Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-29
THE LITTLE GIRL IN PLUE.
BY j. NOEL JOHNSON.

May apple had thrust a pea-green fist
drought the mantle of mould, and
now. at the kiss of sun ray, the pea
green opened a dark-green palm. In
the veins OF the buckeye tree the leap
ing, urgent sap had pushd fat buds
into full leaf, while on the head OF the
sturdy beech a million green flies
seemed to have settled.
"Ge-wo haw," fell through the still
air. A tall, broad, handsome young
fellow was blowing near by. He had
come down the long furrow to the fence
at the side of the highway and was
turning his horse for the return. he
was singing song with the refrain:
THE happiest hours that 1 can
spend
Are alters with my Susie,
"Ha, haa, hal" rang merry voice
from the road-a voice that rose above
his melody and reached his ear. His
lips were instantly silenced.
He pulled his team to quick stop,
dropped his lines over the right pillow
handle, turned and walked slowly to
the renee, his smiling eyes searching up
and down between the rails, until they
caught round, rosy face, sparkling
with mischievous smiles.
''Ah, hah." triumphantly shouted the
girl, I've caught you at it, have f?'
What do you meanT' queried the big
fellow. resting his chin on the top rail
between his fists.
''Ah, you're so innocent! Ha, ha.
caught you singing about Susie-Susie
Toliver."
Susie Toliver, your granny" return
ed the giant, climbing over the fence
by jings, eff you want to git down
to the truth of the thing, was singin'
about a little gal with brown eyes,
curly hair, round face, cherry lips.
plump for1n-in fact the priest little
gal on this ere crick-or any other
Susie Mayfeld!"
''Oh, dear me, isn't that so nice of
you." ironically spoke the girl throw
ing UP her palms.
Don't know nuthin' bout the nice
ness of them words-ain't no jidge o.
nice words, but when it come ter nice
gals, the Supreme Coh't couldn't out
jidge me-
"I'll tell Susie Toliver what you've
said to me-" spoke the girl, affecting to
pout
GO tell 'er-tain't no more nor what
she knows | tole her Yesterday that
tell me sumthin' | don't know an
l up an sed was goin' to marry you"
Bill Ed, Martini
"Hol on. Don't pull the trigger fore
the gun is loaded sed was goin' ter
marry you eff you would have mean
it's so. Thar amt goin' ter be no
dukin' an dodgin' in the case. I'd
made up my mind to go right over this
evenin', after supper, an AK you, an
now bur you ar, an you're axed. What
do you say?
Why Bill Ed" parted the girl you
take me by surprise, IL"
Not a bit of it," cried the big fell
low, trying to take her hand, you amt
nary bit surprised. You gals amt new
er took by surprise in love cases. They
know when fellers loves 'em so well
that they ar in delishus misery all the
time. You know that when my feet
is tracin' that plow that all my thought,
all my songs, is chasin' arter you Sur
prised, -nuthin. Whether you aim ter
AK we an now I've done it."
The big hand closed on a little one.
It trembled like a bird a moment in mis-
great palm, then deity slipped out.
The girl looked down, turned over q
round stone with her little foot. lifted
her eyes a second to his beseeching
gaze, dropped them again, while soft
"t-he-em" trembled up from her throat
"Ah, Susie, sing it out. Say yes, little
gall plead the big fellow, white with
agitated suspense.
We'll, Bill Ed, IL"
ooh, please hurry implored the man
on the rack.
"-I-dont know exactly what to
say"
Yes, you do!-Yes, you dol"
"Of course, Bill Ed, love you"
Bully for you." yelled the big fellow,
Jerking her UP in his great arms, and
dancing all around over the road with
her, his Joyful voice, full of ecstatic
chant, drowning her screeching pro-
tests. Finally, he put her down and
gave her a chance to speak.
You didn't hear me out" she cried,
Il love you, but as marrying, that's an
other thing"
NO taint-loye kiyers the whole
case"
Wait a moment, Bill Ed; papa IS
urging me to go back TO school-down
at Mt Sterling-and I'd made up my
mind to 60 1t would take me two
years to graduate. 1t would be long
time 10 keep you waiting. | don't be-
lieve in long engagements. During that
spell of waiting. you might change your
mind, and I might"
Change your'n?" precipitately spoke
the young fellow, alarm in bis eyes.
Possibly" admitted the girl.
The bare possibility of such a con-
tingency caused the strong man to reel
as from a physical blow. His face.
lately pink and radiant, assumed the
dead-hue Of putty. He sat down on a
beech log at the edge OF the road, nerv-
ously grabbed up a stick and began 20
white. Susie looked down at the yell
low road and again pushed a little
round stone around with the toe Of her
right boot Finally, the young man
found speech. and he spoke as IL read
ing his own death warrant.
EFF you are goin to school, that set
ties it. Eff you are goin' TO be high
edicated, amt fittin' fer you. Edica-
ton is er good thing. though. an amt
e;% in x-e-t- 1t0hf af .-oss -.