Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-02

{"
old Tom Burke, speaking 70 q group
Of young fellows at his house one
day. AN sich fellers as sprouts up
in these ere hills and hollers amt
got no use fer her. None Nv ye
wouldn't know what ter do with
sech er gal even sayin ye oud git
her"
Ono Sunday when Frances was
about ~ she went TO church down
Dn Zee Branch. about a mile from
her home. BY some occult means
known only to love in its verdant,
violent stages tho young fcllers'
all knew she world be at that par.
ticular church house that day. and
q large concOurse gathered to ogle,
'act up" and sigh.
When Parson Buckham was about
entering ON his three hour discourse,
with hating preliminaries in the
way of rolling up sleeves, coughing,
water slipping, etc, young man en-
tered the door whose appearance al.
most created q CONSERVATION. He
was tall, graceful, exceedingly hand
some in the face and was dressed in
fashionable clothes. The entrance
of a bear and cubs would hardly
have created greater staring curiosi-
ty and dismay. Young men who
had been punching, slapping, jerk
ing, laughing and shooting quick
glances at Frances to see how she
was admiring their intellectual an
tics all suddenly became motionless,
as if instantly frozen to the benches.
Their lower jaws dropped and their
eyes stood still, staring and lidless.
These awed attitudes continued for
about two minutes, when the preach
er, provoked at his exordium and
striking echoless ear drums, cried
out:
"Look'ee here, folkses, ef We don't
want ter hear me blow on the harp
of gospel truth terday, I'll shet off
the tune right whar it's at Eff I've
got ter pour the milk an honey o.
glad tidin's over logs an stumps, I'll
git out yander in that new ground
ter do it! Him that's got years ter
hear let him git at it dab burned
quick er III raise my brogans an
shove 'em towards that doorl Heah
I have got ye good rich dinner
made up of the ham and eggs O.
truth an the cider an ginger cakes o
spiritual peace an you just turn from
the table like passel o ediots an go
ter starin an gawkin at or peacock
The pointed reference in the clos
ing declaration to the new arrival
violently excited the risibilities Of
the young people The girls, all ex
cept Frances, hid their red, squirm
ing features in their shawls and snig
gered, while the young men helpless
ly sprawled about in violent contor
tons of laughter.
The young gentleman colored and
laughed good naturedly at the thrust,
The expression of Frances face was
compound of embarrassment, anger
and disgust. The demonstration was
highly fiattering to the preacher.
His face was purple and swollAn with
glee. After quietude had partially
been restored he said:
"In order ter git yer minds little
easy about this young man, SOS you
kin give me little of yer 'tention,
I'll tell ye all who he is: He's Willie
Miller, the son NV Mr.. Jacob Miller,
our neighbor. Willie haz been off
down in the blue grass, a-goin to col.
lege and haz growed so that you
girls and boys haz all fergot him.
All un ye take er good look at him
now afore I start the gospel wagon,
and then less us have no more inter.
ruptions. Billy, don't yer think no
ways hard O. me fer tallin like ye
wuz peacock. / was sorter mad at
them young roosteFs back thar or ]
couldn't er done it."
Only sly glances from sullen, jeal-
GUS eyes were sent toward the new
conner thenceforward by the young
men. OF course the girls could not
keep their eyes away from him and
were not expected to.
Ever and anon Frances would turn
her blue eyes on his handsome face,
and her heart would beat much faster
when she would do so.
Mr.. Miller would frequently look
at Frances, and when he would do so
he'd find immediate and pressing ne
cessity for deeper breathing.
II knew she'd been a pretty little
girl" he thought, "but who could
have believed she would have de-
veloped into regular stunneri Oh,
mel'
"He was a nice looking little boy
tolerable-but who could have guess
ed he would have grown into such
wonderfully handsome mani Oh,
dearl'' And 80 thinking Frances
would steal another look.
"Oh, me- Now / see how very, very
foolish has been the feud that has 50
long existed between my family and
hers. 4" Mr.. Miller thought.
my father thinks he can never for
give the Miller family. but j don't