The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-10-11
ADAYOF MARTYRDOM

whir Of an electric fan the other night
when the colonel grew reminiscent.
"Away before the war;" remarked
the colonel musingly, "when was just
sprouting my first whisker--a spindle
shanked, truant playing product of the
effete east-my father sent me out into
southwest Missouri to get braced up. I
don't know what was the matter with
me, but I 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 before going farther
that it did.
81 hade 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 revelation. The
verdure clad hills, the breezes smelling
spicy and sweet, the cold water from
the we'll, wholesome food in large guam
titles, horses to ride and a lovely pool
to go swimming in made new boy Of
me in a week. Barring the fact that I
was compelled to retire with the rest Of
the family at 9 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 water, that farm was heaven. 1t
was two heavens when got acquainted
with Melvina Drake.
"Melvina Drake was about the four
teenth child of 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 hammered old man you
ever saw. His wife was skinny, sal
low, God forsaken looking, overworked
woman, with no pleasure in store for
her but death. Both were hardworking
and honest, but they had some kind Of
a hoodoo on them. They were old resi-
denters in that part Of the country, and
their ancestors had been there before
them, but as far back as the memory Of
man could extend the brakes had al
ways been poor-as my uncle said,
pore as shucks. About all the brakes
seemed fitted for was increasing the
population and getting hold Of horses
that couldn't draw anything but flies.
GAS was saying, Melvina was about
the fourteenth of the Drake brood, and
she was dream. I guess she was about
10 years, big and sweet and healthy.
Her cheeks were as rosy and clear as a
Missouri apple, and her eyes were big
and blue And she was SO doggone in
,,ooon+ +bot r bopo r NOV 5ia If II did, "
use to embarrass me like thunder.
Consequences was, I got mashed on
Melvina, hard mashed I 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, I would go to
some secluded spot and cry and butt my
soft noddle against a tree. At night 1
used to lie awake and dream myself a
hero. I used to imagine Melvina tear
ing down the road on a fiery steed, with
certain death staring her in the face,
and me coming up unexpectedly, stop
ping the horse and rescuing her, sustain
ing 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.
"One day, along in June, there came
out our way wagon loaded with circus
bills, pastepots and bill stickers, and
they shattered the countryside with
signs announcing that the great Egypto'
Africano Circus and Menageries was to
show in town on the Fourth Of July.
When I left home, my father gave me
$40, and had most of it left made
up my mind that would take Melvina
to the circus, and directly my dreams at
night took the form Of monster lion
rushing at her with open mouth and me
engaging the lion just as he was about
to grab her, and choking him to death
with one hand.
''The next time I saw Melvina--I
used to see her every day; in fact, I
came pretty near being with her all the
time-I asked her if she'd go to the cir
Gus. I thought she'd faint. Her eyes
opened wide, and so did her mouth, and
establishment was engraved on every
llu6 VI u6I OhO w as GU
overcome with joy that she just sat
down and cried. I sat down, too, and
that was the first time ever kissed her.
"Young man, that kiss is sacred
memory with me. I have experienced
good many sensations in my time, but
the senation of kissing a handsome,
buxom southwest Missouri girl right
square on the soft, sweet lips, while the
tears from her heavenly eyes are running
down and making pearly drops on your
budding mustache, is something better
than all of them put together.
"And when, like Melvina, she puts
her brown, bare arms around your neck
and kisses back - one of those long,
clinging kisses that Ella Wheeler Wilcox
writes about-words are superfiuous.
But have often wondered, since l have
become calloused and cynical, where
Melvina learned to kiss. She was rev.
citation to me.
GsT;ro1Ix, tho o1oriOua EOurth cama