Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-10-25
A DAY OF MARTYRDOM.


to the whir of an electric fan the other
night when the colonel grew reminis-
cent.
Away before the war;" remarked
the colonel, musingly, when was
Just sprouting my first whisker--a
spindle-shanked, manipulating prod
uct of the effete east-my father sent
me out into southwest Missouri to get
braced up. / don't know what was
the matter with me, but ] was all run
down, and my father was convinced
that season on the Missouri farm of
my uncle would prove beneficial alike
to my mind and body. might say be-
fore going further that it did.
II babe my mother a sorrowful
good-by, away back in New York city,
and in due course of time landed on
the farm of my uncle. 1t was reve-
lation. The verdure-clad hills, the
breezes smelling spicy and sweet, the
cold water from the well, wholesome
food in large quantities, horses to ride
and lovely pool to go swimming in
made new boy of me in week
Barring the fact that I was compelled
to retire with the rest of the family at
nine o'clock at night and get up at an
hour in the morning when the dew on
the grass felt to my bare feet like ice
waller, that farm was heaven. 1t was
two heavens when got acquainted
with Melvina Drake.
| AIn1, 4 L.
teenth child of a farmer living about
two miles nearer town than my uncle.
Her father, Solomon Drake was the
poorest man in the county. He was
poorer than watered buttermilk, but
the incest, mildest-mannered old man
you ever saw. His wife was skinny,
sallow, forsaken-looking worked
woman, with no pleasure in store for her
but death. Both were hard working
but honest, but they had some kind of
a hoodoo on them. They were old res
identers in that part of the country,
and their ancestors had been there be-
fore them, but as far back as the mem
DRY of man could extend the brakes
had always been poor-as my uncle
said-'pore as shucks' About all the
brakes seemed fitted for was increas-
ing the population and getting hold of
horses that couldn't draw anything but
flies.
AS was saying, Melvina was about
the fourteenth of the Drake brood, and
she was dream. | guess she was
about sixteen years, hg and sweet and
healthy. Her cheeks were as rosy and
clear as Missouri apple, and her eyes
were big and blue And she was so
doggone innocent that | hope may
die il it didn't use to emharrass me like
thunder.
Consequence was l got mashed on
Melvina; hard mashed | don't be-
lieve stronger case of calf love ever
developed in this whole state of Mis-
souri,. If / saw one of my cousins or
any other boy talking to her l would
gr to some secluded spot and cry and
butt my soft noddle against tree. At
night used to lay awake and dream
myself hero. used to imagine Mel
vina tearing down the road on fiery
steed with certain death staring her in
the face, and me coming up unexpect-
eddy, stopping the horse and rescuing
her, sustaining in the operation a
broken leg and sundry other bruises.
Then I'd imagine Melvina nursing me
back to life and finally marrying me.
My head was full of such stuff.
Zone day, along in June, there came
out our way q wagon loaded with cir
Gus bills, paste pots and bill stckers,
and they shattered the country side
with signs announcing that the great
Egypto-Africano circus and menageries
was to show in town on the Fourth OF
July. When | left home my father
gave me ten dollars, and | had most OF
it left. j made up my mind that
would take Melvina to the circus, and
directly my dreams at night took the
form of n monster lion rushing at her
with open mouth, and me engaging
the lion just as he was about to grab
her, and choked him to death with
one hand.
1.-THE next time | saw Melvina-I
used to see her every day; in fact,
came pretty near being with her all
: the time-I asked her if she'd go to
the circus. thought she'd faint.
Her eyes opened wide, and so did hel
mouth, and astonishment was en-
graved on every line of her counte.
nance. She was so overcome with JOY
that she just sat down and cried,
sat down, too, and that was the first
time | ever kissed her. Young man
:. that kiss is sacred memory with me
| l have experienced good many sensa
tions in my time, but the sensation O
kissing handsome, buxom Southwest
Missouri girl right square on the soft
! sweet lips, while the tears from hel
heavenly eyes are running down ant
making pearly drops on your budding
mustache, is something better than al
of them put together. And when, like
Melvina, she puts her brown, bare
> arms around your neck and kisse:
:, backbone of those long, clinginl
kisses that Ella Wheeler Wilcox writes
. about--words are superfluous But
nave oiIcu WoHucreu' Siucc nave NC
come calloused and cynical, wher,
!, Melvina learned TO kiss. She was
y revelation to me-
FINALLY the glorious Fourth cam
around and got ready for the circus
might explain here that hat
u brought suit of lore clothes and I
pair of shoes from the east with me
S hut had never worn the clothes OIL
}, the farm and seldom wore the shoes
Everybody down in that section wen
4 barefooted, boys and men, aud did a
a he tomans did This Fourth OF Jul,
S morning put on 'bled shirt m.
9 Atoro clnthoS, NV shoaS and socks