The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-08-02


Who taught you that song?'
Nobody | learned il myself. II
came with some music that father or
dered years ago. He does not like it.
l never sing it to him. | have not sung
it before i'm a long time. | do not know
why thought Of ii tonight"
81 do. 1t was just my heart speaking
TO yours. Lisle. VIII you be offended,
boy, If l tell you that you have got
voice like a woman's-just like the
voice of woman whom used to
! know, the sweetest and best woman
who ever lived? she was my sister,
Lisle. and she used TO sing that song
! TO me. | liked 1t because her name
was Alice, like the song. It's a good
many years since | saw her, Lisle, and
l don't know whether she is alive or
dead Don't you see. kid. why my cal
lous old heart filed up with tears so
that it would have burst if | hadn't
shed fewY'
81 am sorry, Craig, very sorry, that
l selected that song"
Don't you be sorry; be glad. 1t
saved me from one of my fits, for one
of 'em has been coming on ever since
l have been here"
"Shall l sing something else for you"
"No; don't sing; don't play. l don't
want 10 get the taste of that one out
of my mouth. Sit here and talk with
me. We won't have another evening
together for a long time-maybe new
err"
''Why do you say that"
I'm going to light out in the morn
ing before that fit comes on. You
think am older than your father, don't
you?"
81 should say that you are, by sew
eral years"
"Well. | reckon l am in some ways.
1t comes OF having fits suppose, but
Dick Maxwell is five years older than
l am. He's As or thereabout according
to his say l look about 5S. but I'm
only 43. Do you know what l am get
ting atT'
mo"
"This: I'm preaching, lad. Every one
Of those years that rest on my head
without having come into my life was
put there by n piece Of scoundrelism
that | committed when | was just the
age that you are now, and hadn't any
more excuse for getting into il than
you have now either. | don't say that
you'll ever get into a place where you
may be likely to do anything that amt
right, but if you do there will be time
10 think-there always is for thinking
is mighty quick work - and if that
time ever does come you remember
what | have said just now and stop
long enough TO hum that song over TO
yourself before you cut loose from the
outfit and go il alone. Life amt going
to be all roses for you, Isle Maxwell,
and don't you forget it! Your father
hasn't brought you up right. to my way
OF thinking. You needn't get huffy. l
amt criticising him. I'm Analysing
you. You don't know any more about
the world outside Of this ranch than
hog knows about skating, and that
amt much to speak Of. I've been
watching you while I've been here,
and there are a whole lot Of things that
you have got TO learn between now and
the time when you will have to go it
alone, and nobody ever knows when
that time is coming. It's Just like q
blamed Injun and draws a bead on
your vitals from behind a bush or n
rock when you amt looking. and it's a
dead shot every time. You can't throw
a loop over circumstance and drag it
along a willing captive like we did that
steer. It's got a way of slipping out
and rOping you instead. and you've got
TO post yourself about things so that
you will be ready 70 keep one hand out
in just about the same way that you
poked yours through the loop Of Jim
Cummings RATA over i'm the Smoky. |
don't wonder that some Of the boys
have said that you look like a woman.
You do, and you do not. You do be-
cause you have got a tender heart, like
a woman's. and it sticks out through
your masculine garb just as plain as
daylight when you amt thinking. Dick
Maxwell has trained you right enough
as far as he has gone, for all know,
but he's a good ways from going far
enough. | want you TO make me a
promise, Lisle."
what sort Of n promise, Craig"
b you'll be 81 some day, and when
the day comes that sees you that old l
want you to promise that you will ride
over TO my ranch and see me. Will
you?
Certainly. | will ride over great
many times i'm the meanwhile, too. If
you care 20 have me-"
That's all right. OF course l care to
have you, but | want you to remember
that promise anyhow"
"Ill remember IT,"
'And now while we've got a chance
TO talk, / want 20 say one thing more
to you about women. This idea that
you've got that they are denominations
on the face of the earth is all wrong, If
your dad did teach it to you. and some
day I'll prove it to you. I've been look
Ing through your library. and there
amt n book there that will tell you a
blamed thing about them-not one. To
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