The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-02-29
UNCLE BEN,s LOVE STORY.

UNCLE BEN'S LOVE STORY.
"Hev 1 ever been in lovep" repeated
Uncle Ben, with his thin laugh; ''what
q question that ar is to ask such dried
up old bean stalk as I be. Howsom-
ever, he added, in a more serious tone,
"curus as you may think it is, hev bin
jest in that fix, precisely. amt never
told the story much, cause, although
it's morn fifty years since it happened,
fur long spell | couldn't even think
ont without feclin' riled up, and a
findin' fault with Providence, which
amt the right way, boys, to git rid of a
if yer a mind, III tell you the hull
story"
We were, of course, unanimous in
favor of hearing it.
"Wall, afore l begin" said Uncle
Ben, "I'll show We this picter."
Drawing from his inner vest pocket a
worn morocco case, he opened, display
ing the ivory miniature of young and
beautiful girl. The face was small, with
delicate features, dark blue eyes, cheeks
with the least flush of pink, a we'll
shaped head covered with wayy ringlets
of 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 purity face, as / see We
all think" said Uncle Ben, after we
had fully examined it. "There want
purifier for miles around, when I was
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 ye won't
forgit me, Ben says she, in her fasci-
natin' way. I've wore that picter ever
since, and allus shall so longs live.
"The fust | ever heered Of Mirandv
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
ever see, and he KEEP badgerin me
all day to 90 that night to singin'- skule.
So | went, and there l fust see Mirandy.
| didn't have eyes for anythin' else, the
hull evenin'. Josiah, seem how | was
a feelin, up and turned to her, (she
sot right in front of us,) and says he,
Miss Smithers, let me make yer ac-
quainted with my brother, Ben And
she give me the purttiest bow, and says
she; Happy to meet We, Mr. Dawkins.
| was too bashful to say much, but alter
considerable skirmishin', l managed to
nsk if 1 could see her home after skule,
and she said; Yes
ITO make a long story short, 'twan't
the last time, by any means, that / saw
Mirandy home, although she was purity
aggravatin' 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
to think there want anybody like Jim.
But he was Jest like me-all luke up with
Mirandy, and twas fust one and then
t'other of us chat she favored, a-keepin'
both on us Uneasy almost of the time.
"Howsomever, one night | found her
to home, alter Jim'd bin there, as she
a'terward told me, and as soon as sot
eyes on her | knew that there'd been
suthin to pay. asked her to go with
me to singin'-skule. No, thank We,
Ben, she says, Ibelieve | wont 90 to-
night So asked her if she'd 90 for a
walk. Twas mild and the moon was
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. | offered Her my arm and she tuke
it. How l felt you boys that have
walked with purity gal in the same
way can guess.
''A'ter we'd walked spell, noticed
Mirandy was purity sober-diferent
from usual--so I says: 'AIirandy,
there's a good many stars in the firga-
ment, amt therep' Yes, saws she,
alookin' up, kinder wonderin'. wal, ;
says l, you can't count EN-, can yep
NO says she. That's jest the way l
love We, Mirandy,' says /, 'more'n can
tell We. VIII you be mine, Mirandyp
For a mint she didn't say anything;
then she says: You must ask father,
Benz; and SEEM she'd the same as said
Yes as fur as she was, l jest up-you
fellers know; so 1 needn't tell; twas
the same old story" said Uncle Ben.
with merry twinkle in his small black
eyes.
when we got to the house, ], mean
in business, went to find the old man.
He was a-Sittin' on the back porch,
a-smokin'. Mr.. Smithers,' says |,
can have word with youP' Ger
tain, Mr.. Dawkins, says he, walk right
this way, and opened at the same time a
door leadin to a small room, and on it
(the door | mean) was writ the word
Office, as Icould see by the moonlight.
When we sot down, he saws: WAL,
young man, what kin | du for voup'
Give me your daughter says l; for /
love her with my hull heart Which,
says he, with that ar curious smile of
hisn (more like monkeys grin than a
material SMILEY docs credit to yer taste,
but Mirandy's too young to be married
yit, and besides yer agoin' away to be
gone so long there's no tellin' when
yer'll be back again. / forgot to say
that I'd taken a berth on board Of
brother Josiah's brig, few days afore
my talk with Mirandy. Wal, says /,
ii come back all snug and dry, what
then?' Then says he, if Nfirandy's
agreeable, | am. How L got out of
that ar room, / don't know to this day,
but went straight to Mirandy, and we
sot up till most midnight. talkin' and