Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-10-26

quite get To the point. BY and by
after two or three years, when | was
getting on fairly WELL made up my
mind | would go back and see her.
thought it over for months, and finally
packed my valise and took street car
for the station. 1t was a beautiful
day in June, l remember-a day that
made me think of old times, when
used TO be q boy in the country.
kept thinking | would be back
there soon. and wondered whether
she would be a full-blown young
lady. and what she had done with her
curls. And l was getting quite ex-
cited with my thoughts. when. all OF
sudden. as 1 was entering the sta
tion, l was jostled back into boyhood
on the double-quick by the sight of
Jim Dawson coming out. Jim Daw-
son-I always hated him: hustling.
shouldering, teasing fellow, who was
here and there and everywhere all at
once when we were children. He
shook hands with me. smiling as
big as a pumpkin. and called me "old
fellow" and said he was so glad to
see me. and he had intended to look
me up-he had promised TO, In fact.
And then he smiled broader than
ever. and asked me IL remembered
Nellie Stevens, whom l used TO be so
soft on. And l had to say l did. for
she was the girl with the curls. l
knew what was coming by that time.
and smiled hack whel he told me
they were going TO be married In De-
tober. and l must come Ia the we'd
n Ill h.
said he had COM to town for a few
days TO sell some horses. and had
counted on seen Z much OF me--was
so sorry l was going out of town.
And | was sorry. too, for l had i'm
portant business TO attend to in Mich
lsan. So | took the train TO coun-
try place l knew of, and walked In
the woods and thought il over. There
wasn't much to do about il. except to
stay away from the wedding; but |
did that
And do You mean to say no other
girl could ever COZ sole you?" | asked.
''0h, there are lots of nice girls, but
! have never gotten at any of them to
fall in love. And | guess It's Just as
well''-with laugh-'.just as well.
Hcw could any oman put up with
my ways"
"Pshawl Almost any woman would
have brought You out so you would
never know yourself"
''No-you see. I'm very comfortable
as l am. | live over there with the
Flats. and they are very good to me.
| read a good deal, and when | get
tired Of reading | practice for an hour
or So
Practice
YES. l have taken to playing the
violin and piano in my old age. It's
too late to do anything with them ex-
cept to make my neighbGrs misera BILE,
but they stand 1t like heroes. and
enjoy pegging away. My brother Is Il
musician, you know, down In Ohio:
and | suppose there Is a streak OF IL
in me somewhere" Yes, sir" he
continued" ignoring my feminine
gender. twice week 1 take my vio-
lin case under my arm and go down
TO the conservatory to take my les
sons. And | suppose the people in
The cars wonder what the old fool Is
doing with violin. and the teachers
wonder what on earth | am making
mp their time for. and my neighbors
| wonder what fun get out OF thump-
ing and squeaking And | wonder
myself why I am doing IL, but yet
keep right Oman hour or so day at
the piano and another hour or so AT
the violin; and so the days pass"
But why do you let them pass sol
Why don't you travel, go abroad!
Well, you see. I am an old fool
there, too. | am trying all the time
10 make up my mind to 90 TO Europe
and see something Of the world, but
don't believe I shall ever get &c
it. You see,"-he hesitated-"I an
afraid"
"Afraid!-of wfatf'
II should think every lurch of the
boat was going to send me to the
bottom; and I shouldn't expect those
nutlandish people over there to know
how TO run railroad-or hotels.
should never for one moment hope e
get back alive
''Rut what's the use Of living
hesitated to complete my protes
against the monotony OF life.
"Oh, yes, / know. But there