Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-08-11
Car'line'S Lover.
ny WILLIAM q. LEE.

At the head Of picturesque littlt
valley high up among the foothills O
the Boston mountains, n turbulen,
Ee<le stream rushes abruptly and
with boisterous conceit from cav
Sru In the face of rocky. overhangin,
Guns, bearing the betitting title OF
Rearing River. On the banks of thi.
noisy boaster. out Of reach Of It's
earcatening power, though still com.
manding an excellent view of its
mysterious source, sat late in the
aeteruoon Of sultry July day. Sati.
afaed with the ceaseless whimsicalitie.
OF the~tream and lulled by the silen,
Surroundings and my comfortable
seat l had relapsed into meditative
mood. from which l was suddenly
aroused 10y the greeting, How
dye do " in an easy, drawing tone.
L turned toward the speaker, man
some thirty-two or thirty.three year.
old, tall and broad.shouldered hol-
low chested. of loose build, with long,
straight, yellow hair and ragged beard
oC reddish hue. He was clad in coarse
hosnespun cotton shirt and snuff.
cutoeed jean trousers. His feet were
1asod with coarse cowhide boots, the
eoetotns of his trousers legs caught
up and held by the ear.like straps OF
his heavy footgear.
Powerful warm" he added. as he
leaned long, muzzle-loading rifle
against my tree, and hopping the
psrspiration from his face with red
k1andarEa handkerchief worn loosely
ABOUT his neck, he proceeded to let
himself down the bank to the water $
edge, where, stretching full length
usson huge fat rock just above the
aar9ace of the stream, and laying
aside his broad.brimmed hat, he pro.
peeScd his lips until they met and
dipped the water simultaneously
will, the end of his nose, and INDUCED
Tn potations long and deep.
reckon you're the new school
teaeher,' he said after he had re-
gained the top Of the bank. re-
piled in effect that I enjoyed that
distinction.
wall now, I'm right glad to see
you Mr.. --Wilkeson, amt it?" he
inquired. Wilkinson" l responded
'-W-i-l-k-i.n.s.o-n, Wilkinson. DO
y0u live near here?
''Yas, down on the first clearing
Ghis side Of DIR. Tyler's plantation,
jest 1t the foot Of Hogs Back. My
zame is Joslyn. Ike Joslyn every.
body calls me-"
II am very glad to have met you,
Mr.. Joslyn," said. II wish to make
riss acquaintance Of oil the people In
che district as fast rs find oppor.
':,anity. Have you any children?
have none of your name on my roll
yet, though / am told that as soon as
che season Of cultivating tho crops
50 past, there will be quite an addi-
ton to the number Of pupils now In
attendance"
'.Wall, yes" he returned, "I've
got four. They amt none of um old
enongh to go to school, though, but
Hetty, and she has to take care OF
the rest. Jest as soon us / can git
any one to take care OF the house and
children, I'm 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
Ho" looking ut me inquiringly.
Eyes, II answered, II have eight
from there"
THE schools mighty good
thing" he continued presently. ~
wasn't raised in this yere backwoods
I came from Pike county,
Iliinoiz, an1 / believe in gettin' an
eiykashun. / never had much chance
when l wuz a boy. I'd like to 90 to
school now" lie added with increas-.
ing earnestness.
likes earnestness impressed me,
nay inspired me, after the discour-
agements Of my short experience as n
,nnDlIe 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 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
vas waiting for me. Betsy AIMS
Jaws were working. The widow and
her twenty-hve-year sold daughter,
Betsy Ann, seldom INDUCED in the
extravagant habit Of dipping snuff,
but chewed plug tobacco Of their own
production and manufacture as n
substitute. Whatever the cause, ell
sign OF Betsy AIMS disturbed equili-
brium disappeared when, seated at
the supper table, ] rehearsed my in
tsrview with Ike Joslyn.
Jest like him." said the widow.
'.Hes a terrible vacillating sort o
man. Those Pike county fellars are
never no account.
"He's got a 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.
"Did Ike say anything about pro-
tracted meetin' ?" said the widow at
break fast table the following morning.
] hooked up inquiringly and she con-
tinued: Its about time they had
it, most everybody's got their craps