The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1895-10-31
A DAY oFsARTYRDoh

The colonel sud the young report
se,e appine their respective portions
cola bottle OF beer sud listening 10 u
stir Of 81 tlrrlua iau the other p'sl
When the colonel gTeu reminiscent.
"Assy before The wsr remsrted tn
calopel maauRiy. sheu wss Just sprou
tDg ny htsi wbiskor Ispludle sh'HEed
trusni playing product Of the efete ess
my istbtr seul ne oul toto soaihWes
Missouri to get bfseed np don't kuos
what sas the mAltef with me, but | VS.
All rua dosD, and NY istber vas eonviuu
cd tbst sesson 90 the Missouri farm o
nv uncle would prove ben fcisl alike /,
ny mind and body, might say beior,
soing farther that It did.
bade ny mother torroWiuI gooiby
susy back 10 New York clty. and 10 du,
coarse OF time landed 90 the farm ui
my uucle. Ii wss revelation The yer
duee clad hills, the breezes smelling spicy
and sweet, the cold water from the we'll
wholesome food 10 Ia ge quantities. horses
to ride and lovely pool TO go swimming
10 made new boy OF ms IN sweek Bar
| rug the fact that ! was compelled TO re
/ tire With the rest Of the family st 8 o'clock
st night and get up at 30 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 hesyens when
got acquainted with Melvins Drake,
Melyins Drake was about the four
teeuth child Of farmer living about two
miles nearer town than my uncle Her
father Solomon Drake. was the poorest
man 10 The county. He was poorer than
wstered buttermilk, but the incest, mlld
est hammered old man yon ever saw. His
wife was skinny, ssllow. God forsaken
looking, oserworkei woman, with no
pleasure 10 store for her but death. Both
were hardworkng and honest, but they
had some kind OF hoodoD on them.
They were old resdeuters 10 that part OF
the country, aud their ancestors had been
there before them, but as far back as the
memory Of man could extend the brakes
had always teen poor as my uncle said,
poor as shucks. About sll the Drskes
seemed fitted for was increasing the popu |
laiion and getting hold OF horses that
couldn't draw anything but flies
As WAS saying, Melvins was about
the fourteenth Of the Drake brood. and
she was a dream. guess she was about
l6 years, big and sweet and healthy. Her
cheeks were as rosy and clear as a Miss
ouri apple, aud ber eyes were big and
blue. And she was so do9gone innocent
hat hope | may die lit didn't use to
am barrass me like thunder
Consequences was, got masked on
Nelvins, hard masked | don't believe
stronger case Of calf love ever develop
"a in this whole state OF Missouri If
sw one Of my cousins or any other boy
slking to her, | would go TO some seclud
d spot and cry and buut my soft noddle
gsinst a tree. At night / used TO lie ,
wake aud dream myself hero. | used
0 imagine Melvlns tearing down the road 4,
q a fiery steed, with certain death star
ng be { 10 the face, and me coming up un
Ipectedly, slipping the horse and rescu ,
lg her, sustaining 10 the operation brok )
u leg and snndry other bruises. Then
d imagine Melvina nursing me back t. ,
fe. and finally marrying me, My head ,
as full OF such stuff. {;
One day, along in June there came ont =
ur way wagon loaded with circus bills, -
sstepots aud bill siickers, and they sIsth ,
red the country side with signs snnounc q
~ that the great Egypto Airicsno Circus n
I'd Me3sgerles was to show 10 town op =
le Fourth OF July. When | left home :,
y father gave me $40, and bad most Of u
left | made up my mind that would q
Ike Mevins to the circns, and directly
~ dreams at night took the form OF n -
onsler lion rushing at her with open =,
outh and me engaging the lion lust rs .
was sbont to grab her. and choking :.
I'M to death with one hsnd.
The neit time saw Melvins-I used :.
see her every day ln fact came pref h
near being with her all the time Il ask
her il she'd 90 to the circus. thought =
c' d f.lut Her eyes opened vide, and -,
dld her mouth, and sstouisbmeDt wss
grsved 90 every hne OF her couuiensnce. h,