The Penn's Grove record., 1891-01-03
MY LOVE AFFAIR

10 fall in love
1t was my first case, and it went
mighty hard with Inc
sometimes have wished that IL had
been my last.
But you would have fallen in love
mst as hopelessly as l did, had you
known Cousin Kate. In all serious
ness and saciedness I make this asser-
ton, for she was one of the most love-
able creatures l ever knew
She was Of medium height aud "a
1.-THE and graceful as a young willow
tree swayed by the April wind. Her
eyes were-well, they were not quite
blue, but of a sort Of luminous gray,
like patches of summer blue sky with
the shadow OF Il clouds wing upon
them.
And her hair, why can see 1t yet,
the clinging tresses all tangled up with
sunbeams that played hide and seek
among them.
There was a winsome, wistful ex-
preston about the red lips and the
curving lines of her dimpled chin that
seemed to have been cast in the mould
of a smile, so that eve when some
body hurt her feelings, and the tears
came in the innocent eyes, the smile
remained on the mouth and chin.
Cousin Kate came to live with us
because he, father was dead, and ]
think Grandpa was the administrator
or guardian, or something Of the SORT.
and looked after her property.
She was not very close kin, but we
all called her Cousin Kate, because it
seemed to please her.
She never suspected that / was
mitten with her charms, although /
was draining about her every night,
and during the day wearing out my
knife carving many a big cranky "K"
In the magnolias and sycamore trees
IN the hammock.
used 10 wish that / were a man
20 that l wouldn't have to take those
hateful drenches, and could marry
Cousin Kate and build me- a house on
the high hill that overlooked the river
and the hammock and the ridgy wood
lands beyond. But I was too young.
[ could not have her for my own,
md all l could do was to worship her.
Finally, as in all love stories, the
Villain appeared upon the scene. The
villain came in the shape of Dick Tue
ker, who rode II big grey horse, and
wore calfskin boots and a white hat,
and possessed that fatal gift of beauty
that was demoniac to mo.
Phe-e-ewi How l hated that mani
He was a clever enough sort of fell
low, I suppose; and most people liked
him very well, but I did detest him
Oh, / abhorred him in my sight!
He first came pretending to talk pol
itics with Grandpa, and he would sit
and listen to the old mans Indian war
stories for a long while. But l no.
ticel that when Cousin Kate were out
with sphinx rose in her hair, he looked
like he wanted to eat her with his
black eyes; and he would twist his
black moustache and try to look sweet.
Then / used to go out among the
ea weeds, in the back yard, and get a
stick and thrash the old locust tree. !
didn't cuss, then, because / was afraid
of the Good Lord and Grandpa; but I
used the strongest by-word that I
could find ON the borderlands of BIAS
phemy; and every time I'd hit thai
tree I'd grit my teeth and mutter:
"Dogon, Dick Tucker! Dogon,
Dick Tuckeri Dogon, Dick Tucker"
| At last he got so he did not stop. to
listen to Grandpa, and would go over
and sit by Cousin Kate, and talk to
her just as sweetly.
/ finally made up my mind that I
would put a quietus on his counting
exploits. Then | proceeded to put NV
plan into execution.
Dick was proud of his horse, and
ne rode with short martiugales, and a
curb bit which made the hori arch
his neck and bounce up and dd3n in
fine style as he came galloping up the
lane. Dick always anne along about
Q o'clock Sundays, and l knew that he
made his horse do that way to attract
Cousin Hates attention.
l laid my plans accordingly
Ia! hal hal 1t tickles me now to
think how salivated him, l got me
a long horn and | loaded it like a gun.
First | put in a whole handful of
fine, light ashes to make the smoke;
then l put down a charge of little
black pimples; then some more ashes,
and followed with pimples, until ,
had the horn chuck full.
There was a low place in the road
about a quarter of a mile down the
lane, and a big, green goose puddle
was there.
In the dog fennels that grew In the
fence jamb, | ensconced myself, and
felt like some deadly assassin gloating
over anticipated revenge.
Hate nerved my arm and conosn.
rated jealousy strengthened nay heart.
Ali Cousin Katel A few minutes
would decide between man and man,
or rather boy Victor or vanqulshed,
I Won stake M all Oh the cast Of
thSt norm,