Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-08-02
The next dav. Sunday. the sun

The next day, Sunday, the sur
shone brightly and fervently. In the
afternoon Jim and / made hunting
expedition. Late In the day, weary
and warm and laden with wood ticks,
we emerged into clearing and were
greeted with the regulation hubbub
OF dogs. Recognizing the home OF
Nate Watson, We stopped to quench
our thirst and rest our weary legs.
Mr.. Watson's family consisted OF
four children by his first wife, Mrs.
Watson's five children by form er
husband, and three children, fruit of
the present alliance. On this occa-
sion the children were all, except
Caroline and the two younger, in the
corn and cotton fields. Caroline was
helping her mother about the
kitchen. a small detached building
about a rod from the main house.
Mr.. Watson, tall, powerfully built
man, clad in the regulation coarse
homespun cotton shirt and Jean
trowsers, minus shoes and stockings,
sat on the porch just putting the
finishing touches to his rifle, which
he had evidently been cleaning. Ike
Joslyn lounged beside him.
Upon my asking for water, Nate
called: "Car'line, bring the gentle
men some water"
A moment later caught glimpse
of female figure in calico gown and
sunbonnet disappear by path from
the house. into thicket of second
growth pines and sassafras, and di-
rectly after emerge, coming toward
us carrying a wooden bucket. When
she reached the porch and deposited
the trimming pail of spring water
with drinking gourd, although she
never raised her eyes, which were
deeply hidden in the great homely
sunbonne-, but turned Immediately
and retracad her steps to the kitchen,
l saw pretty sun-browned hand,
two small, perfectly-shaped bare
feet, and just the merest glimpse of
dainty little chin beneath sweet,
tender mouth that / knew belonged
to girl i'm her teens.
"Why should she hide her eyes in
that ugly sunbonnet?" thought, for
she must have pretty eyes. | was
conscious that Ike's gaze followed
her intently as long as she was in
sight, though neither of them spoke.
The Sabbath day, though hotter
than ever, found the old log church
with no suggestion: of loneliness. A
large congregation had assembled.
The interior was filled to the very
doorways, and listeners with uncov-
cred heads stood outside at the win
dows. A few colored people stood in
respectful attitude just outside Of the
doors, to catch the utterances of the
speaker, sometimes loud and vehe-
ment rising to a frenzied pitch, and
again descending in low solemn tones
to a whisper, succeeded by pause of
awful and threatening silence. In
closing the preacher announced that
the protracted meetings would COM
on the morrow, to continue for
the remainder of the week, and the
week following, if the interest already
did not abate.
One after another the days of re-
vival passed. Every day opened
my school, then dismissed my pupils
and as in duty bound attended the
meetings.
At last the great revival was over.
Another Monday morning had come
and the world seemed bright and
beautiful as i walked briskly along
the forest road toward the old log
church to resume again my school
duties without interruption.
In all my thoughts of the work
again about to commence, the face of
Caroline was wildly prominent. And
rs l drew nearer the old log church
all else seemed to retreat into the
background and fade entirely from
my thoughts. / should learn to know
and understand her now as no other
could, as l assisted and guided her
innocent mind in the pursuit of
knowledge. Perhaps as i corrected
her copy or assisted her in the knotty
problems of written arithmetic l
might accidentally touch the pretty
hand or the soft, wavy hair.
Look yere where's that yellar-
haired, white-livered, sneakin' Pike
county horse thief gone with my
yal?'
A mighty grip seized my shoulder
rs in ON iron wise, and wrenching me
.udely from my blissful dreams,
visited me around until l faced the
angry, murderous gaze Of Nate Wat
son. He had overtaken me coming |
rom the trees to the left of the trail,
md had thus savagely seized me be-
ore / was aware of his presence. We
we're standing on the bank of Roaring
liver by the tree where l had first
seen Ike Joslyn.
What do you mean, Mr.. WatsonY
| replied in a surprisingly calm voice,
my state of mind.
"Where's Ike Joslyn gone with
Car liner" he demanded.
like Joslyn with Caroline! ~ / re-
peated with such evident astonish-
ment and dismay that he relaxed his
hold and his hand fell heavily to his
side.
Didn't you know the dirty 'kioty
had Hoped with Car'line?" he asked
almost plaintively.
Eloped with Caroline!" / could
only repeat in my dazed surprise.
And then as the true meaning of his
words gradually dawned upon my
:-&o1loot ,,,nCf ,oosn f,,l L