San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-10-05
MILLER JIMs DAUGHTER.
Dc,uitFroe Pr.ss .

amt lt2 But ~ seems h"iui 'oN'
IN us folks as knew il full OF lie ana
inst Milling in tho grit all day long
That there water wheel didn't stop Tor
repairs in them days; IL just buzzsd
along all tho tine, and the teams stood
around, and you'd zee the boys coming
ND the hill ridin' an old mare, with
great sack of grain thIoWn over her IN
stead OF a saddle-trit.trot, and hall
grown barofooted boy on her neck
folks allus sent boy to mill IN those
DAYS. if they had one. And you see
that there old house? There's where
Miller Jim and his darter lived. we
bows used TO cast sheeps's eyes over Mt
that door, tell you, and when she'd
come and look out kind of Unconscious
like end purtend not to see us, but
shade her eyes with her hand and look
way down the valley, it was just as II an
angel from Heaven had lit down there.
Purity? Why there want chap IN
Sugpr Valley that didn't think she was
the handsomest gal in the world, and
when she smiled on any of us with that
kind of sort of sweet insinuatln' way
she had, we'd just have walked on hot
plowsheers for her and drawed lots for
the privilege.
"What are ye fgurin'? asketchin' the
ruin? Well, We don't see any ruin
there, but that of the senseless wood
and stone. The ruin was made by one
of you painter chaps, darn his picter.
fl could have held his head in the
mill race for half an hour, I'd have
died heppy-and that's what makes me
cry now like poor, weak critter. in
troduced him to her; he was movin'
round here gettin' sketches, as he called
en-, of the valley, and l may as well
own up he was nice, smart looking,
we,l.spoken chap, and paid his way
literally. They said he was only work
ing for amusement, and so 1t turned
out, and one day told him he hadn't
ever seen the prettiest picter in the
place, and I said it was Miller Jim's
daughter, and he'd ought to see her.
The next Sunday was at the church
and so was the painter chap, and we
happened to set together, and when
the choir sang there was one voice that
kind of carried the tune alone. / knew
it well, and it made me tremble all
over with happiness, and the stranger
listened and says he, in whisper,
what heavenly voice"
eyes seq I, and its her; the one in
the straw bonnet and white veil, the
girl that's singin' air--that's Miller
Jims darter.'
"After church nothing would do but
must introduce him-which l did,
God forgive me!-and he walked by
her aud carried her book, just as if he
allus had known her, but then her
father was with them, only he wasn't of
any account, kind of shiftless, believed
everybody honest, tt he found them
out, and then he would kind of apollo
gize for them, and he'd lend money as
long rs he had penny in his pocket,
if anyone made up a good story, and
never locked a door, or took over toll,
or drove sharp bargain; kind OF wit
less and foolish, with soft heart that
allus kept him poor, though l don't
know as he ever wanted anything
much.
"Well, beauty is misfortune. if the
grace of God doesn't go with it. No
body suspicioned anything wrong, when
all to oncet it came over us like thun-
der blast. The miller's girl was gone;
gone with the painter chap, but we
never knew how or where. There was
more than one OF us that was going to
ask Miller Jim about it, but VIXEN we
come to look in bis face we just didn't
say anything. The miller was changed
man: he'd allus had smile and pleas
ant word for us boys--he wasn't ever
what you would call jolly, but he had
his little quiet iokes-they were the
same cid ones over and over, but we
expected EN-. Now, be had look in
his face as If something inside was
dead, aud his lips that used to be kind
of smiling and foolish, they were shut
like a wise, and he never mentioned her
name to living mortal.