River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-01-02

i
their cows. with fragrant udders, to be
MIXED; or, aided by the joyful colly
circling round and round, led the gentle
sheep from clambering heights TO ingle
dell. There, while the pleased Great.
ures nipped close to the velvet sward,
would Reynold adorn the little maiden
with curling circlets of the dandelion,
with parasol of Msy-apple leaf, with
wild rose and eglantine. or blow her
feecy thistle-down, sending it with q
wish to fairy-land.
And thus these two grew apace. not
like noxious weeds from out of seeth ing
refuse, as city waits are doomed to do,
but they blossomed into a splendid ear
ly youth, pure, free, true and warm
hearted
And even when the sad day dawned,
and the cabin home was darkened by
sickness and want, the light of Emma's
heart was kept afame by Reynolds
love. But a dark, dark cloud came at
last, when their fathers had angry
words; and then these young people
were forbidden to speak to each other
these cruel parents seeming, for the
first time in all these years, suddenly
TO wake up to the fact that possibly
their children might care for each
other.
The difficulty originated in a contest.
ed boundary line.
Now this happens to be, among farm.
ers, and especially in remote and Sc
cluded places, a most frequent and
pregnant cause of bitter dispute.
The occasion arose in the attempt TO
cut down a majestic oak, to which both
parties claimed ownership, and the tree
grew out OF cleft of big rock called
in the titled deed Security"
| The alteration had Its humorous side,
and might have been comical enough,
except in the unfortunate result, both
men standing on the rock, gesticulating
and vociferating violently.
II tell you, Hogan" shouted Mitzell,
your line runs outside of Security"
mo, it don't. nather," yelled Ho-
gan; ''your line runs t'other side of Sc
curity; there's no Security, man, in
your deed"
And so they euarreled, with one good
result-that the tree was spared, and
stands TO this day, a curious freak OF
nature, springing out of the stony
/ assure.
Soon after this controversy poor Ho-
gan's note fell due, and he, not being
able to pay either principal or interest.
tEfie as it was, Mitzell determined to
foreclOse the mortgage ami compel Ho-
gan TO leave the mountain.
1t was hard and cruel thing to do,
and after Mitzell got Hogan's farm adj
vertised TO be sold at sheriff's sale on a
certain day, intending to attend the auc-
ton and buy it in, Reynold persuaded
his father at least to offer to continue
the man as tenant.
ThereupOn Mitzell. rejecting that he
would probably be left without any
tenant for his new acquisition, conceded
the point to his son, with great show
of magnanimity.
1t went hard with Hogan to become a
tenant under the man who had so IN
kindly deprived him of his home, but
for the sake of those depending on him
he concluded to swallow his pride, a
process Of enforced deglutition not I'M
known to the -trodden.
Every one knows, who knows any
thing, that the mountaineer loves his
freedom and his native soil, with a love
surprising that Of other men for their
homes. To uproot them is to kill them.
But how hard and bitter Hogan found
it to sow and TO plant for an enemy to
reap, only those may measure who have
eaten the bread of the oppressor.
The winter SHOWS and the boisterous
March winds were at last succeeded By
fructifying April showers and budding
May; when the revolving seasons usher
ed in the leafy June and fierce heat of
sultry summer; not fiery or languorous
at this altitude, but hot enough to warm
into full life and power every creeping.
crawling, venomous thing that may
have languished through the winters
cold, CONCEALED.
With the return of summer came also
the most interesting event Of the year to
the country people-the bush Meet
ing" when open air preaching and other
services were held night and day for a
week, and the farmers and their fami-
lies from all the surrounding country
were in attendance.
These were the religious gatherings
of the Winebrenarians 1.-THE name of a
religious sect, followers of Winebren-
ner, who abound in the Blue Ridge of
Maryland) and Dunkards, and every
man, woman and child, no matter how
po%erty-stricken, sought to present a
respectable appearance on these annual
occasions; while the rustic bellies and
beaux, decked forth in gala dress, were
pleasing and an animating sight
Now, as the time for blush Meeting
came round, Hogan was literally shoe
less, and his wife and daughter per-
suaded him to go TO town on Saturday
evening and buy himself a new pair of
shoes.
The kind-hearted fellow at first family
resisted the appeal. why, woman, "
he said, lit will take nearly all the
spare cash we've got to do it"
But his wife reminded him that he
would soon get his harvest money.
And Emma, with tears in her eyes,
begged him mot to shame" them, by
going to Bush Meeting with his feet on
the ground"
Then Hogan thought how grand he
would look marching in front, with the
''old woman and Emmy tagging after,
with his best corduroys tucked inside of
high-topped boots, and a billed shirt
on"
The picture was too alluring. AMI he
yielded.
And a proud moment it was for the
family. as they met in the gorge that
Saturday evening, the husband and
father trudging up the mountain defile,
with his new boots slung in triumph
over his shoulders.
They're beauties" said his wife,
deferentially touching them. ''Sich
shiny skin, and sich fine stitchin', and
nary peg"
''Spick and span moo, too" added
John, holding approvingly.
Who could have then and there
peeped into the magic mirror the future
holds and aaau in tho rNolicba1