Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-10-26


instant more seemed to light up with a
CLEAN of intelligence. yes, that must
be it. You left here long in 81, didn t
you?"
eyes" '
"I thought so. Knew L couldn't be
mistaken. If / was to guess kind o.
shrewd like, [ should hazard your name
to be, something like Martin. Don't
know which one of the boys you be; but
/ think your father was Parson Martin It
used to hold out in the school-house over
to the Center
"You've guessed right" I said
"Taint no guesswork bout it, )" he in
sisted. "I knowed it. I could see yer
mothers looks in minute. [ ought to
know you, you young rascal How are
you?' holding out his hand and giving
mine an honest, old-fashioned, country
grip. eyes, indeed, I ought to know
you. L came mighty nigh bein' your
father, young man. [ had your mother
courted up to within almost speakin' dis
lance of the weddin' gown, when who
should come along but Parson Martin,
and Spite the whole business. No
offense to you, young man; for you
Il
your mother either, for that matter.
There's something in the heart Of a wo-
man, specially the sweetest, simplest
kind, that'll follow a preacher like
needle will magnet. Hope your moth
er was happy and is we'll? How is"
"My mother has been dead six years."
l said
The old man gazed at me an instant
almost doubtingly, then with grief in his
whole mien: E#t#
81 ask your pardon, young man, )" he
said, removing his hat, bowling low, and
brushing tear from each eye. CT ask
your pardon"
And he passed along without another
word and left my friend and myself
standing there.
"What singular incident" said Gus
presently.
"It is indeed, said. Gone can but
respect the good intentions and natural
honesty of the old man, though they find
such queer vehicles of language"
"But his are not the only strange ac-
TONS" said Gus, cycling me fxedly.
"TeIl me about the Wolcott affair and
yourself. You have been very reticent,
only dropping hint now and then"
"Do you care to hear story that is
very foolish, especially since what the
old man Just told? Then sit here few
moments under this tree and I will tell
you. But I warn you that it is silly as
well as foolish. When was nine or ten
years old, went to school at the school
house over In the hollow that spoke of
just now. 1t was my last year there,
and the first one of little girl named
Susan Wolcott, who was about five years
old, and it seemed to me the sweetest
little fairy / had ever seen. When we
children played together, she did not
seem like the others, out as though she
was made of different clay, or not of clay
at all, but some finer material. AS [ re-
member her dimly now, she had sort
of fluffy look, as she always dressed in
light colored clothes, and was marvel
ously clean and dainty among children
clad in a more ordinary way. Her hair
was faxed with a golden tinge, her
cheeks we're dimpled, her eyes-I can't
remember the color, though it seems
there was restfulness in their playful
sparkle that / have never seen since.
And all that sort of thing, you see, Gus.
I was awful spoons with her; or would
like to have been, for to say truly [ sell
dom spoke to her, but hung around
bashfully on the edge of the group by
which she was always surrounded in the
morning and evening, and at the noon
recess when the boys and girls were out
together. One day I particularly re-
member, had sat gazing at her in q
BOBBY, blind fashion, all the morning in
I HJd ~ 1,a
boys recess 1 remember going out be-
hind the school-house, and crying like a
great calf because was not girl, and
hence could not be as sweet and pretty
as she"
"Nothing foolish about that, old
| boy" said Gus, as / paused. eff men
felt that way oftener about girls and
women, there would be fewer broken
hearts and ruined lives all about us. A
man who could feel that way about one
of the opposite sex never could insult or
wrong one" ~
"Well, maybe not. That was my last
season here In this section. My parents
moved west, you know. But there are
two things [ can never forget--the roar
of Lake Erie as the sound of its tumult
was borne down to my ears on the blast
of the northeast winds, and the vision
of pretty Susan Wolcott as she charmed
my boyish vision, and awakened my
boyish susceptibilities. That was fif-
teen years ago. The one dream of my
life has been to return here, and if the
mans feelings seconded the. boys, en-
deavor to win her for my wife. You
know what the old man just said,
that she had lover who has not. yet
returned from the war. So / am too
late
s'Why too late? He is generally given
up as lost. Even if not lost, you might
win her from him."
".Wm her from him? Could I be SO
base as to seek to win away the sweet
heart of man who had stood by his
country in her need? Even if SO in
clined, soldier has quite as strong a
grip on woman's heart as minister
does, eide our old friend who has just
passed along. No; it's all up with