Semi=weekly graphic., 1898-06-11
A COUNTRY BOY.

| the little arbor as James came up tho road, and he thought he had never seen anything so beautiful. He noticed that she was little and slender, too; that her clothes were dainty and her hands white AS he came nearer she stepped out from Tho arbor and asked, with a little curl of her lip:
 uAre you my cousin, James Creeleyg"
 He was only a country boy and SO stood and stared in amazement Then he eiaou. lated;
 IMe? Yes. Your coustnf No'
 "But you must be, ' persisted the girl .Thev said I would see you, and, " she added. with a glance which took in every detail of James costume from the bare feet to the hickory shirt, they said you were handsome lad. " And with that she snifTed a disdainfUl little sniff and walked stfly toward the house.
 Jim stood looking after Ter, a flush maEtling the freekled checks and the white forehead under the red hair. He saw tbe white dress vanish as she turned the corner cf the house and be walked on. He reached the barn just as Mary had fin. jsbed milking the cows. Don't you know there's company she asked as she swung the milk pail around to see the bubbles dance. And they re going to stay for week, and you ought to be dressed.
 4 week! Jim's heart would have sunk into bis baets had he worn any As it was it seemed to go up into his throat and stick there in big lump He went around the yard, shutting the chickens into the benhouso, putting the farm tools away. Then he went to tho house. His mother met him at the door and gave him q list of directions which made his head spin. The result was he came down to supper looking like a city boy. But the freckles and rcd hair were still there. His auHt-whom he had not seen since he was q baby-quite overwhelmed him with her kind manner and her sweet voice, but he would have given it all for one glance aven disdainful one, from the little girl who sat near him, her proud little head turned away.
 AS the days went by the color came Into the white checks of the little golden haired girl and when her mother had 10 go back to the city sbo decided to leave her to stay another week or so. Jim felt that the cows were ugly now, the horses were slow, the fields ot wheat and timothy and the wild roses that grew in the hedges were all dull and drab. He could only find sun shine when little Nell was with him. She hated a boy dirty hands, who couldn't dance and who was awkward and stupid.
 One morning she started out for long walk. Jim saw her as she went out the gate She had d long piece of white thread in her hand and carried three pins in her mouth Fishin, said Jim.
 She had heard her uncle say that there were plenty of fish in the Dee brook if peo- i pie were not too lazy to catch them. She would catch some. Then Jim would see that a city girl could do more than coun- try boy. Her proud little nose turned up at the very mention of the name.
 The brook was soon reached. and Nellie sat down and threw her line as far out as she could She watched the hook float a moment and then disappear She listened to the chirp of the birds iD the trees along the bank. She saw the sunlight glimmer 1 through the leaves, and she became drowsy.
 Suddenly she started up Her line had ! slipped from her hand and was floating in the water almost beyond her reach. She leaned over and by supreme effort caught it, but could not pull it iu. One end was l caught fast under q stone in the middle of ] the brook. She thought of tho fish she meant to catch and gave two or three hard l tugs There Was a jerk, the string broke, her feet slid on the slippery bank and the neE5 moment the little girl was strug- ] gling in the water, and the water closed above the golden head, leaving ever widen ! ing circles shimmering on the surface of 1 the brook
 There was great rustling among the l bushes, a white face and crown of red l hair appeared fer second, and then both l had plunged into tae water. Nell felt her hair being pulled vpry hard. She wonder l ed aftcrWala why it lock her breath away , aad why she was so-s1 sleepy. 1 When Jim made his appearance at the ] tarmyara with his clothes Wriagiag wet, his hair standing on end and the little ! bundle of means in bis arms, Mrs. Farmer j all bqt had Mysteries She said he was i brave bey wien be told the story, but Knowing how t3 swim and giving ones ltr up laf another aeTaquit6 usual for her 1 boys The next dag Nell was 10 ga home 1 sho came out to the barn where Jim was watering the COWS and stood lovingly e4Ieas3Hg the velvet nose gf Che spotted cali
 ''I am going away. Jim, she said shy. y, and 1 came 90 tbaHk you for saving my life.
 She looked at hiH oyer tho calf's head and smiled sweetIy Jim flushed. Ho stammclad something about not having Q9ne anything extraordinary.
 au5 yo0 kHow I would have died, #ouIm l. If you badn oomes"
 azel!3a sud Jim
 Aauna would have been very sorry, continued Neil in her soft little voice.
 50 w9aId l. Jim managed to say.
 Aad n1 city boy cuulI have done 1t, she continued, still ratting the bossy's head Witb her lit,lo hand.
 Pooh! announced Jim
 9he looked up. T want you to como ana see us-to conc Aome with me now Mamma said 50, She said
 And they have been good friends ever Sinee' si though fe is only a country boy Exchange
 How You Bicycle In Eolland.
 There are no restrictions of any sort that know of in Holland You may ride any whore you want-on the towpath, the likes or the brick streets. You can see