The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-02-09

KlCCle Is luSC tne poorest KlnQ o SUuI,
an the nose hes come off an been
fastened on again. l don't want to
trade with you, an / won't, SO you
may as we'll go!'
"It's my little washtub beauty"
says to myself, wonderful glad, an
SO it was. She followed the man, q
meachin', cross eyed chap, to the
door, and could see she was almost
as angry as she was on that first
mornin' I'd seen her. She wasn't SO
pretty this time either, for she had g.
towel round her head and a faded
out calico dress an boots that was
out at the toes, but somehow my
heart gave a thump an l was down
off'n my waggin' in no time.
"Maybe l kin make q trade with
you," | says, more jerkv than l ever
spoke before.
"Well, maybe you can," she says,
eyin' me. / know she was tryin' to
place me. but couldn't. / want
ed to help her, but somehow
couldn't find the words. could only
bring out my best kittles and knock
Off half the regular price. on the ground
that wanted to dispose on 'em quick
SOS to lay in a new an improved
stock.
l was longin' to know if this was
her home, but couldn't think o. no
way to find out without askin' in so
many words, an that 1 hadn't the
courage to do.
She handled the things carefully, but
all of a sudden, when l thought she
was examinin' the nose of my biggest
teakettle, she spoke up quick and
sharp.
II know where I've seen you," she
said. cit was when l dosed that
Charley Cranky. Maybe you don t re-
member, since you didn't lose your
temper an place; but losin' your place
makes you remember"
Somehow them words made me
light she'd remembered me!
II recollect," said ], fast as ever l
could for the fit that had seized my
tongue, IAN l wanted to shake hands
with you. He deserved all you gave,
the varmintp'
She smiled a little, and sighed, too.
at lost me my place, of course, !"
she went on, takln' up a bread pan
an turnin' it over. II amt he'd the
heart to look up another one yet, SO
here l am at home, scoldin' one
peddler an tellin' my affairs to an
other. You must have a pretty poor
opinion of me. an no wonder"
She ended with a little laugh, an
said she guessed they d take the bread
pan an the smaller kittle.
"Do you calkerlate to stay round
home all summer" I asked, hating
myself because my face was getUin'
red as fire.
She answered back quite fierce:
II shall stay till learn to manage
my temper better in tryin' times,
which, accordin' to present appear
ances, won't be any too soon."
I said some peddlers was enough to
try the patience OF a saint, an then
grew redder'n ever because I was
afraid she'd think I meant I was
above all sich an an exception to 'em.
But she didn't seem to take it that
way. She laughed, and said there
was peddlers an peddlers,
Then we settled for the things, an
there bein' no excuse for my stayin'
longer, I went.
I said to myself good many times
that day: "She's got red hair, an she's
got a temper" but it didn't keep her
out O. my head mite, nor hinder me
from gettin' round to that farm house
again in a week. This time we didn't
make no trade, but we had q few
words O. nonsense over, an wenoticed
hearty way things were CROWN.
1t was near twilight, an when I
went away 1 had feelin' as if I'd
tucked bit O. peacefulness down in
my heart to make me glad an thank
full in the dust an flies o. the road.
1t needed it putty often that sum-
mer, for it grew to be a dreadful dry
season, an the travelin' was vile.
he'd to 60 to thnt farm house good
many times; it was no use tryin' to
keep away, for the thought O. them
bright eyes drew me there sure as
honey draws beas.
made excuses an made excuses to
myself till 1 most forgot l was a
Methodist in good an regular stand
in. Then drew myself up short.
"1t's no use, James Crime" l
aid; "you've lost somethin', an
you won't find it unless you find it IN
them brown eyes down on the Gray
farm"
So / put on my best suit o. clos an a
light overcoat, for it was gittin' near
winter an the nights was chilly, an l
hired q team of the livery stable at
the village where l was stoppin' an
started. But hadn't gone more'n q
rod or two when turned back.
"No, you DON'T" Isays, ''go dressed
up in your very best and behind O.
hired hoss! You amt goin' to take
no such advantage o. the little girl.
Like as not she'll be tired of her days
work, an in her common, every day
dress, an you amt goin' in upon her
all fixed up as if you mad no work to
do or nothin'-no, sir, not by long
shotp'
So took off the shiny store clos
an put on the old ones I'd had on
when first see her. They was pretty
seedy, but put 'em on, an when I'd
hitched the old mare into the tin cart
l felt q sight more square an comfort
able. was no better as fur as clos
went than the dear little woman 1
wanted for my wife was-as to charac-
ter. l thought o. my pipes an rough
ways, an felt way below her. But
then thought, too, of her brown eyes
and drove on.
It was just supper time when I got
to the house, an they all asked me IN
to take somethin' with 'em, only
Elizabeth Jane, she didn't pass me
too much.
suppose that supper was as long
as common meals, but it seemed to
fly by to me. After we were through
I talked crops to the old gentleman,
but watched Elizabeth washin' the
dishes. She was SO easy an good to
look at, as she worked, I couldn't
help it no how, spite of my determi-
nation to keep my mind on herfather.
an my eyes, too. Hooked AN look
ed, an couldn't get enough o. lookin'.
After that I don't Jest remember
what happened, but somehow we
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