The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-13
MOUNTAINS VS.. WOMEN.
Reasons Why Rural Poet Ever Re-
manned Bachelor.

(Froni the New York Commercial .idveTtiser)
Digger, the poet of the Yonahlosee. mas
never married. To the gathering on the
veranda at Shops store he has often ox-
planned in fragmsntary, dignified, falf-
silent discourse that these mountings"
land here his long arm describes the great
( huddle of the ranges that surrouE1 the
little plateau where the village isl make
him think and dream away his life. Thus
he is happy though he does not know
anything OF woman.
Digger is sincere in what he says, aad
he understands himself. Shops crowd viii
never make him out for all they are SO
positive, jeering, patronizing. acute.
why. it's Sal. of course. that Sal Game
s05ae he MADE up in his book. says Shep.
The poet has wandered off in the dusty
road. The others do not nod assent; their
faces express entire willin sness 10 hear
moIe-or nothing more.
The corn in the low fields beside the
Yedkin stream raises its straight stalks
with their dropping, lightly rllstlips
leaves, so tall that a horseman riding
through it would be completely aidden.
Beyond the corn field the huge shoulder
of the Grandfather obseures great sec
ton of the evening day. Low down IN the
opening between the Grandfather and
Little Pigeon mother-of- pearl -yimmers of
heat lightning flash ftfuIly. Shop HIM
self is sitting with his back to the iGnd-
scape his chair tipped against the rail.
Bud Shurl however. sees and says:
Showers"
"Speakin' bout your noyelle," slys Shsp
to Digger, who pauses again before the
company, his head thrown back, his
pointed locks caked by habitual employ
ment of softening grease, cutting the line
of the back Of his head into notchss like
a saw.
Yes says Digger.
Il make out that you are in love with
Sal yourself" says Shep, boldly, an that
the Teller Billstone could get a divorce
from Sal If he wanted ter, Shep chuI kled.
Digger did not smile; he answered
simply:
He amt a kind of man TO behave
such-a-weys; and he knows better if he
was
After time he spoke as follows:
The people over at Rock Rest got me
TO take EN- on a picnic TO the top OF
Grandfather. There was a woman named
Miss Dingle in the party. and man who
l knew was her Teller by the way M
helped over stones-his name was WhiiIy
Miss Dingle said how exkisit.. when sle
found piece of moss that was greener'n
the rest of it was, an she screeched out
loud, How charmin' at the first sight she
got of the low bottoms by the fork of Dan.
Witty says Yes in slow way He was
enjoyin' his feelin's quiet and personal.
These two fell away off from the others
am l kept nigh 'em, for the path was
plain enough for the rest of the party, an
l didn't intend these two should get lost
''She was frettin' him some way He
felt pestiferous that l could see. | come
up behind EN- an she was sayin' How
adorable that there is an he answered
nOthin'. and she turned and looked at him
sharp and says, I spoke to you, Mister
Witty He just bent and picked some
RATHER berries. | had to tell him: Don't
eat them, Mr.. Whitly; they'll turn yer
yeller' So he spat 'em all out
While We was havin' dinner OF the
mounting top a heavy shower come dawn
over White breast way We could see the
whole Of it gather and fall and break up
and yield to the brightness OF the sun. Ii
was a beautiful scene. But Miss Dingle
wasn't satisfied without she tucked Witty
by the arm an poked him, an cries out
every minute, lovely, exkisit, magnificent,
grand, ideel, and SO on. Witty got mad
all of sudden. He turned red an then
pale. as if he ct a pint O. rattler berries |
an he said, shet up, will you!' and walked |
off by himself to mediate. as l knew. on |
the grandeur an beauty o natur
Its So" said Digger, dreamily, with !
me. I never wanted no one tie poke me |
an say 'exkisit,' or I'd he'd one of them |
Rock Rest girls long since. The mount |
ings are enough for ME all alone
The poet was silent The group in |
Shops veranda. who had nothing TO say !
until Digger should go, all distantly pared |
their nails.