The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-11-19


" left college
somewhere in the dusky East his
family decided that hard study had
wrought havoc with the poor fellows
health, and forthwith sent. HIM to try
sun-cure as only Texas furnishes it..
AS matter OF fact, he had studied
nothing more serious than beauti-
au assortment OF Bohn's cribs. His
iIl-health was due to causes not con-
nected with the intended routine Of
college life.
So the peaceful little community Of
Jimville, Tex, awoke one day to con-
seriousness Of the fact that it harbored
Reginald Croswaite, Esq, gorgeous in
store clothes and an English accent.
Old man Bowman, who in some remote
and ineXplicable way was related to
the Wretch, and in whose house the
latter stayed, expressed himself about
the newcomer in the general store one
day.
Hes a queer critter,' he said, IAN
! amt so pesky iona of him as I
should be, he bein' kin O. mine. I
doan't rightly understand his ways,
mebbe, bein' brung up different like,
but | emit er hankerin' alter seem er
chile er mine that away"
And that was, perhaps the. feeling of
all OF us there in Jimville. We were
plain folk, and Texas seemed very fair
to US. AS for the things the Wretch
Dragged to us Of sometimes in his con-
descending way-well, the East was
welcome to them. Dante and Delsarte
might be necessary adjuncts in that
sheltered life "down east;' in Texas
they were out OF place There was
tragedy enough in our daily lives, and
any cowboy will tell you that riding
the range will give you more grace
than all the esthetic professors in the
world.
1t was winter-by the calendar and
northern weather-when the Wretch
came to us. AS the spring came on
we thought surely the glamor of it
would seize him also, for there is moth
ang more glorious than Texas spring.
When the juicy grasses begin to cover
the pastures, growing almost visibly,
with wild flowers OF strange beauty
and variety springing up, mushroom
like, on the face OF the earth; when the
mesquite trees shoot out their slender,
knlfe-like leaves; and the cedars take
on new fragrance, new color; when the
soft, gentle balm of the south breeze
induces feeling OF absolute rest-the
person who can be in Texas then and
not feel something of the Joy OF living
where spring is so glorious is not d
person fit for decent society. But the
Wretch never opened his mouth in
praise of anything Texan. He only
turned his nose and his trousers lit
tie higher up and spoke unpleasant
things about the ''infernal mud"
| think the Wretch had but few
friends in Jimville. His cigars and his
whisky may have made him some
friends among the sort of men who
treat"
His only amusement seemed to be
riding. He generally rode to Marsh
town, the nearest post Office, and his
face wore an almost happy look when
he came back from there. We suppose
he was getting letters from home. His
way OF riding the trot was thing that
~Jlmville laughed at. He said he was
riding English" We said, the pony's
name was "Rube," and incidentally
Ventured that if he were to ride that
way for days at time his hide would
be III shreds small enough to make
saddle-straps of.
Spring drlfted away before the
fierce summer sun and he was still
with US, And then the new school
ma am came. The old one had been
offered q school near Austin and had
lett us. She was an elderly, home
~ lady and nobody paid much atten-
ton to her. -... a
But the new schoolma'm She was
young, and so pretty. The blush of
an Alexandria peach was on her vel
vety cheeks-hOw she kept her COM
pleyion in that climate is q mystery
'chimeric-and the CLINT of the cloud
less, azure Texas sky was in her eyes.
She was the daughter OF a farmer in q
nelghborlng township, and her name
was Mamie Alvin. She hadn't taught
school a week before all the children
An the district were her very humble
servants. Consequently she ruled the
village.
The Wretch evinced q sudden fond
mess Tor Professionalism after this. He
used to happen by the schoolhouse,
IN the most casual way, just about
the time that institution of learning
was letting out. Then he would walk
home with Miss Alvin and carry her
books and things. He used to talk
very sweetly to her, | fancy, and she
seemed to grow quite fond Of him.
Jimville looked on and swore to itself.
There was no denying 1.-THE school
ma'am was falling in love with the
Wretch.
The man who swore loudest and
most fervently at this state Of things