Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-14

sues tue mouse. he meant Ger have
Alice, an he knowed eff he didn't get her
consent fore the cap'n got home he
wouldn't get it tall, an be did his best.
but Alice, she was just like that
flower l told ye bout; it didn't make no
difference what q rough, ugly old rock it
Was CROWN next ter, the wind might
blow a perfect cyclone, it could make
that flower tremble an shiver en- bend
an bow but when it got through that
flower was CROWN there jest the same.
An try his best, Stan couldn't git her ter
listen.
$50 the time passed by, an Stan see
IN the paper the cap'n's steamship had
rived, an he'd be home the next day.
Things looked desperate, but he wouldn't
give in.
''Well, that night Alice was out in the
gardin' after supper, wanderin' round,
thinkin' bout her father, an kinder wan
derin' if Stan would come. an hopin' he
wouldn't. an KNOWN down in her heart
she'd be disappointed eff he didn't, when
all ter once she heard that chain cIank,
and her heart begun to beat, an she
couldn't help thinkin' it might be a good
thing eff the cap'n had got anchor
hitched to her too.
'She didn't need ter take but one look
at Stan ter know what he come for. He
didn't waste no time bout it neither.
There wasn't no putting him off; she'd
got to come ter the pint, an she did.
"She told him her fast dooty was to
her father; he hadn't got nobody bu
her, an she knowed wouldn't be RICH
ter go off an leave him. Then Stan he
told her she needn't leave him; he wasn't
home much o. the time, an when he was
he could be with her, jest Is she alIus had
bin; an he did think-though he didn't
say so-that eff he could nut up with the
cap'n she might do as much for him.
"But Alice she told him her father
d1dn' want her ter marry nobody, an
eff she did he wouldn't have nothin' more
ter do with her; an 'twasn't ez eff he was
like other folks who had friends ter fall
back on EFF she left him he wouldn't
have nothiR'; then she looked at him and
she seq:
EFF | loved man ever so much I
wouldn't leave my father ter go off with
him, cause he has fust claim SEE she;
an Stan he come a step nearer, and he
SEE:
"'Do you love me, Alice?'
''She knowed she'd got ter answer that
question and she knowed 'twouIdn't do
ter have him come no closer if she was
goin' TO do her dooty by her father. She
never told lie in her life, but she looked
at him and she said it slow, like ez eff
twas a lesson she was sayin':
"'No, don't love you; you must co.
"'Twas queer, but Stan believed her
A woman would "a knowed in a minute
she wasn't telIin' the truth, but he trust
ed her as an angel, an he took her at her
word.
SAN the gate hadn't no morn banged
arter him when the old cap'n jumped
right out O. a bunch of syringas, an stood
in front on her in his full hat, with a va
lise in one hand and ombrill in the 9th
Ell, lookin' bigger, redder, more bristlin'
IAN ever; he'd bin there the hull time, an
heard every word, but all he said was:
"'Good girl! Done right! That's the
way to serve young scalawags. Ye won't
have no more trouble from 'em; yer old
fathers come home to stay
Gan so he had. He'd give up the com
mand O. his steamship, an there be was
"Well, Alice she took him inter the
house, an she give him mis- supper, AN
mixed his rum punch fer him, an sot by
while he drinked it; then he wanted her
ter sing ter him, an she went ter the pi-
amer an played an sung him his favor
ites-an' he had deal o. taste In music
an all the while there was poor STAINS
despairiI' face in front on her, an you'd
a. thought even the cap'n could "a told
her heart was broke the way she was
singin'.
can Stan he went off and jined party
o. aturaIist fellers who was goin' on a
three years trip to don't know where,
after outlandish species o spiders an
catterpillars an SIGH. He didn't care
where he went ter.
CAN Alice went on Goin' her dooty,
keepin' things pleasant, an kinder max
in it up to her nejghbors when the cap'G
quarreled with 'em; but she grew paler
an thinner every day, till she looked jest
like shadder o girl; but she didn't
lose non o. her prettiness she couldn't;
longs there was anything left on Der
twas 'bliged ter be pretty.
swell, after the cap'n had bin home a
year or two he began to find it kinder
tiresome; he'd done everything he could
on ter his place, an twas then he took
it inter his head to buy his monnyment;
that Kep' him busy for months; he visit
ed every marble yard in the country fore
he found anything ter suit him. He
said his MONUMENT was like a poor
mans suit of clothes; he wanted jest
the right thing, cause it had got ter last
him.
"He was pleased, though, when he got
it sot up; he'd walk down with Alice every
Sabbath evening ter see it, an he hadn't
bin ter visit his wife's grave fore sence
she died; he'd clean forgot ter have her
name put on the tombstone.
"Well, things went on this way till one
day he was took with fit an went to lie
beside his MONUMENT, an Alice was left
ter take her Sabbath evenin' walks alone.
"The minister had doubts bout the oil
cap'n's futur', and ne told her SO; but
Alice she said he WANT so bad but she
could love him, an she reconed Gods love
an mercy'd stretch further'n ourn, an
she couldn't help hopin'. He'd remember
what a hard life the poor old cap'n had
had, an make 'Iowances fer him.
'sThe minister he didn't say no more
arfter that. I guess he thought eff the
idee was any comfort ter her she might
as well keep it, but it certainly want
orthodox.
"'I was bout this time Stan came
home, older an browner en- harnsomer'n
ever. He was real shocked when he.
heard bout the cap'n' an more still when
he see Alice in church. He'd thought
she'd bin dyin' O. broken heart ali this
time, but when he come to look at her
not that he s'posed thinkin' o. him had
to do with it-he reckoned twas
takin' care O her father.
''He din't 60 to see her. He knowed he
was cured, but still he didn't want ter
risk gett1n' hurt again; he hadn't for
got what it felt like, SO he walked home
from meetin' with Judge Perkins darter,