Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-08-14

soothe old "a b Or
with it's words OF promise. In the coun-
try where the streams are so pure that
they look like strips of sunshine, where
the trees are so ancient that one almost
stands in awe of them. where the moss,
so old that it is gray, and hanging from
the rocks in the ravine, looks like VEN
cradle boards growing on the faces that
have been hardened by years of trouble
in such country, even the most
slouching clown, walking as though step
ping over clods when blowing where
the ground breaks up hard, has in his
untutored heart love of poetry. He
may not be able to roadway never
have heard the name of son of genius,
but in the evening, when he stands on a
purple knob watching the soul of
day sink out of sight in a far-away val
vey, he is poet.
When the shadow of Saturday night
falls upon a backwoods community in
Tennessee, quiet Joy seems to Turk in
the atmosphere. The; whippoorwiu has
sung unheeded every night during the
week, but tonight his song brings
promise of rest The tired boy sits in
the door, and, taking off his shoes,
strikes them against the log doorstep to
knock the dirt out, and the cat, that has
followed the women when they went to
milk the cows, comes and rubs against
him. The humming-bird, looking for
late supper, buzzes among the honey
suckle blossoms, and the tree-toad cries
in the locust tree. Che boy goes to bed,
thrilled with an expectation. He muses.:
81 will see somebody tomorrow"
On the morrow Che woods are full o2
music. The great soul of day rises with
burst of glory, and the streams, bound
ing over the rocks or dreaming among
the ferns, laugh moro merrily and seem
to be brighter than they were yesterday.
Horses neigh near an old log church and
a swelling hymn is borne away on the
blossom-scented air. The plow-boy, sit
ting near the spring, heeds not che
sacred music, but gazes intently down
the shady road. He sees some one COM
ing-sees the huttering of gaudy rib
bon and is thrilled. A young woman
comes up the road, coyly tappingasn old
mare with dogwood switch, and eager
lest some one else may perform the en-
dearing Office, he hastens to help the
young woman to alight. He tries to ap-
pear unconcerne6 as he takes hold of
the bride rein, but he stumblcs aw8-
wardly as he leads the animal Coward
the horse-blocfs When he has helped
her down @nd has tied che horse it is
his blessed privilege to walk with the
girl as far as the church door.
What's Jim a-doin'?'' he asks as they
walk along under the embarrassing gaze
Of a score of men.
''Plowed yiatidy; amt doin' nothin'
to-day" 1858
BE bere to-day. I reckon!@ he re-
joins.
Whats TeGo a-doin'?'
''Went to Enil6 ayistidys Iin& 5o;p'
nothin' to-day"
"Be here to-say, = reckon.a
He lowed he neut, but I ton't know
whether he will or not
whats ALI sSdoin'?'
''Cut sprouts an deadened trees gis-
tidy; amt doin' nothin' to-day.@
''Be here to-day, / reckon"
'Yes, lowed he wa8a comm with Sue
Prior"
Anybody goln' home with rou. Lize9'
''Not that know Of"
wall, If nohaly else amt spoke I'd
like to CO."
'We'l see about it," she answers,
and then enters the church. He saun-
tors of and sits down under tree
where a number Of young men are wal
lowing on shawls. spread on the grass.
The preacher becomes warm in his
work and the plow-boy t3ears him e.