Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-01-17
7HURMONT frederick County, Maryland, Thursday January H. 1885,
marvin, would there?

marryin', would thereT
Hush sich foolishness. It would de-.
pend altogether on the woman he got.'
Suppose he got me?
Look here, Nell. You ain t thinkiu'
about marryin' him, air your
''Lowed l might, as he amt got a
COW, and that's about all I'D ask Of
him. But, nanny, suppose I was to
tell you that l logo him?
u would think you had lost your
sence.
We'll, then, reckon I have, for d ,
love him. Yes, l love him so much
that despise him and l could knock
him down.
Gracious aliye!' the woman cried.
YOU We upset the churn and all the
milk's gone. Come back here to me.
You'll break your neck runnin' off
down thar. You are the fetchtakedest
creeter I ever Seed
The girl came back, laughing an
apology for the mischief which she had
wrought, and the woman was scolding
her, though with lessening harshness,
when the mirthful apology and the re-
primand were put to an end by the
sudden appearance Of man, who. .lazily
turning a bend in the path that run
round corner of the house. came slou-
ching toward the woman. He held up
piece of paper, auttered it, and draw
lingly said:
Got this here fer Miss Nell
For me?' the girl cried, running to.
ward him. She soatched the piece of
paper, ran away a short distance, halted
and read the following
"Now that have found out you hate me and don't
want to be kissed all the time, goin' away to be
a poet, and when am one know you will love me
some and will let kiss you part of the time at least
II don, become poet never will come back again
f,r bein' poet is the only way can win your love-
for that is the only way can learn to tell you how
much love you, and when have done that you
can't help lovn me, for then you will see my soul all
blazn for you. don't reckon can get to be poet
before Chrstm As, but Am sure will by then,so you
may look for me Christmas; and if by any strange
possibility don't get to be poet in time to reach
home by Christmas, you just keep on desps'n' me
as much as you please, but you must keep on watin
and don't let anybody else grab you up like the bass
done the pearch, for, as tell you, III be back.
"Yours, SAM
A change came with the reading Of
the note. The noon in her eyes sober.
ed into twilight. For the FIRST time IN
her life she was serious. She turned to
her mother and said
v am awful sorry turned over that
churn.'
The woman was surprised. Whats
the matter, dear? Never mind about
the churn. What's in the note, Mel
lie ?
'Nothin ;only Sam has gone away and
won't come back till he's poet and
I'm afraid be won't be one before Christ
mas and | want him now.
But maybe he Can git the job before
then. It's a good while till Christmas,
and good many things mout turn up
'twixt Low and then. Don't fret none.
But she did fret. She fretted for weeks
at a time at morning when she saw the
dew on the trumpet vine. at noon when
che stood, gazing into the blue pool, at
event ng when the whippoorwill sang his
sad song. The season ripened, the
grain was reaped, the leaves had fallen
Christmas was approaching, coming
slowly down, it seemed, from the brown
ing hills.
Christmas Eve Christmas night. The
girl stood in the door, listening. No
sounds except the faint hack, hack, hack
OF an evenings woodchopper, far away,
and the lowing of cold and desolate
COW in the ravine. He did not come.
The grass was green again, the leaves
came out, the black berry briars were in
bloom, the water pouring over the shell
of slate struck sweeter. sadder note.
The season drew a long breath and an
other change came.
1t was Christmas Mi ght, and the girl
stood in the door. The belated wood
choppers hack, hack, hack was heard
and the same cold cow was lowing in
the ravine.
Good evening"
Gracious alive. is this you, Sam?
YES he said, still standing back
from her. The freight falling npor
him showed that he was we'll dressed.
Wont you come in, Sam p
NO, for you'll still haye to despist
me-
why"
because I'm not poet
What are you, Sam p
u am an agent for a patent churr
dasher.'
She sprang forward and threw hel
arms about him. oh. l am so glad.
sha cried. IAnd Won NAV kiss me al