The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-05-16
The Nye Boys Had =. knack q So
Losing Things Just for 81 II, u
# the Fun of It. Z IA II
No One Was Ever Expected 10
Sleep When Edgar Came III
to Stay All Night. &


,bors. I often read to them this part
of a letter which have received from
an old friend: "The bells have ceased
to toll for Edgar Wilson Nye, but here
in the Kinnickinnic valley, where his
childhood and youth were passed; here
where lies the foundation for many OF
his writings, they seem to ring on and
on. We Of the valley can scarcely
speak of him without instinctively think
ing Of his brother, their lives were so
closely knit together. They were al
ways and always will be the 'Nye Boys
have often heard their father, tell this
story of their childhood: When Edgar
and Frank were little fellows they used
to torment me nearly to death by losing
things. ! said one day, boys. if you lose,
another thing I will whip you! The
next day they dragged log chain of
into the grass and lost it. They hunted Z
a long time but could not find it, then
went and told their mother. She said:
We'll, boys, you will have to go and tell
Father Edgar took Frank by the hand
and they came up to where was at work
building fence, and Edgar looked
straight into my face; his voice trembled,
but from those baby eyes there shone
purpose firm and true, and he said:
Father, know we lose an awful many
things It is needless to say that we
all went to hunt the chain and that they
got no whipping after that brave little
speech. !. So all through their lives until
the. year. 1876 they grew into our livesst
neither as Edgar nor Frank, blt'as the
.Nye Boys and SO they will be while
time for us lasts. as
4sThe valley at this time seems full Of
memories of these boys. Some so ten
der and sweet that they cause the tears
to fall, while others are so funny that we
laugh through misty eyes as we recount
them. The greatest sport of Edgar's
boyhood lay in mi1nicry. There were
none for miles around who possessed the
least popularity either in speech, gait,
or general characteristics who escaped
his droll mimicry. He was regardless
of relative or friend in his harmless
jests. MY fathers house, which was the
center of fun in the valley, was running
over with young folk. We never ex-,
pected to sleep when Edgar Nye came
to stay all night Father would lie In !
bed alternately laughing at our fun. and
snoring. Sometimes for fear Of our be-
ing worn out he would rap upon the
stovepipe, a sign that we. must so to bed
and to sleep at once. There was an old
Scotch Irishman who. at times lived with
us, and who. often had crazy spells In
which he would suffer much and groan
and call loudly for help, nearly always
seeming to prefer my services or that /
Of my mother to any other. SO just
about the time that Edgar thought us
we'll asleep he would groan' loudly as
though on the greatest bodily distress,
and all through the chamber would ring
his terrible cries Of pain. Then he
would call at the top OF his voice: Oh
Sary! Oh, Sary! Oh, what shall ! do?'
In exact imitation Of the old man, until
we were all wide awake. Then the fa-5
mfliar rap. So would pass the nights q
!, ..IIis first nom de plume was Petroleum
" SPIKES, under which he wrote 1nuclfs3
fine stuff for the Good Templars' Lodge
or which he was a member; also. man.
witty articles for our good spelling
schools. AZ 81 ID
7; s'In the year 1860 our hearts were all \
touched and turned 1leavenward by the
death Of one OF our most loved compare
ions. Soon after this both OF the boys
united with the little church IN the val
Icy and that church has always held A!S
tender place in his heart. The memory
OF that Sabbath afternoon fingers sweet
~ In our lives like the harmony of tsome
never to be forgotten hymn. AZ they
knelt before the altar the minister
tered these solemn words. Edgar VIZ
son, / baptize thee; Frank Mellen; sbap-H
tie thee the long rays Of sunlight
streamed across thte church and fe1lgS
softly and fingered there upon each bow &
ed head, while the dear old pastor reY-
erently pronounced the blessing. s i:
Il 55ssAs we in heart watched anxiously y
through his sickness, swept with th0ss
tilat wept over the peaceful, resting
or sas we followed all that WIS left sn1 L
earth OF one that we had known insehfflldi
hood tu IT'S last resting place, we feyt the
fullnesa of Drumsheng's d sympathetic re-
mark ak the funeral of George Howe
sThere's Just aeS heart IN Drllntocy
and ts sal "a ssSs