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

/ Tho felldr that runs inc weather racket
were kind and perlite as chips that Fourth
| Of July Such sunlight and big pink clouds
and shinin' waters and soft warm winds
/ I KEEP close ter my teacher, and his Iovin',
kind eyes KEEP lOOkin' 20 glad down inter
my face. that, somehow, felt he was goin'
ter do some pleasant thing fur me: and
/ then and there 1 made up my mind il the
chance came I'd do sOmethin' fur him.
The whole cabOOdle Of US were driv out
| in buses sech jolly procession of EN-!
/ But she aud the curly fellar went flynn
/ long past us in stylish buggy hitched
onter two spankin' snowy gray aags-her
own turnout, yer mind, kids. Then a little
| cloud ken up. somehow, at sight Of iem,
and see it settle over my dear teachers
watchin', wistful eyes: and l filed a vow
on top o. tother one that I'D just 20 right to
her and tell her my 'pinion o. them two
/ lovers o. hern. Seemed like she didn't have
nobody to tell her nOthin', or she'd anever
wasted no time on that hifalutin' dandy.
o. course her ole aunt were allus trapes-
| in along with her-a Wilhelm and gOin' on
I ridiculous; but she were worse than Jest
nobody at all; sides, / knowed she druther
have the curly man, any day, fur his looks.
The wintry woods was cool and green
and chuck full o dancin' lights and shad-
ders, and the air in il We're sweeter than
klAE AWhtAN HAuH On INV bdtNtE 1uuudN
hankychif. / breathed so deep, kids, that
most got tipsy on the smell O. the spicy
woods wanted ter yell. and howl, and
roll over and over in all the loneliness
And l docs roll over; and cause the air
was so cool and the shadders so deep, and
the grass so soft l falls sound asleep. And
/ when gets ter dreamin' | thinks | hears
her a talxin' soft and quiet like-and a
arguin' this away and that; ana, YOU will
bleeve me. fclleTs, when l opened my eyes,
10, if they weren't somebody talkin' right
on the opposite side o. the big tree were
I layin' under-and II were her voicei
lit Is true heered her a sayin', lit
is true that have known you for quite
while Mr.. MOntressor, and that ! have
| every reason to think you are an upright
and honorable gentleman, but the question
/ YOU have asked me is one that / can not
answer, ] fear, without giving you pain"
An, 10 not say that Miss Wintryr'-
kids, it were the curly man hOldin' forth.
- Think how dark my life will become
without your sweet presence! All will be
a blank TO me, and my heart will be crushed
and brOken Oh, Miss Wintry, | have
lOnged for this hOur-I have lived in the
sweet consciousness that my suit was not
displeasing TO y0u-that my love would
surely win love in return, and that -"
/ ftAldESs EbuAtAu I utAl II Il EOt ~ StdAAt -
fearin' she would up and lissen apprOOvin'
ter that perty speech o his'n, that jest
gave one awful yell like Injun in a fit!
NV yell had two twin echOes-Mister
Montressor and Miss Wintry jest screeched
like ali possessed, and the curly dude
fore he got the right lay o. land axshul-
~ struck out and nun / crawled round
| through the green ferns and grass TO
where she were a sittin', and axed her
pardon fur scarin' her, humble enough; but
she jest laughed hearty, and put her dazzlin'
white hand on my red top knot, and says:
Il thank you, Jim; you have done me
| great service!" and laughed again.
Miss Wintry,'' says /, a kneelin' close
beside her dress of perty white stuff that
was a layin' like fOamin' pillows all round
her, Miss Wintry, don't lissen to that
man no more; he hain't with one sweet
| glance o. yer perty eyes. Turn yer ten
tiOn to one who loves yer as the flowers
/ loves the dew-One who is as inncrcC1G and
back ard as the vi'lets themselves. and who
wouldn't dare ter speak out his love like
that speechifyin' dandy, 'causeits too great
and holy and"
Boy" and l heerd little tremble in
her soft voice, "Of what are you speaking,
| By whose authority"
| Don't know what that means, 'um, but
I'm speakin' Of my teacher, Mister John
Gray"
And can not he speak for himselfi' she
! SAYS unconscious like.
/ It seems As II he can not, 'um; and
/ "Therc-that will do You are a good
/ boy and like you. Jim. and | wish wish.
hat what YOU imagine were really true,"
/ And. Kids, she looked away of through
the wintry woods with a soft mist in her
/ beeyootiful eyes. while her perty hand
u sh, Of
/ l0vin' little white cloud. l think she
furgot us both fur minute or two, fur she
/ KEEP "A pattin' me and talkin' soft TO her
\ self: .. As flowers love the dew-backward
\ as violet and why! Because-no, that
l will not serve for an excuse-this is the
I nineteenth century and the man is-a cow
ardy'
Who's a coward. Miss Wintryr' says
/, a iumpin' Onter my feet.
Your teacher, John Gray!"
That's not truer' l says, stung at her
words. vet not exactly understanding en-
| = He's the brayest man that ever breathed,
/ and YOU will have to say so before the day
| 5 cnded-yOu, Miss Wintry, who haint
half good enough fur him-nO, ner no
woman that livesr'
Kids left her there with her face hid in
her hands-not cryin' but lOOkin' like
hurt child. / were awful sorry; but she
made me too mad fur me to want ter stay
minute more nigh her. John Gray had got
10 be arengod' What could he be made ter
do that 'ud show her he ere brave and
DARN. went of by mysei and thought
it all out; then went and found my dear
teacher.
Mister GRAY" says /, whisperin', "you
done me lots o. good turns, and if you'll
lest foller my lead mebbe l kin do you
couple or So"
All right, jim" says he, laughin', 81
never take a dare-what's to be douc!'
"Oh. nSthin' Jest now Only keep close
ter Miss Wintry all day long fur one thing,
save and 'ceptin' the times need yer help.
Promise me we won't git riled at what
does, no matter how reckless it pears ter
Bou."
Pleasant conditions to begin with. Jim;
it's bargain-I promise. My boy, there's
a fierce light in your blue eycs-what sort
Of storm does it betoken.'
Like nuff u,u kin tell me when the thun-
der and lightnin's over, slrg" And then
leaves him a-laughin', and pcr,cCds-on
the strict quiet, We mind, fellors-tO climb
| a tall tree near 10 where they was begin
min To spread out a galorious lunch.
takes stout piece o. rope up with me ut
KEN from round the Crockery boxl and
makes It fast to a long bent limb. Then
I slips the other END -rOuuu my OWL bou9s
safe and fast, catches my jacket up over
twig I broke of on perpOse, and perceeds
to hang there IN the air-leastwise that's
what pear TO be dOin' ter the folks below.
With one direful shrek | call fur help
pertend ter see nrthin' nor nobody but Mis-
ter MontrissOr, and | howl for him ter
come up and help me fore l perish. He
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