TO the name Of Sam, But it couldn't
be helped; and, what was more dreadful than
all, was positively in love--yes /, Helena
Somers, in love with man by the name Of
Sam Brown,
i tecame quite a iionne at Littleton. AS
soon as il was nosed about that u real live
woman, that ''writ for the papers," was
among them, the people were on the gui pipe
to see the extraordinary wonder ~ Crowds
l Of ragged urehins followed me at distance,
when went out to walk and il CHANGED
TO raise my eyes to anybody's window, in
passing, was sure to see black, blue, and
gray orbs peering curiously out from under
the green paper shades. (Green was ia
yorite color with the people of Littleton.)
To give them better opportunity GAS af-
forwards learned) Of examining my unfortu-
nate self, Aunt Ruth gave tea party--a reg
ular, old shioned aiiar--the ladies coming
in the afternoon, and the gentlemen in the
VI -