The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-11-11

why. ssrely. cousin Lizabeth. you have
hesr'n tell Of that before
After moments reflection said I had, but
had done forgot when. ,-.t,s
"Why, you see," said she, "when you was
Twin on the Missouri, while was down thar a
vis,tin' you all. oncet went to big meetin'
down to VOLTS Island, and when We got thar, all
the girls as was with me they sed they'd stop at
| q widder's, who had moved from our parts down
thar But wouldn't stop THAR cause you see
she had big boy what wanted to be a sweet
heart Of mine, ever since was twelve year old,
and since his ma had moved away he had kind o
Topped off, and was afeared if stopped thar
the big goose would think I was wantin' him
back. So says I, Girls you know that preacher
what came to your meetin' and preached at old
Nick Fox's funeral, and stopped right in the
middle of his sarmon and sung, ooh, ther'll be
wallin'.' What was going to say? Oh. yes;
that big fiddle! Well, you see, me and cousin
Bill We went site on past the widder's to the par
| sons, and when We got thar tell you was
skeered, for you see they had great big nice
house, with two rooms down stairs and TIVE
rooms up stairs, and passage runnin' rite in
the middle of tt. When we got thar the preach.
er come to the gittin off place, and he helped me
off old Charley. You see when we started was
rldin' old Queen. Aunt Ann said she was the
best lookin' boss in the crowd but she rid SO
bad cousin Bill swoppsd with me. Well, when
wo got in the house he. (the preacher, not cousin
Billy made us acquainted. MY dear, Miss Lide
Lee;' and then he called nifty purity girl, and
says he, Mr.. VIM. Swivels, my daughter, Miss
Smith Cousin Bill, he pulled off his hat and
made perlite bow, aad would laughed, but
was SO stonished at his daughters name bein'
Smith, when his name was Young. After wait.
in and watchin' long time, found out he was
her stepfather, and he just as good and as levin
as any own father, and she liked him Jest as we'll
and treated him with heap more respect than
some girls Go their own fathers"
My cousin here paused to gather the somewhat
scattered thread of her story, and being both
amused and interested, could not refrain from
lending her some assistance, SO said:
"But, cousin Lide, that big fiddler"
"Oh, yes" said she, ut was late when We ar.
rove, and supper bein' hurried up. we soon had
the satisfaction of sittin' down to as good meals
whites as anybody need keer about When We
was done eatin' Mrs. Young said We might retire,
and I was mighty glad of it, for I was gittin
sleepy. But he (the preacher) took US lite into
the finest room and asked me to take seat on
the 'd'clae." looked round for the thing think
ing surely he couldn't mean hs.self, for moth.
er had told me when I was little thing that
divine was preacher. But he thinking did
not see it, took rite hold of me and sot me down
on little short bench, good deal like that sofre
Well, after sittin' thar little while we run out
OF talk, and the preacher, says he to his daugh-
ter: My dear, suppose you sing for our young
friends And she got rite up and went and
got the biggest fiddle ever zee, and asked him
to help her. I thought she needed help with
that big thing. But he took it, while she went
funbling about great big table (as thought
at the back Of the room. Says he, "What shall
We singY"
Says she. "Your favori:e, papa; )" and they
pitched rite in, and of all the music ever heard,
it beat all. I had hearn jewsharps Preach
harps, little fddles and stage.horns. Well, that
music was as-as-Well! talk fails to tell.
When they quit playin was crazy to know
what they called their music box, but remem.
bered q proverb Aunt Bah, our cook, was always
sayin-"Ask me no questions and I'll tell YOU
no lies" So never said word, but listened,
and directly the preacher asked cousin Bill how
he liked base violin as compartment. I
was 'stonished to see preacher play on fiddle
any way, but when 1 bearn him call it a base
one, even If he did play spiritual songs on it,
felt bad, and thought I'd tell aunt Ann when
got home. Don't you remember it, cousin
Lizaheth p"
eyes, cousin Lide; but that wasn't Just like
the one your cousin EN- hal i'll her hand while
agof"
NO." said she, "that WAS gitthar." For
that young lady, driven to desperation and quite
forgetting her terrible tooth.ache, had taken
refuge on the hall steps, and was heroically sing.
ing to several gentlemen, accompanying her
voice with the guitar.)
My widower friend, after few polite Efforts
to engage me in conversateu, had sat silently
by during the whole of this TO him uaiutellivi.
BILE scene
Now, in mercy to the 4un,'s confusion, he
withdrew. quite US much to my relief u. hers,
for began to question my ability to 20 much
further.
Alter we had driven the last enemy from the
field, aunt Lee turned to my cousin, with conf.
cal mixture Of modification in her face, saving.