Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-12
LOVED NOT WISELY,

years ago / was workin through this val.
ley toward Snyder county, an one fine day
ct was one NV them days when yoraeels
like sottin down an jest doin nothin-I
come through this here town an went up
ter tn Red hill. l never knowed Jest why
1 done ct. Eft must "a ben fate, but I
switched off Oh ter tn byroad stead nv
stiokin ter tn pike. l went bout a mile
an didn't meet no one nor pass no houses,
tell at last / come ter a farm what has an
orchard on tn sout' side TIL barn.
"They was a nice grassy place on tn
other side tn road under an apple tree, an
ez ct was one NV them warm, lazy summer
days ! made up me min ter rest an lay
down In tn grass. Yer kin laugh ct folks
who alius talks weather, but l tell We ct
does a powerful sight wit a man. 1 know
Of tibet he'd "a ben a rainy day I'd never
he'd tibet fairy ore-ez tn French calls ct
tibet hit me then an played tn dickens
wit me fortunes.
II was layin there watchin the clouds
overhead an llstenin ter tn plover whistlin
out in the fiel an ter tn tree frawg beller-
in up in tn locus, when all NV a sudden l
seen a blue CLEAN in an apple tree in tn
orchard 'crosst tn way. | watched ct, an
pretty soon l made u thet ct was a wom-
an. She was settin there quiet an still, like
she was readin, an down below l seen tn
top NV a choking coop an hear tn ole hen
cluckin. l couldn't see much fer tn
leaves an didn't git sight NV her face, but
I made out tn outlines in tibet blue caliker
dress an jest kinder drank 'em in.
"Et was tn day done ct all. Fore l
knowed ct I begen ter imagine tn face
thet must hev fit tibet form. l pictured
her like tn girls tibet rides tn mowin ma
chine in tn agricultural advertisement
chromos, yeller hair an all. l wanted ter
try an see her face, but ! didn't dare ter,
for she'd "a seen me-, an ct 'ud "a spoiled
my chanel. But l lay there jest dreamin
like an fore l knowed ct l could think NV
nothin but tibet there girl in tn tree, who
l figured must hev been a heap sight bet
ter lookin than a CIRCUS lady.
"Et come shutdown, an az I he'd ter hus-
tie ter git supper l dragged meself tergeth.
er an moved on. I went up tn valley three
days an got about 80 miles toward Snyder
county, but tn whole time I was thinkin
bout nothin but tn girl in tn blue cali
ker dress. I never felt so queer before an
didn't know jest what ter do. Last 1 de-
cided I'd hev ter 90 back an hev another
look ct her, so l turned round an kiyered
me tracks.
II reached tn orchard bout one day
later, in tn afternoon, an hanged of she
wasn't there, but a.settin in a tree closer
ter tn road. l didn't dast go near her, fer
I knows how 'fraid tn weemen is Nv us
men. But ! slid inter mt ole place an jest
lay there watchin her blue dress wavin in
tn breeze, an then, when l seen as how
changed trees, / begin ter think
maybe she'd seen me an moved up one tree
tn road, kinder SO as we'd be
The tramp's voice broke. He placed one
upon his ragged breast and gazed
over the valley through tear filled eyes.
"Now quit yer blubberin, trampy, an
git ter tn en- Nv this ere yarn"
The traveller wiped his eyes upon his
coat sleeve and continued:
"Waal, as I lay there watchin her SO
still an quiet I begin ter think. l won
dered what her name must hev been an
lowed ct orter been a pretty one. Then /
kinder thought, bein ez I didn't know her
name, / might give her one, tn prettiest
l could git up. Tracked me brain an final
rot on Emily Kate; thet sounded high
toned. Then I begin ter wonder who'd be
fort'nit as ter git Emily an oussed me-
self fer bein SIGH a bum. l kinder thought
I might reform, but final lowed eff she'd
take me without me hevin ter reform ct
I'D DO a sight p~leasanter all round.
II see how she'd moved up q tree an
wondered Of she'd seen me. TIL
more l thought on ct TIL worse I got. I
begin ter think mebbe eff / cleaned up I
be SO bad-in fact, a heap better
Than lots NV folks I knows. BY tn time
1T come sunset I conceded ter resk ct an
begin ter think " crawling tn fence an
nterduGin meself, but then me heart failed
ne. / put ct of tell tn next day an slid
tn fell ter a barn all spent tn night.
81 didn't eat no b%reakfas'. I couldn't.
But when ct come sunup l went down ter
III spring an washed up. Then I cut fer
;h' orchard, tendin ter wait tel she come.
Expected she wouldn't be there SO airly,
she'd likely do up tn breakfas'
fishes.
II Skinned TIL fence inter tn road, an
hen what a sight l seen! + near yelled.
They was a great big Teller he'd his arm
'ound her wais'. She was a-layin all
implike, wit her head pitched forward SO
couldn't see it, an her feet was draggin
tn timothy, fer the Teller was
pullin her along down tn orchard. Et
irst I was fer runnin to her resky, but I
mebbe I'd better wait tell l see
what come NV ct.
9TH big Teller, he pulled her, all limp,
Town ter tn other side an then leaned her
Up agin a tree an hit her a punch wit his
Is. I seen tn blue caliker sunbonnet
Troop. Then he jumped tn fence an start
ID down over tn meddy.
"Me heart was a-thumpin awful.
tell he was outer sight, an then
lumb tn fence an slipped down through
b long grass ter where Emily Kate lay
laf dead, agin tn tree. l seen a chickin,
oop there an hear tn ole hen cluckin, ag
stepped up and raised tn girls droopin
'ead. She he'd a straw face an was keepin
b hawks off them chickings. My Emily
was a SCARE
The tramp's voice grew husky, and he
"See here, you ole fool, it's quit rain
ten minutes, an you've KEEP me from
plittin termorrow's wood wit your
,loomin lies"
The tramp cleared his throat, and, gath
ring up his bandanna and stick, he arose
nd replied:
"Youse gentlemen sisted l mus tell
er bout it, l tole yer-but I mus be
And a moment later he disappeared
round the bend in the road just below
he mill.-Exchange.
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