Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-02-11
A YANKEEFiED THING.
BY Opie Read.


Of Bledsoe's Cove. One was of the
comic variety and was received by the
circuit rider 1t represented 4 man of
painfully pious countenance, pounding
an enormous book, supposed to be a
text volume Of narrow creed. The
circuit rider did not waste many min
utes in speculation as to who sent the
insult. His mind settled upon de-
PRAYED young fellow who recently had
fallen from grace; so, mounting his
mule he rode 10 the house Of the mis-
creant. thrashed him soundly, returned
home and resumed his work on 4 SER
non entitled, THE Wages Of Sim
Ibis hi Of enterprise so lifted the
preacher in the minds OF his people
that he was given horse and pair
Of socks, knit by one of the Oldest
women in the community. And that
was the end of the comic valentine.
The sentimental variety had also
history, somewhat longer and
more of the bearings of human inter-
est. In all neighborhoods, remote from
centers of progress, there lives a young
actly understand His appearance is
odd and his mind is given to strange
capers. His earliest disgrace was his
lack of Judgment regarding horse ::
latterly he brought upon himself an ad-
ditional disrepute by making the poor
est guess concerning the weight of q
hog 1t requires many years to live
wv 10 I, nd
during the time when the young fellow
should find mos; enjoyment in society,
he is Knocked by boys and Uttered at
by girls. Such blot had fallen upon
Tab GRANGE, of the Bledsoe's Cove
nRighborhoOd. But he had many
virtues, easily pointed out by the old
men Of the community. He was in
dustrious a great virtue; he was bright,
passable merit: and he had nerve
almost a religion. Still he was no
Judge of a horse and his estimate of
The weight of a hog was feeble. His
elders agreed that in time he might
outgrow these faults and thereafter be-
come useful member Of society and
passabe husband; still nothing but
time would serve to prove these kind
pICenos.ics
OF course. this neighborhood had to
boast CT belle, handsome, imperious.
cold and somewhat disagreeable girl,
And her name was Nell Brizenl inc.
She really was handsome but ii was
the social influence of her father that
gave to her the undsputed right to
l,.,, . to-
could look into a horses mouth, squint
time or two at his teeth and tell al
most his exact age He could predict
drought or a long spell OF rain; and
a hog had 70 riot at a lively gait to
thwart the old mans guess at its age.
There was no getting round such ac-
complshments so, by dumfounded con-
sent, Miss Neil was accepted as the
first young woman of the community.
II was said that after the proper time
had passed. when she had enjoyed to
complete ripeness the sway of social
ruler she would marry Dave Hutch
and settle down. Dave was in every
way worthy of her He could stand in
a half-bushel measure and shoulder
four bushels of wheat: he could stand
and jump eight feet seven inches: he
had beaten old Cap Spears at pitching
horseshoes and he had startled even
old man Brizentne by guessing with
in ten ounces of the weight OF white
Chester SOW, brought from the river
bottoms by man named Belts, who
shortly afterward was shot and killed
by fellow named Homer.
Well, one St Valentine day, when
old Brizentine came home from the
crossroads post office, he brought
large square envelope for his daughter
Nell. With a delicious wondering she
seized it, and with caseknife opened
it 10 find a valentine, gold and lace
Upon It was flaming heart and in the
blue letters across the heart were i
words Il love you"
Must be from nave Hutch" said
tie old man
No the girl spoke up; cts not
from him lie don't believe in such
things. He never slips around to do
anything he does II right out"
Then who could have sent It? It's
an uraerhand trick anyway, I'm like
Dave: | believe in coming right out"
It's mighty pretty. anyway" she
said
Yes pretty insult" the old man
declared
4 don't know but II is she agreed.
dropping the piece Of fnery. And
don't Ike It at all It's taking a mean
advantage Of me"
"Yonder comes Dave right now"
said the old man, looking through the
window. Wen see what les got to
say"
Dave was furious He swore that no
slyer insult could be put upon a young
woman. In the first place" said he.
1T Is known that We are going To
marry, and that OF itself ought to ward
OF such things as these And II find