Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1893-03-01

| "'"y "iei 'OOp oiSh hhN S"" 'N
more for few minutes. Then he
asked: "'Bout how far is it TO Cairo,
lll?" | said | didn't know exactly,
thought nearly thousand miles.
"W lsn was there" he jerkcd out,
with an effort.
| began to suspect that "The girl |
left behind me-" was troubling him
and he wanted TO talk about ii and
did not know how to begin. So !
rather banteringy said: "Tell me
about her."
lie locked at nc with a look of
comical dismay, and said "Why, how
did You know?' and then said: 81
might as well tell some one, though
there amt much to tell. used to
live down in Cairo and was rOust-
about on Mississippi steamer. There
was another fellow always worked on
the same gang with me and We were
thicker than molasses in winter. He
was as vain as a peacock and thought
he was some one when Inc got on his
Sunday togs, and he was purity
sizabc sort of feller. Well, there
was girl who lived down the river
few miles, whose dad run truck
farm and sent garden sass to ST. Louis,
you know. Hank Simpson and me
both met her at dance one night.
got introduced first and danced twice
with her before Simpson did,
and then she danced several
times with him, and when | come up
once to ask her she said she couldn't,
as she was going to dance with Mr..
Simpson. That made me hot and |
went and tod Hank he was not doing
tho fair thing, not allowing her to
dance with any one but him. He
laughed and said shc didn't seem to
think of any hardship. Well, we
both got mad, and | told him | would
dance with her anyway, and | went
back and said Hank couldn't keep hi,
engae cmont. We'll, sho dnncoi with
me, but Hank and me were enemies
and he did me every bad turn he
could. Well, used to go down tic
river every Sunday to old man Lees
place, and sometimes found Hank
Simpson there, and he went down
sometimes in the week. couldn't
tell which of us Elsie liked the best or
whether she was fooing both of us.
She was pretty enough for better than
u.s."
Here tender no;c cropt into his
voice.
81 had to 60 down on the boat 10
Vicksburg, which would take about
two weeks, as we would have to wait
for cargo. 1t was a regular purga-
tory to me all the time was gone,
for was afraid Hank would get the
best of me, and made up my mind to
have it out when | got back. The
next Sunday went down. | had
bought a ring in Nicksburg, with two
clasped hands holding a little garnet.
to give her, and thought maybe that
would help me out found her in Il
little arbor in the corner of the gar
den. She seemed glad TO see me, but
she acted the same to Hank, 50 |
couldn't tell anything from that. She
asked me about the trip, and wanted
TO know if | had lost my heart 10 any
pretty girl in Vicksburg. ! thought
it was now or never, so l said: elbow
could when left il at homer
"Who took care of it while you
were gomez she asked.
"Id like to think you DID, said.
Il wish, Elsie, you could make me II
little better than Hank Simpson.
You know how much ! caro- for
you.'
"She looked down aud dug her
shoe into the dirt and said: 'How
should !? You never told me-
"'Well tell you now, and | can't
bear 10 think of Hank coming here
TO see you when want you to marry
me.
"El looked at Inc aud then said:
why, Bob, didn't know that you
meant anything
"Well, Miss Majors, she didn't
make much fuss when put my arm
around her and kissed her. felt as
if was in heaven and even felt sorry
for Hank Simpson. wanted TO do
something great that would make me
worthy to have Elsie for wife.
After she had given me her promise
didn't care for Hank Simpson and
wasn't bit jealous of him. She told
me that she had begun to care for me
at the dance but had been afraid to
cross Hank. as he had such temper.
"Maybc You want to know why |
am away out here. Well, Elsie and
me agreed that it was no use trying
TO make any money to buy home
working for days wages OH the river.
Ecard that good men in the mines
in the mountains got big wages, and
so l thought l would try. l went to
see Elsie the night before l came
away, and she cried and hung to me
till almost lost my courage to go,
but did. have been here a year