The free press., 1895-07-25

IN along then, for Mary amt the
kind that likes to be KEEP waitin, says
sc 4 s'pose, says I, that you don't
keer eff l stop and talk to you fer
minute, do you?'
Il amt keering' what you do,
| says she, kinder sullen.
you look like you wuz expectin'
somebody yerself, says I, feelin' ez ef
I'd like to choke whoever the Teller
| wuz.
" That's what, says she, and l felt
moren ever like choking somebody.
"'Who is it?' says I, watchin' the
streaks NV laugh round her mouth
and eyes.
That's for me to know and you to
find out, says she, laughin' right out.
"I reckon I'll be goin' on down to
Mary's, says I, thinkin' that l wuz'nt
maxim nothin' hangin' round Susan.
Mebbe you wouldn't. eff you
knowed who wuz comm says she,
kinder reachin' over the gate.
"'Well, tell me, says 4, and see eff
I'll stay
'"I reckon not, says she. still a.
naggin' me, 'mebbe they wouldn't like
it!'
"'Who's they?' says I.
"She give little chuckle, and
come up to the gate and rested my
hands on it to one side nv her'n.
"'Pap and mother says she.
They've gone down to the school
house to preachin' and won't be back
till o'clock.
"'Ain't you kinder lonesome wait
in hyer by yerself Susan!' says l, half
way tryin' to pull the gate open, but
she held it shet'
Z" 4 reckon I wuz, says she. That's
why come out and hung on tho gate.
It's mighty still like in the house
"You reckon you wuz?' says I.
Amt you now?' and 1 chuckled my
self for ketchin' her.
'P'r'aps am and pr'aps amt,
she sniggered, and tossed her head.
81 tried to open the gate, but she
held it shet."
"'Ef you want me to stay, why
don't you say SOP says I gettin ugly.
"T reckon you kin ef you want to,
says she, mighty pesky.
"'Susan, says I, what's the use NV
foolin'?'
"'Foolin' about what?' says she.
"About me and you, says |.
"I amt foolin',' says she.
"'You air. says I, 'and you know
"Ef you don't like me, Lem Skaggs,
says she, brindlin' up all over, you
kin go long l didn't ak you to stop,
did I?'
"'But do like you, Susan, says l,
gettin skeert, and tryin' to pull the
gate open so l could git clos't enough
to her to coax her.
81 reckon you like Mary Finnell
sight BETTER says she,' holdin' the
gate ag'in' me.
"I reckon don't, says |, and l
could feel the gate give little.
"'You wouldn't talk that away eff
she wuz in hearin' distance, says she.
Wouldn't ~ says /, and l heaved
and sot on the gate, but it didn't move
peg. You jist fetch her up here
and see eff wouldn't.
"'No, you iist go down 5har, says
she. That's whar you started fer.
"I didn't do nothin' Nv the sort,
says I, gettin' despriter every minute.
"You told me you did, says she,
and 1 could feel the gate give some
and then shet up ag'in.
"'You oughter know, Susan, says L
serious, that 1 wuz jist a-foolin, and
could feel the gate a-givin' way and
shettin' and then givin' way ag'in.
"'An' you ain't IN now, Lem "
says she, heap sig.t softer than any
time in her life.
"Course / amt Susan says l,
and the gate como open about SIX
inches.
"'Ef only Thought You wuzent,
Lem says she letiu ,4- gate slip my
way leetle more eye y minute.
" You know ain ousan, says l,
givin' the cato the si'oA {est pull yit.
You know it, and yoa know never
give snap NV my 6rgor fer any other
gal in these parts mud that all the
,ortn' after