The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-07-05
half good enough fur bim-no, ncr no

half good enough fur bim-no, nef no
woman that livcs."
Kids, l left her there with her face hid in
her hands-not cryin' but lookin' like .
hurt child. l were awful sorry; but she
made me too mad fur me to want ter stay q
minute more nigh her. John Gray had got
to be dren0cd, What could he be made ter
do that 'ud show her he were brave and
darin'l Invent of by myself and thought
II all out; then went and found my dear
teacher.
mister Gray" says I, whispcrin', "you
done me lots o. good turns, and If you'll
jest foller my lead mebbe kin do you a
couple er So"
.AE right, JIM" says he, laughin', ~
never take dare-what's to be donea''
"Oh, nothin' 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
you."
pheasant conditions to begin with, jim !;
its q bargain-I promise. Ny boy, there's
fierce light in your blue eyes-what sort
of storm does it betokcn!"
Like nuff y0u kin tell me when the thun-
der and lightnin's over, slr?" And then
leaves him a-laughin', and perceeds-on
the strict quiet, We mind, fellors-to climb
tall tree near TO where they was begin
MIN to spread out galorious lunch.
takes q stout piece o. rope up with me Ut
ken from round the crockery box) and
makes it fast to o long bent limb Then
slips the other end round my own body,
safe and fast, catches my jacket up over a
twig broke OF on perpose, and pcrceeds
TO hang there IN the air-leastwise that's
what pear to he doin' ter the folks below.
With one direful shrek call fur help-I
pertend ter see nothin' nor nobody but Mis-
ter Montrissor, and howl for him ter
come up and help me fore ! perish. He
looks up with his mouth so full o. cheese
and crackers that most spoil my actin
and laugh out loud. But he didn't move
anywhercs near the tree, you bet, and Miss
Wintry screams: "Oh, save the childr'
At these words on goes one mans coat,
and John Gray is shinnin' up the tree like
mad, and in twinklin' am jerked up
onter the limb
You little monkey" says he, .
breathin' and q pantin'.
"You kin bet wished ,cere,' says I,
soft snap Of it-a wrappin' their tails
| round limbs o. trecs-I had ter use this
and showed him the rope that KEEP me
| from fallin'.
by all that's marvellous"
"Don't We git excited, sir; its the lust
t,irk-and you jest foller my lead all day
and we'll come out ahead-that's all!n
We slid down the big tree and was met
by all the picnickcrs with cries of joy.
KEEP my face straight, and when she ken
] up and claspcd his hand saw the blood 80
q fyin' to his honest face, and he turned
away, shy and silent.
It were a rip-snortin' good dinner, fel
lars, and no mistake. We. bein' the lions
eat the lions share-leastways did. Blu,
l managed to git through it fore any q
the others. You kin bet l didn't slight
nothin' from sanditchcs ter pie: but got
through fust, as were tellin' yer, and
went sncakin' of towards where them
two grays was . munchin' their
nooday oats. They was tied to a
couple o. saplins', and it weren't
long fore / were on the back o. the friski-
est looking one Of 'em and goin' it slam
bang through the woods. he'd good safe
| grip on the short rein, I kin tell you, fel-
lars; and knowed what l were about
The harness were all on, trim and trig, and
nothin' lcss'n partin' with his own hide
would q throwcd me! / haint rid the trick
mule at the circusses, haint, fur nOthfn' !
| Yet imagine must y looked perty scarf
fled as KEN yelpin' past the picnic party
| at a fearful gait-lookin' all the world like
the wax Mazepper seen at that Same mu-
syum last summer-only / were live and
kickin'. Kickin'i Well. should remark
Il ~ - ~.
| mad and succeedin' 'mazin' well in my OBJ
jeck-which were ter frighten the nag clean
outen his senses! Clean outen the woods
we rushed like the wind. and when I'd got
out O. sight behind little hill pulled him
cleak square round ter stabbord and wen,
gollopin' back agin. They was all lookin
anxious toards where disappeared, and
John Gray were ready fur me (as knowed
he would bel. comm ter meet me on tother
gray nag. yelled help" 50 you could a
hearcd me plumb mile, and on KEN John
Gray toards my poor scairt beast
O. course he cotch us easy as wink-bu,
1t looked like wild West show--fur h,
rode like Wild Bill and yelled like {
Comanche! When we was a quietin' dowr
and trottin' passive up ter the place where
their dinner was a-waitin' for them poor
bused hosses, l says:
"Trick number two-oh, we're a-doin
beeyootiful!"
"You little rascal-what are you up ~
"pm up TO my knees in catnip, il vel
please" says l, as l slid down from my
foamin' steed and shifted at the swec
smell o. crushed leaves.
Some performance Of congratulatin' us
both. Some claspin' of John Gray's hanc
by her perty white one. Some blushin' ant
turnin' away Of cyes-but more light In
hern-and softness and sweetness tha
were encouragin' to behold.
All US kids run like wild through Tho
Wintry woods They was perty little
stream called Silver creek, cause it were
so clear and ripply. Jest stones throw
from the place dinner were eaten the creek
got wider m made 8 dandy place to row q
skin in. Right on the banks Of this stream
we all shot on ire-crackers fur hours
pack after pack, kids; hiyi but weren't /,
| fun on the half she'll! l most furgot my
avengin' business in the high ole times
were hevin', and 'tweren't till put some
Of the little spit fires into tin can that
see my way clear ter make pint. ! fills a
sardine box nearly full Of fire-crackers,
pressed down the bent lid and slips it slyly
inter the gaping pocket Of the curly Mon
/ LFeSSOT, WHO SltS Close Uy MISS w lHlFy
holdin' her bambcrsol over her head and q
hanging onter every syllabub she says
waitin' his chances, like SNUFF, ter go over
the same perlaverin' nipped in the green,
green bud earlier in the day. 1t were the
neatest fit, kids, yer ever seen, and thank:
ter that same parashoot he were
holdin', he never see me gettin' II
my work. ! skinned up convenient
tree and watched fur the fust act in the
new skit Dreckly the fun begun-thc fuss
cotch on and scch q scairt man ye never
heern tell on! Give you my word hi
danced round like fcller in q humble bees
nest ycllin' fit ter kill! Hurt hims How
could it! The crackers was all inside the
tin box and though it did sound pcrty lively
it couldn't hurt him. Well, he performed
like rooster with his head of a tryin' Il
git some one to help him and nobody {
knowin' what on earth were the matter
Bimcbye John Gray cotch on and marched
up ter the screamin' Montressor and begur