The Somerset reporter., 1889-04-25
SELECTED.
BELLA DONNA.

| never liked children much of any the
best of EN- bein' given to impish tricks
of skeerin' team of horses going down
grade or whoopn' unexpected at an ell
DERBY man that's some narvous from stage
drivin' over twenty-five year; but she
want never that er way. She was leetle,
pale faced creatur', with the slimmest
arms, the longest legs, and poor, shabby
gowns allus too short fur her, she growed
so fast, an they want made with tucks
to let down, as told her they'd oughter
be. She come to town-MlcS Canon
that sets down at the foot of Mt, SnefiIes
like it was dropped there, along with her
father. lizard Luck SIeNeus. Tie was
drunk as usual, aud she luggin' big bun
die done up in red bandanna, a tiny sun
bunnited creatur' not noren years old.
Its too bad, says, "sissy, to let YOU
lug that, and that old villain staggerin'
as usual. What's he to your
Just plain dad, she answers with
little sigh; "hcs allus thater way, and
they've put'muver in the ground over to
Leadville, and I've got ter live with him;
but I'm goin' to be spectacle allus |
promised my muver that"
BLESS yer heart" | cries, "if Mike
Breen kin help you to the same he will.
Them lettle old ways of yourn kinder
chokes me up
As they did every time | see her keep
in house fur that old reprobate, he pre-
tendia' to be prospectin', but settin'
around saloons loaiin'. When she got to
be knowed, there was alus some one to
lug him home fore he got too fur gone
to be hateful. as he done when deep in
ticker. Their vittles somehow got paid
for, though Hard Luck" never arnt
nawthin. Missy would thank Teller so
cute, with such q mite of a curtsy, 1t was
with dollars buyin' of pork or meal
just to see her. she wouldn't answer to
anythin' but Miss Stevens, though her
name was Bell, fearin' it want high
toned.
NV road lay by her cabin a half mile
from town, an | got in the habit of
breathin' my horses there, fur it's steep
pull up the grade an. out she'd come to
say "IIow de do, and arter time to ride
piece with me. | could swing her up
over the wheel like a bird, fur she weighed
nawthin' an there she'd set aside me, her
leetle sun bunnt hangin' by the strings,
her yaller hair blowing, her pale cheeks
tinted bit, and them big, black, sorrow
full eyes full of a child's delight. Land,
how purity she was then
One day she says:
"Mister Mike, you an me is acquainted
long time
Five year, missy" | answers, nckin
the of horse with the whip he allus
shirked.
I've been thinking were such real
frens you needn't call me Missy emmy
more. That's just fur the camp, you
know"
Better not change I'm used to Mis-
sy.
But kin be spectacle just the same
an | want to make yOu think care "A
heap about you. Now Bell is so short
it aie't fine ernuii. an | shall be way up
lady some day. so | got me name to the
drag store that bitches onto mine.
Gimme suthin easy | cant get over
no jaw breaker, Missy"
"You nun't latf," lookn' at me with
them big, serious eyes.
mot grin, even.
well" GREATNESS like, "it's-it's
Belladonner Amt it butifulf'
One day when she rid up with me she
told me, as SHE was going to be great
lady, she ought To he dedicated.
II can't 70 to school in the canon, fur
father would set hssef fire or suthin'
an | hev to git our meals but kin read
some. muver teaChed me little, an I've
picked up more, an | want you to git me
some books.
An If she didn't put silver quarter in
my hand warm from her tiny fist. |
took it, fur she was that proud she d bin
mad, an I've got il yit, an | Worried all
the way to Silver City what I'd git. let
her think her money paid fur all. She
airn't some mendin' fur miners, fur she'd
set patch wonderful with them leete
claw fingers, an a. she growed big
wouldn't take no more gifts OF vittles
pal an me explored Silver City fur them
books, an | brought her book called
"Monter Christer. a Bible volume of
plays by Shakerspear that thought
wouldn't do her no harm, fust reader
an a 'rithmetic. She was tickled, | tell
you, when | dropped them inter her
aprin, an arter that | allus see Belladon-
ner las | keerfully called her, though
he'd to lat inwardly-but law I'd called
her whole drug store to please her
with volume under her thin arm, an
the words she used ev'ry day was reg lar
double deckers.
She Jest soaked up larnin like sponge,
till | used to wonder that leetle head
could hold so much.
so time goes on, an the lettle gowns
hts better is long ernufi, an is neat,
made by her own hands, an she gets
more flesh on her, an our leetle maid is Il
young Teddy, An u young civil engineer
surveying for railroad comes often To
the cottages good chap, Jack-an' |
liked him. She growcd SO purity, too,
with her golden hair, and shiniu' eyes,
an the pink in her cheeks, an the sorter
light on her face As young love gives.
Wal, one day As | drove down grade,
a.. ,n,t hn~
sparklin. her lips parted, her face as rosy
an she generally quiet and pale-an'
that yaller hair flynn about her shoulders.
Jack was with me, an see him colour
up an look at her sorter hungry, as 4 man
does when hard bit, but she barely spoke
TO him.
They say pas struck It rich" she
cries. Take me down to the Canon.
Mister Mike; I'm wild to know"
The young Teller helped her up beside
us, an zee his face had growed white
an sad, but she talked like wild creetur.
IL told you l would be great lady"
aba