Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-08-02
Car'line'S Lover.
BY WILLIAM G. LEE.

ern in the face OF rocky, overhangin
cliffs, bearing the befitting title o
Roaring River. On the banks Of thi
noisy boaster, out of reach of it
threatening power, though still com
manding an excellent view of it:
mysterious source, / sat late in TIN
afternoon of n sultry July day. Sati
ated with the ceaseless whimsicalitie
of the stream and lulled by the silen
surroundings and my comfortabl,
seat l had relapsed into meditativ
mood, from which / was suddenly
aroused by the greeting, "Hov
dye do!' in an easy, drawing tone
l turned toward the speaker, mar
some thirty-two or thirty-three years
old, tall and broad-shouldered, hol-
low chested. of loose build, with long
straight, yellow hair and ragged beart
of reddish hue. He was clad in coarse
homespun cotton shirt and snuff
colored jean trousers. His feet were
shod with coarse cowhide boots, the
bottoms of his trousers legs caught
up and held by the ear-like straps OF
his heavy footgear.
Powerful warm" he added, as he
leaned a long, muzzle-loading rife
against my tree, and hopping the
perspiration from his face with a red
bandanna handkerchief worn loosely
about his neck, he proceeded to let
himself down the bank to the water {
edge, where, stretching full length
upon huge fat rock just above the
surface of the stream, and laying
aside his broad brimmed hat, he pro-
jected his lips until they met and
dipped the water simultaneously
with the end of his nose, and INDUCED
in rotations long and deep.
II reckon you're the new school
teacher" he said after he had re-
gained the top of the bank. re-
piled in effect that / enjoyed that
distinction.
wall now, I'm right glad to see
you Mr.. -Wilkeson, amt it?" he
inquired. wilkinson" / responded |;
"W-i-l-k-i-n-s-o-n, Wilkinson. Do
you live near here?
''Yas, down on the first clearing
this side Of DIR. Tyler's plantation,
jest at the foot of Hogs Back. My
name is Joslyn. Ike Joslyn every
body calls me-"
IL am very glad to have met you,
Mr.. Joslyn," said. II wish to make
the acquaintance of all the people in
the district as fast as i find oppor-
tunity. Have you any children? l
have none of your name on my roll
yet, though l am told that as soon as
the season of cultivating the crops
is past, there will be quite an addi-
ton to the number of pupils now in
attendance.
wall, yes" he returned, 1--WE
got four. They amt none of UNI old
enough to go to school, though, but
Hetty, and she has to take care of
the rest. Jest as soon as / can git
any one to take care of the house and
children, Pm going to send Hetty to
school. Hetty takes to larnin'. She
knows all her letters now" he said
with evident pride. How many
scholars have you got?"
about thirty"
81 s'pose Nate Watson's children
go?" looking at me inquiringly.
Yes, III answered, Il have eight
from there"
1.-The schools a mighty good
thing" he continued presently. Il
wasn't raised in this yere backwoods
country, l came from Pike county,
Illinoiz, and / believe in gettin' an
ejykashun. / never had much chance
when / wuz boy. I'd like to go to
school now" he added with increas-
ing earnestness.
Ike's earnestness impressed me,
nay inspired me, after the discour-
agements of my short experience as a
public school teacher in the woods
of Arkansas. Did not the Hon. Oba-
diah Wellman, State senator, preacher,
planter and shoemaker, learn to read
and write after he had married and
become the father of q family? And
Andrew Johnson, at one time chief
executive of this great nation, was he
not taught by his wife, writing and
arithmetic?
was late that night and supper
was waiting for me. Betsy AIMS
jaws were working. The widow and
her twenty-five-year sold daughter.
Betsy Ann, seldom INDUCED in the
extravaganza habit of dipping snuff,
but chewed plug tobacco Of their own
production and manufacture as a
substitute. Whatever the cause, oil
sign OF Betsy AIMS disturbed equili-
brium disappeared when, seated at
the supper table, rehearsed my in
terview with Ike Joslyn.
'Jest like him." said the widow.
Hes terrible vacillating sort O.
man. Those Pike county fellars are
never no account.
Hes got nice piece Of bottom
land, but he's too lazy to fence it in
and clear it up, and he keeps on crap
ping that upland, and it's so poor
that it won't scarcely raise sassafras
now. He amt got more'n three
acres in his clearin' anyhow"
Pretty near four" says Betsy
Ann.
Ibid Ike say anything about pro-
tracted meetin' ?" said the widow at
breakfast table the following morning.
/ looked up inquiringly and she con-
tinued Its about time they had
it, most everybody's got their craps
laid by and IL they wait too long,.
first pinkin'll come on"
Deacon Brown said last Sunday