Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-09-07
With q View
to MatrinlOnY.

can | dew anything moar for ye,
Sally" said Bob Heron, the cowman,
to his sister as he finished banging the
mud and muck" off the mats against
the OuthOuse wall.
"Why, whatever ha' come to ye?"
said his sister. "D'ye want anythlng?"
For years Sally had taken upon her
self the uncnviable task of looking Il IT.
er her old father and of "mothering"
her three younger brothers. Her eff
forts to keep them going in food and
clothes were wont to meet with more
unmcrited abuse and foul language
than any return in the shape of atten-
ton, gratitude or help. This she felt
the more as she was a woman with
ideas of refinement that were unusual
in the neighborhood of FrogSthorpe
and took to heart the complaints of her
great loutiSh brothers that they
hadn't got moo mother" Boh's desire
to assist her in any way surprised her.
"Narthcn to sigcrfy," said Bob sheep
ishly. cant | dew narthen moar?"
Sally hustled about and dcftly tidpd
up the Kitchen out of the corner Of
her eyes She watched Bob hanging
around uncomfortably with an evident
wish to ask something and rcluctancr
to make "A start.
Shall | sluch the bricks down for
ye?" inquired Bob
"Comr an do" said Sally. "TcH us
what 'tis. Surely to goodness ye aiu't
afrard"
"WiIl yc prarmu> not to put the grin
on tow me-" Eoh asked.
"Why. what should | want to do that
for?' said Sally, who was getting in
quisitiyr and knew the only way 10 cX-
tract Information from her brother was
to cyiucc no curiosity. "Rut just as ye
like. | can't keep muddIn about here
all the morhin,'
81 want We to tell me what TO say"
Bob gaSpnd ont.
SAY: Say WhatE Whatever are ye
talkin about; don't know the mcauin
ont"
"Wru! There's gall Bob began
ncryouSly.
"Ah, There's plenty O th"m' said
Sally, unconcorucdIy.
Il want ye to tell me what to SHay i'm
n letter." burst ont Bob "Ior', Sally,
she's q grc't wcuch; She's biggcr'n ycw.
IIar hairs that black. 'Tain't like
yarn" (Sally wns fairl shes big as
me An har eyes! Lor', har eyes fare to
goo right tr"w We they be St shiny an
Sc black.'
"A love lcttcr?' said Sally. NO, Bob,
| don't know uothin about love. l
amt goin to mix up along o no love"
"Noo, moo cXpostuated Bob.
"'Tain't come to that yit. But l see har
brother tothcr daay, an he HXed me to
goo oover an see har, an axed him if
! should write an tell har wuz a-com-
in, an he said as he'd find out
"Dye want to walk out with her,
them said Sally.
Il doan't knoo azackly as yit," Bob
answered. Dye think shed make
good wife?"
How can tell?" asked Sally, with
some show of reason. do l know
her?"
moo" said Bob. "But she bain't like
yew. She's 4 strappin wench, an my
mIssus 'ull hev to wark to help 70 'arn
the grub"
"D0 she wear fall an gloves?" ask
ed Sally slyly, reminiscent of fraternal
rcm0nStranccs at her own occasional
lapSes into gcntillty.
"That She doan'w said Bob. She
shan't wear moo fall nor moo gloves"
yen have to treat her different TO
what you do me-" said Sally, "or she
won't put up wit"
I'm trate her prarper," Bob prom
ised. she shall hev all the grub she
can get down har, but she shan't hev
moo bare nor stout. They doan't dew
We might o good"
Bob was an adOlesCent valetudina-
rian in his way and was just then
strong on total abstinence.
81 wouldn't write no letter" said
Sally. THAT'S dangerous. She might
hev yc mp Cor breach q promise"
"D'yr think Soo:" said Bob, who in
all ceremonial matters was guided by
his sister
THAT 'ould be best-to see her" said
Sally. How often hev ye seed her?"
Il doan't knoo much on har. an tha'ss
a fack." admitted Bob. She's in sarv-
ice out at Chctbridge, an har brother
aXcd me If I'd like to goo oover."
"Wcll, that appears funny to me-"
unused Sally, keeping her cOuntenance
but chuckling inwardly. What dye
want to write for?'
I'm a-gooin to dew the thing prarp-
er," Bob explained. Not saam's as
yew an var chap what never came to
narthcn. | want to hcv Il prarpcr OH
nerstandn afoor | gifts engaged. an
ham't got moo mother, wuss luck, an
thote as yew'd help me-"
"Ye get your Onncrstandin talkln,"
advised Sally. That fare strange to
me she should set her brother on to
We like that"
'D'yc think soo?" said Bob nervously.
"IIev ys ever kissed herr" asked Sal.
ly slyly.