The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-06-10

he girl was SllcuU. iDliS ii''Nt NSeA''SN'
to ply the churn dasher, sh" God mo-
tionless. gazing down the s,1pe toward
the pool where she and the lung fel-
low had watched the bass and the
perch.
Yes" the woman repeated, Il do
believe that you'd be fool enough to
marry him YOURSELF
'Well, if was to, l might not have
to churn all the time" the girl replied,
resuming her work.
That's fact" the woman quickly
agreed. Eyes, that's fact, for you
wouldn't have nothin' to churn."
"Well, I'd rather not have nothln' to
churn. wish there wasn't a cow no
where. l hate 'em. All the time g0in'
about causin' folks to churn. If was
to marry man Id see that he didn't
have a cow.
"You can safely marry Sam, then.
He'll never have one-he'll never have
anything"
"Hc'll have wife if he marries, I
reckon
Don't you sass me, Nell. 1 won't
have it
Il wouldn't sass you, nanny. You
know 1 wouldn't: but he would have q
wife if he married. wouldn't he? If he
didn't there w.,;tl!nt be any use III
marryin', wrud t;ierc?!"
FLUSH sich fooiis9lness. ItwOuld de-
pend altogether on the woman he got. .
a.. ,r>f
'Lool1 here. Nell. You amt thinllin'
about nlarryin' hiin. sir YOU
"'Lowcd | might. as he aiu't got a
cow, and that's about all III ak Of
him. But, mummy. suppose | was to
ell YOU that love him.
Il would think you had lost your
,enses."
"Well. then, l reckon / have for
10 love him. Yes. l love him Sc much
hat l despise him and l could knock
lim down.
"Gracious alive!'' the woman cried.
you've upset the churn and all tie
nill1's gone. Como back here TO inc.
You'll break your neck :. runnin' oil
down thar. You are the fetchtal-clest
creeter ever seed"
The girl came back, laughing al
apology for the mischief which she iat
wrought, and the woman was Seeding
her, though with lessening harslness.
when the mirthful apology and tbt
reprimand were put to an emf By t..
sudden appearance of a man. ~.
lazily turning bend in the path l..
ran round Il corner of the house. cam,
slouciiing toward the woman. He hcl,
up piece of paper, huttered it, ant
drawlingly said:
SCOT +h;~ here f. NIiSs Nell"
'For me?" the girl cried, running to
ward him. She snatched the piece o.
paper, ran away short distance
halted. and read the following:
Now that have found out You hate me and
don want to be kissed all the time, l am goin
way to be coet, and when ! am one know
you will love Ele some and will let INC kiss y0l,
part of the time at least. If ! don't become
poet never will come back again. for lcia' q
'oct is the only way can win your love. fol
kat is toe only way l can learn TO tell 70 hoy,
much love ;ou. and when have done tn
;ou can't help lovin' me, for then YOU VIII Sc.
ny soul all blaZin for you. don't recon
IN get to be a poet before Chris; ma but
IN sure will by then, you may Loo: Tor ~
= hriStmaS; and if by any strange possibility !
loaf get to be Il poet in time to reach home by
christmas, yen Just keep on a dcSpisil. me s.
much IS YOU please, but you must Keen on :.
waitin. and don't let anybody else grab you ~,
like the bass done the pearch, for as l tell YOU
I'll be back.
Yours, SAM
nj Z
the note. The noon in her eyes So
bered into a twilight. For The first
time III her life She was serious. She
turned to her mother antl said:
81 am awful sorry | turned over that
churn.'
The woman was surprised. ''XVhat's
the matter, dear? Never mind about
the churn. What's in the note. Nellieg''
"Nothin': only Sam has gone away
and won't come back tell he's q poet
and I'm afraid he won't be one before
Christmas and I want him now"
But maybe he can git the ioD before
then. It's good while TIL Christmas,
and good many things mont turn up
'twiXt now and then. Don fret none. =
But she did fret. She frettcd for
weeks at a time: at morning when she
saw the dew on the trumpet vine. at
noon when she stood, gazing into the
blue pool, at evening when the whip
poorwill sang his sad song. The season
ripened, the grain was reapad, the
leaves had fallen-Christmas was ap-
preaching. coming slowly down, it
seemed. from the browning hills.
Christmas Eve. Christmas night. The
girl stood in the door, listening. No
sounds except the faint hack, hack
hack of an evenings woodchopper, fan
away, and the lowing of a cold and des
olate cow in the ravine. He did not
come.
The grass was green again. the
leaves came out, the blackberry bri1,
were in bloom, the water pouring over
the shelf of slate struck sweeter. sad
der note. The season drew q Iopo
breath and another change came.
1t was Christmas night, and the pirl
stood III the door. The belated wood.
choppers hack, hack, hack was heard
and the same cold cow was lowinr il,
the ravine.
Good evening"
Gracious alive. is thisyou, Sam?"
YES" he said, still STANDING b.cl,
from her. The freight falling mon
him showed that he was we'll dressed
Won't you come in, Sam?"
No for you'll still have to despise
me-
''Why?"
Because I'm not poet.
what are you, Sam?"
Il am an agent for a patent churr
dasher"
She sprang forward and threw hel
arms about him. ''Oh, 1 am so glad,
She cried ..And ron ,,narr Lie - Il