The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-12-20
HENDERSON, N. c., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1894

about marryin' him, air you?"
"'Lowed might, as he amt got q
COW, and that's about all I'd ask Of
him. But, nanny, suppose / was to
tell you that love him?"
81 would think you had lost your
senses"
''Well, then, 1 reckon have, for
do love him. Yes, love him SO much
that despise him and / could knock
him down"
''Gracious alive!'' the woman cried.
you've upset the churn and all the
milk's gone Come back here to me.
You'll break your neck a runnin. of
down thar. You are the fetchtakedest
creeter ever seed"
The girl came back, laughing an
apology for the mischief which she had
wrought, and the woman was scolding
her, though with lessening harshness,
when the mirthful apology and the
reprimand We're put to an end by the
sudden appearance OF man, who,
lazily turning bend in the path that
ran round a corner of the house, came
slouching toward the woman. He held
up piece of paper, futtered it, and
drawlingly said:
''Got this here fer Miss Nell"
"For me?" the girl cried, running to-
ward him. She snatched the piece OF
paper, ran away a short distance,
halted, and read the following:
Now that have found out you hate me and
| don't want to lie kissed all the time, an gotn'
! away to be poet, and when am one know
you will love me some and will let me kiss you
| 1&t,, lo,C 7 dom hON nYr0a
o poet never will come back again, for bein' o
| poet is the only way can win your love- for
| that is the only way can learn to tell you how
much love you, and when have done that
you can't help lovin' me. for then you will see
| my soul all blazin' for you. don't reckon
| can get to be poet before Christmas, but
| am sure 1 will by then. So You may look for me
| Christmas; and if by any strange possibility
don't get to be poet in time to reach home by
| Christmas, you just keep on despisin me as
much as you please, but you must keep on a
waitin', and don't let anybody else grab you up
| like the bass done the pearch, for as I tell you
| I'll be back.
| Yours, SAM"
A change came with the reading of
the note. The noon in her eyes So
bered into twilight. For the first
time in her life she was serious. She
turned to her mother and said:
81 am awful sorry I turned over that
churn."
The woman was surprised. whats
the matter, dear? Never mind about
the churn. What's in the note, Nellie?'
s.Nothin'; only Sam has gone away
and won't come back tell he's poet
and I'm afraid he won't be one before
Christmas and want him now"
''But maybe he can git the job before
then. It's good while till Christmas
and a good many things mout turn W
'twixt now and then. Don't fret none.
But she did fret. She fretted fol
, weeks at time; at morning when sh'
saw the dew on the trumpet vine, a
noon when she stood, gazing into tn
blue pool, at evening when the whip
poorwin sang his sad song. The seasol
ripened, the grain was reaped, tn
leaves had fallen-Christmas was ap
preaching, coming slowly down,
seemed, from the browning hills.
Christmas Eve, Christmas night. TIL
girl stood in the door, listening. n
sounds except the faint hack, hack
hack of an evenings woodchopper, ia
away, and the lowing of cold and de:
olate COW in the ravine. He did nc
come.
The grass was green again, tn
leaves came out, the black berry bria1
were in bloom, the water pouring ove
the shelf of slate struck a sweeter, sat
der note. The season drew Ion
breath and another change came.
1t was Christmas night, and the gi
stood in the door. The belated WOO
choppers hack, hack, hack was hear
and the same cold COW was lowing
the ravine.
Good evening"
"Gracious alive, is thisyou Sam?''
Yes he said, still standing ba'
from her. The freight falling up'
Z him showed that he was we'll dresse
e Wont you come in. Sam?"
!, mo, for you'll still have to despi
me-"
- "Why?"
- Because I'm not poet"
IL "What are you, Sam?"
Is 81 am an agent for patent chu
:. =. dasher."
IL She sprang forward and threw b
T. arms about him. ''Oh, l am SO glat
'e she cried. And You may kiss me
the time"
- A CONSIDERABLE LOTHARIO.