Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-21
UNCLE BEN'S LOVE STORY.

"Hev | ever been in love?" repeated
Uncle Ben, with his thin laugh; ''what
a question that ar is to ask such a dried
up old bean stalk as I be. Howsom-
ever" he added, in a more serious tone,
"curus as you may think it is, l hev bin
jest in that fix, precisely. 1 amt never
told the story much, cause, although
it's morn fifty years since it happened,
fur q long spell I couldn't even think
ont without a feclin' riled up, and a
.fndin' fault with Providence, which
amt the right way, boys, to git rid of a
If yer a mind, I'll tell you the hull
story"
W. were, of course, unanimous in
favor of hearing it.
"Wall afore I begin" said Uncle
Ben, "Tn show ye this peter"
Drawing from his inner vest pocket a
worn morocco case, he opened, display.
ing the ivory miniature Of a young and
Beautiful girl. The face was small, with
delicate features, dark blue eyes, cheeks
;sHith the least flush of pink, a well
chapel head covered with wavy ringlets
iof golden brown hair. The expression
of the countenance was one of child-like
simplicity, with just the least hint in
the mirthful eyes Of fun and coquetry.
''That 'ar's a purity face, as I see We
all think" said Uncle Ben, after we
had fully examined it. s'There want
q purifier for miles around, when I was
q young Teller. The gals name that
owned it was Mirandy Smithers, only
daughter of Farmer Smithers. She gin
this to me herself, the night afore Invent
on my fust voyage. It's so We won't
forgit me, Ben,' says she, in her fasci-
'natin' way. I've wore that picter ever
since, and allus shall so longs I live.
<'The fust I ever heered of Mirandy
was by means of brother Josiah Che
died in the war of 1879. One day he
says to me: Ben, there's a new gal
come to singin'-skule, yer ought to see
her; she's got the handsomest face, the
neatest figure, the purttiest foot yer
eve see,' and he KEEP a badgerin' me
all day to 60 that night to singin'-skule.
So I went, and there I fust see Mirandy.
I didn't have eyes for anythin' else, the
hull evenin'. Josiah, SEEM how I was
%feelin,' up and turned to her, (she
sot right in front of us,) and says he,
miss Smithers, let me make yer &C.
quainted with my brother, Ben.' And
she give me the purttiest bow, and says
she: Happy to meet ye, Mr. Dawkins.'
/ was too bashful to say much, but alter
considerable skirmishin', I managed to
ask if l could see her home after skule,
and she said: Yes
"To make a long story short, 'twan't
the last time, by any means, that I saw
Mirandy home, although she was purity
a%ggravatin' when she sot out to tease,
like all gals Of spirit will with fellers.
A chap by the name of Jim Fowler
used to come from the city; his father
lived in our place; and the gals seemed
10 think there want anybody like Jim.
But he was iestlike NEAL tuke up with
Mirandy, and twas fust one and then
t'other of us that she favored, a-keepin'
both on us Uneasy Almost of the time.
"Howsomever, one night I found her
TO home, alter Jim'd bin there, as she
a'terward told me, and as soon as 1 sot
eyes on her l knew that there'd been
suthin' to pay. l asked her to 90 with
me to singin'-skule. No, thank We,
Ben she says, .Ibelieve l wont go to-
night So l asked her if she'd 90 for a
walk. Twas mild and the moon vas
a-shinin', but not so but what the stars
could be seen. So she put on her little
hat, a gypsy they called it in them days
twas white, made of straw, and
trimmed with light blue ribbands.
never see her look purifier in all my
life. 1 offered her my arm and she tuke
it. How l felt you boys that have
walked with a purity gal in the same
way can guess.
cater we'd walked a spell, l noticed
-Mirandy was purity sober-ditferent
from usual-so ] says: 'Mirandy.
there's a good many stars in the firga.
ment. amt thereP' Yes says she,
:alookin' up, kinder wondcrin'. Wal,
says l, lyon can't count 'em, can YEP
NO. says she. That's jest the way ]
love ye, Mirandy,' says l, 'more'n l car
tell We. Will you be mine, Mirandy!
For a mint she didn't say anything
then she says: You must ask father.
Benz and SEEM she'd the same as said