The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-08-03
A COUNTRY BOY.

She was very little girl, with hair like
spun gold. big brown eyes and req
mouth like wax dolls. She stood In
the little srbor as James came up the
road, and he thought be had never seen
anything 30 beautiful. He noticed that
she was little and slender, too; that her
clothes were dainty and her hands white.
As be came nearer she stepped out from
the arbor and asked, with little curl OF
her lip:
"Are you my cousin, James Creeleyr'
He was only q country boy and so stood
and stared in amazement. Then he eJacu-
lated
"Mes Yes. Your cousins Mo-"
"But you must be-, persisted the girl.
"They said l would see you, and, she
added, with glance which took in every
detail OF James costume from the bare
feet to the "hickory' shirt, "they said you
were a handsome lad" And with that
she suited a djsdainful little sniff and
walked stiff1y toward the house.
Jim stood looking after her, a flush
mantling the freckled cheeks and the
white forehead under the red hair. He saw
the white dress vanish as she turned the
corner of the house and he walked on.
He reached the barn just as Mary had lin
isheu milking the cows. Don't you
know there's coInpanyi' she asked as she
swung the milk pail around to see the
bubbles dance. And they re going to stay
for a week, and you ought to be dressed. y
A week. .Iim's heart would have sunk
into his boots had be 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 heDhOuse putting the farm tools
away. Then he went to the 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 city boy. But the
freckles ami rod hair were still there His
aunt-whom he had not seen since he was
q baby-quite overw helmed him with her
kind manner and her sweet voice, but he
would have given it all for one glance,
even a 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 cheeks of the little golden haired
girl, and when her mother had to go back
to the city she decided to leave her to stay
another week or so. Jim felt that the
COWS were ugly now, the horses were slow,
the fields of 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 Il boy with dirty hands, who couldn't
dance and who was awkward and stupid.
One morning she started out for a long
walk. Jim saw her as she went out tho
gate. She had a long piece of white thread
in her hand and carried three pins in her
mouth. "F'ishin," said Jim.
She had heard her uncle say that there
were plenty of fish in the Dee brook if PEG
pie were not too lazy to catch thcm. She
would catch some. Then Jim would see
that city girl could do more than a 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 ohirp of the birds in tho trees along
the bank. She saw the sunlight glimmer
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 a supreme effort caught
it, but could not pull it in. One end was
caught fast under a stone in the middle Of
the brook. She thought of the fish she
meant to catch and gave two or three hard
tugs. There was jerk, the string broke,
her feet slid on the slippery bank, and the
next moment the little girl was strug~
Cling In the water, and the water closed
above the golden head, leaving ever widen
ing circles shimmering on tho surface CT
the brook
There was great rustling among the
bushes, q white face and q crown of red
hair appeared for q second, and then both
had plunged into the water. Nell felt her
hair being pulled very hard. She wonder
cd afterward why it took her breath away
and why she was $3.50 sleepy.
When Jim made his appearance at the
farmyard with his clothes wringing wet,
bis hair standing on end and the little
bundle of means in his arms, Mrs. Farmer
all but had Mysteries. She said he was a
brave boy when &c told the story, but
knowing how to swim and giving ones
life up for another were quite usual for her
boys. The next day Nell w2s to go home.
Ehe came out to the barn where Jim was
watering tho COWS and stood lovingly
caressing the velvet nose of the spotted
calf
II am going away, Jim" she said shy
ly, and came to thank you for saving
my life. :"
She lOC,ed AT him over the Calls head
and smiled eweetly. Jim flushed. He
stamncrcd something about not having
done anything extraordinary.
But you know l would have died,
wouldn't l. ii you hadn't conner"
'Mebbe, said jim.
Mamma would have been very sorry"
continued Nell in her soft little voice.
$50 would L." Jim managed to say.
And 10 city boy could have done it,"
she continued, still patting the Glossy s"
head with her littlo hand.
POOH" announced Jim.
She looked up. II want you to come
and see us-to come home with me now.
Mamma said so,' she said.
And they have been good friends ever
since, though ho is only country boy
Exchange.
tell how glad am that took that course
In first aid to the injured!
Dr. Dogood-Why, did you meet with
any accident Oh your honeymoonY
Mrs. Bridie-Ob my, yes! We hadn't
been married week before Charley cut
bis face while shaving one morning.
atrapd Magazine.