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


dog of your purse-proud neighbor, the
chattering parrot of the old maids op.
posite to them? God made the coun-
try, and man made the city, indeed"
"But why didn't you ring the bell
when once on the piazza % asked Gus,
seeming little in doubt as to whether it
was quite safe yet to venture on re-
turn to the subject
"Why? Because was afraid to have
my image shattered. / should like to
carry one picture through life that should
remain true to the ideal that formed it.
And now, Gus, be good friend to me
and say no more about it. We will stay
about here week or so, and If all seem
propitious shall mayhap meet her, and
let events be governed as they will. And
in the meantime, of course, my secret is
not to go beyond your lips"
"Of course not, Ernest. Can you
doubt me?'
"Never." a.
We had no trouble in arranging to
stop at the little inn for two or three
weeks, or indeed for as long as we de-
sired, and we were soon domiciled in our
rooms.
Next morning after breakfast we too
sat in the shadow Of trumpet vine that
clambered over the front piazza, Gus
having just finishing insisting that he
should be left to himself for one day,
while [ should renew my acquaintance
with old friends, after which as many of
them as chose could open their arms to
both of us. This seemed reasonable.
and l had agreed to If.
Suddenly there was an unusual excite
ment along the road in front of the inn.
Several people appeared, all hurrying to
and fro in a state of joyous connection.
All were talking and laughing, and
seemingly indulging in mutual congratu-
lations.
Suddenly our old friend of the day be-
fore appeared, walking briskly up the
path toward where we sat. He also
seemed overioyed about something.
"Good-mornin', young man = Mr..
Martin, [ s'pose L ought ter say. Coin
to stay about here spell?"
"Good-morning [ thought I should"
"That's right Hunt up the old
cronies like, Ell? May be there's
sweetheart among 'em, Ell? Little mites
o gals sometimes gifts their hair or their
fingers or what not tangled up in fell
ler's heart-strings, and there's no gittin'
on 'em out. I tell yer! That's SO
neighbor."
$50 I've heard I replied as calmly
as [ could. "But what's the excitement
to-day? Everybody seems to be happy
about something"
"Why, ha'n't you heard Joe Myers
hoc 11of 4
fight in the Wilderness. He's Sue VOL
colts lover; and she's a mighty popular
gal, and everybody's glad on her account
as well as his'n."
Gus gave me one lightning glance, and
then began whistling softly plaintive
air.
l sat on nettles, and was glad when
the old man joined the throng outside.
For I had double pang now. Joe
Myers had been the bette noir of my boy
hood. He was larger and stronger than
L, and had always picked on me, and
bullied me, and laughed at me, and
tainted me with being "girl boy"
cit needed but this, I said, bitterly.
"To think that he of all others should
rob my life of its one bright golden spot. :"
But we had arranged to stay for a while,
and could not go now without causing
remark. Besides some fate that I did
not understand seemed holding me.
So / concluded to drift. There are
certain eras In persons life when drift
ing is salvation. There is Just as GER
tainly time for drifting as there is for
steady and determined working. For
tunate indeed the man who can read his
own destiny well enough to not do one
when he should suffer the other.
I drifted.
L had renewed a number of acquaint-
ances, and my appearance among the
people had created pleasurable excite
that was scarcely second to that of the
return of Joe Myers, one of the heroes
of the dreadful Wilderness.
[ had met neither of them as yet; but
one day, as fate would have it, / was
ushered, with Gus, into house where
Sue and her lover were making a CALL
The meeting was very constrained at
first, as may be supposed; but the con-
straint wore off Immediately, I was SO
disappointed in Sues appearance. I
could detect haunting memory in the
brown eyes, thought, and instantly
thought that Sues were that glorious
color; but beyond that I could see in the
present nothing to recall the past. Be-
yond the fact that boys sweet ideal
was shattered Tudely by the actual star
ing the man in the face, [ felt no sorrow
for the way things were, and envied not
Joe Myers the possession of Susan. I
philosophical to myself that no wise man
would go through an apple-orchard in
May and blue-ribbon the prettiest bios
SONS there, expecting to select his apples
in the fall by those labels. There are
frosts and insects and time TO be con-
tend with in the human orchard as WELL
Joe Myers seemed to warm toward me
exceedingly, and after we began to feel
well acquainted together he turned to
me, and said:
"I say, Ernest-for we are not to
mister each other, are we?-I used to
abuse you shamefully when we were
boys; but you don't hold it against me,
do you? Seriously speaking, old boy,