Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-09-24
SUSY'S BEAU,

lt was taVOr1to jest, upon Olu drLl-
er Collingwood'S farm, to call Joe Eli
son Susy's admirer. And Susy, when
she heard the half taunting joke, only
smiled softly, and at their next meeting
only gave Joe kinder word or a sweet
er smile.
She was the orphaned daughter of a
country clergyman, whose sole legacy
to her had been the best education his
own profound learning enabled him to
give her. When she was but little
girl her mother died, and she had been
her fathers housekeeper, scholar and
companion until her nineteenth birth
day, when the Rev. Stephen Coyle was
likewise taken from the child to his
last, long rest. The good people of the
parish, knowing Susy's advantages for
study, had put her at the head of the
district school, and her old home being
the parsonage, she had removed her per-
sonal possessions and taken up her
abode at Farmer Collingwood's, he
having for years boarded" the school
ma'am.
It was merry, happy farmers house
hold where Susy lived. Julia and Mol
~ Collingwood were strong armed,
blooming damsels, full of coquettish
grace, and with loud voices and active
habits. Charlie and James, the sons,
were fine specimens of young farmers,
and the old man and his wife were kind
hearted, homely country folks.
But the young girl, brought up in her
fathers study, his companion for years,
had developed more mental than physi-
cal strength, was shy in manner, re-
served In speech, and craved intellect
ual food entirely out of her power to OBJ
tain. She was slight in figure, with
large black eyes, delicate features,
pure, colorless complexion, and masses
of nut brown hair. The parsonage hav-
ing always had servant, Susy's little
hands were unspoiled by rough work,
and beside the rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed
Collingwood girls, she looked like lit
tie pale nun, her deep mourning con-
trasting strongly with their gay attire
with all the colors of the rainbow strug-
Cling for supremacy.
She had been but little time in her
position as instructress to the tow
headed youngsters of Brent Hill, when
coming up the road from school late on
summers afternoon, she heard wailing
and groans in one of the cottages, where
often before she. had heard the same
sounds.
"Poor Joep she whispered pitifully.
For she knew deformed idiot was
being beaten by a cruel task-master.
But on that afternoon, as she drew near
the cottage the door suddenly few open
and the idiot Gmped, bowling and
speeding as fast as his infrmities al
lowed out at the opening, while follow
ing him a strong, brutal man, half
drunk, fourished an immense cowhide.
The man, cursing and swearing, held
the whip over the covering, shrinking
lad, but when it fell it struck not Joe,
but Susy, who bent over him, one arm
raised to ward off the blow: Brute as
he was, the half-drunken wretch stood
aghast when the heavy lash cut across
Susy's slender arm and shoulders.
IT beg pardon, ma'am," he said, IT
did not see you was in the way"
"How can your" she cried, her pale
cheeks crimson with womanly indigna-
tion-"how can you, a strong man,
strike poor boy like that boy whose
infrmities should appeal for protection
to any man who was not an arrant cow
ard?"
SWELL, come now, that's pretty strong"
said the man. "Don't feed and lodge
him for what he does, and amt I got a
right to beat him if he does everything
wrong? He don't earn his salt, he
don't"
"Don't keep him, then"
II guess you're right. Iwon't. Joe
you may go to the mischief, but don't
come here again."
So saying, the idiots tormentor turn
ed on his heel and re-entered his house,
shutting and noisily boiling his door.
Susy stood half terrified at the result
of her well-meant interference. Joe was
a waif from the alms-house, lame, de-
formed, idiotic, and she had deprived
him of his only refuge.
"Oh. Joe," she said, crying, 81 am so
sorry! What will you do?"
But Joe was only able to realize that
his brutal taskmaster had ceased to
beat him, and that long, red welt
across Susy's hand had fallen there upon
its way to his covering shoulder. He
only pointed to the mark, half crying:
at was better for me to take it as
youl" he said whimpering; "the pretty
white handl Oh, Joe is sorry you got
before him. Joe don't mind beating |"
All the chivalry in the poor dull
brain asserted itself in that speech, for
Joe did mind beating very much.
you can't stay here in the road all
night" sid Susy. Come with me and
I will ask Mr.. Collingwood to give you
a place to Sleep.
The good people at the farm looked
rather astonished when Susy appeared,
followed by the STOPPING, imping figure
of the village idiot. But the farmer
broke into hearty laughter when she
told of her interference and begged a
shelter for the boy.