River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-05

pack after pack, kids; hiyi, but weren't II
fun on the half-shell3 | most furgot my
avengin' business in the high ole times l
were hevin', and 'twereu't till put some
of the little spit fires into a tin can that l
see my way clear ter make pint. ! fills
sardine box nearly full of fre-crackers,
pressed down the bent lid and slips is slyly
inter the gaping pocket of the curly Mon
tressor, who sits close by Miss Wmtry a
hOldin' her bambersOl over her head and
hanging onter every syllabub she says,
waitin' his chances, like snuff, ter go over
the same peraverin' nipped in the green,
green bud earlier in the day. 1t were the
neatest fit, kids, yer ever seen, and thanks
ter that same parashoot he were
hOldin', he never see me gettiu' in
my work | skinned up a convenient
tree and watched fur the fust act in the
new skit Dreckly the fun begun-the fuse
cOtch on and sech a scairt man We never
sheern tell on Give you my word he
danced rOuntNilxe a Teller in a humble bees
nest yellin' fit ter kill Hurt him. How
could it, The crackers was all inside the
tin box and though il did sound perty lively
il couldn't hurt him. Well, he performed
like a rooster with his head off a tryin' to
git some one to help him and nobody a
KNOWN what on earth were the matter
Bimebye John Gray cotCh on and marched
Nn ter Int SGftanlln NlDuNHtScpE anu btkuh
ter take his tony summer coat often him,
laughin' so hard that the tears went rollin'
down his face. Miss Wintry, when she
found there weren't no danger laughed, too
though she tried ter be perlite and sym
pathizin' But her laughin' were too much
fur the curley swell, and he got so Outra-
geOus mad he dove into the heart O the
woods and cut across country to the nearest
station and went home 'thOut so much as
by yer leavei
There were a little skift on the brink
called the '.Undine," or some sech heath
enish sort of a name, and l rowed myself
out inter the stream iTNyere most time
ter be a-gOin' home, fur the sun had gone
clean down behind some shOomack bushes
on the top of the high hill near by, and the
frogs and the katydids began to croak
louder fur the night. There were only one
thing more ter be done in the avengin' line,
and done it. / began ter rock the tipsy
little craft as ] stood up on the scat in the
very middle of the boat, and when / got
her into full swing, Jest gave one unearthly
cry and upset her before their lfes Down
l went like regular shot and there
stayed till L knowed they must be gettin'
clean crazy about me. | hadn't padded
round our docks. at home fur nOthin'-no
more n I'd ride the trick mule every chance
Il u
couldn't stand iJ,no longer, then bobbed up
sereenly kerslap agin John Gray's arm. |
knowed he'd be there and / Jest played
faint and laid as limp and still as could
over his strong right arm.
Are YOU crazy, boy-what hare you done
this for.' | heerd close into my ear.
"EST efock.' whispered without openin'
nv eyes" kin swim like whale, boss,
but you Jest hold Onter me and lug me
ashore. When you git me thar roll me fur
more efeck, and I'll come to-"
He were very obejint And when l, slow
and solemn like opened my eyes, there
stood Miss Wintry cryin' over us both.
see she cried most over John Gray, who
never were in no danger and took tie
wringin him out-now this drippin' sleeve,
| now that, and declarin', between breaths,
that he were the bravest man she ever
saw.
Arcnyed'
Well, fellars, the other gentleman there
| hitched the bosses up in a hurry, bundled
us wet folks inter the stylish wehickle, and
she told John Gray to drive as fast rs he
could ter ole Job Wintry's and wait there
/ fur her. NY teacher were rugged up in a
ole suit o. Job WintGy's and Iwere fixed up
in toys Jest like this very same harness,
kids braid down the pants, brass buttons
/ and ALL
Then hccrd how the 'busses ken and
took the other kids home. The ole uncle
/ sent his big kecridge over fur Miss Win
try and her aunt, his sister. And then we
stayed all highland there I'm stayin' yit
Sos John Gray.
| Yer never see any thing work so slick as
them schemes o. mine! When Miss Wiutry
KEN softly inter the great hall where
fire had been made ter warm and dry us,
she went straight over 20 where John
GRAY sat and stood before him. He jumps
up when he sees her there, but she makes
him list sit right down again, and fetches
/ a little stool from the corner herself and
sits down most like it was at his feet
DO YOU know" says she, in sech
tremblin' voice, THAT little fairy-a
brownie-came To me in the woods today
/ An, thought not And he told me so many
/ things-told me of great soul. so brave,
and tender and true-yet so modest, with
| al. that he dared not give utterance TO the
/ one wish Of his heart Who loves kin
/ dred being. the brownie said. as flowers
/ love the dew: who is backward as a violet.
and for whom Miss Wintry is not half
/ good enOugE-no, nor any other woman that
/ Ives
/ Miss Wintry."
THAT is what the brownie said. sir
4 And when I called the man a coward for
his silence. this fairy rebuked me and said
| should take it all back-as do, John
! GRAY. as / do now, with a thousand apol
] ogies for the wrong l have done you in my
I heart -
Hooray, " I yells. "it's all comm out
/ lest like a dime novel-herowine and all,
/ Haint We goin' ter answer her, Mister
I Grayri
with ali my heart, Tim. when you have
| given me chance. But-but-I fear ! dc
J l-St understand"
How hard you make il for me-J0hHs''
Well, there weren't mach trouble after
that. kin tell yer And been tiger "
/ for Missus Gray ever since that day two
years ago, with money O. M own in bank
and a yearly liberal 'lowance O. crackers
/ n torpedoes TO celebrate the anniversary
/ OF that Fourth O. July, when my master.
gohn Gray, followed my lesd!
EyS BEsG