Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-01-01
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"The oyster hides It's pearl" she an
swered, little reproachfully.
"The shell is apparent enough" re-
piled, for the mischief was in me.
"Ah, yes" she replied softly. "but it
is the pearl we love-"
l moved over beside Billy, whose
eyes were following Mrs. Mavor as she
went to speak to Mr.. Craig.
"Well," l said, you all seem to have
high opinion Of her"
can Ugh hopinionv' he replied in
deep scorn. "An Ugh hopinion, you
calls It'll!
what would you call it?" asked,
wishing to draw him out"
"Oi don't call it nothink," he replied,
spreading out his rough hands.
'She seems very nice," said indif-
ferently.
He drew his eyes away from Mrs.
Mavor and gave attention to me for
the first time.
mice" he repeated, with fine con-
tempt, and then he added impressive
ly, Then as don't know shouldn't say
nothink."
"You are right" 1 answered earnest
ly, "and 1 am quite Of your opinion"
He gave me quick glance out of his
little, deepset, dark blue eyes and open
ed his heart to me. He told me in his
quaint speech how again and again
she had taken him in and nursed him
and encouraged him and sent him out
with a new heart for his battle until,
for very shame's sake at his own mis-
cradle weakness, he had kept out Of
her way for many months, going stead
lily down.
'Now, OF hain't got no grip, but when
she says to me tonight, says she, oh,
Billy'-she calls me Billy to myself"
fhis with touch Of pride) -" oh,
Billy says she, we must ave total
habstinence league tonight, and OF
want you to 'elpp and she keeps a-look-
in at me with those heyes O hern till.
If you believe me, sir" lowering his
voice to an emphatic whisper, though
OF knowed OF couldn't 'elp none, afore
OF knowed OF promised 'er OF would.
It's 'er heyes. When them heyes says
do hup you steps and 'does.'"
remember my first look into her
eyes, and could quite understand
Billy's submission. Just as she began
to sing went over to Geordie and took
my seat beside him. She began with
an English slumber song, "Sleep, Ba-
by, Sleep" one Of Barry CORVALLIS, I
think, and then sang a love song with
the refrain, ''Love once again." but no
thrills came to me, and I began to won
der if her spell over me was broken.
Geordie, who had been listening some.
what indifferently, encouraged me,
however by saying: "She's just pittin'
aft time with the feckless sangs. Man,
there's nae grup till them" But when,
after few minutes pause, she began
"My Ain Fireside" Geordie gave a
sigh of satisfaction, "Aye, that's some
thin like" and when she finished the
first verse he gave me a dig in the ribs
with his elbow that took my breath
away, saying in whisper, "Man, hear
till yon. wull ye?" And again I found
the spell upon me. 1t was not the
voice, after ALL but the great soul be-
hind, that thrilled and compelled. She
was seeing, feeling, living. what she
sang, and her voice showed us her
heart. The cozy fireside, with its bon
ny, blithe blink. where no care could
abide. but only peace and love, was
wildly present to her, and as she sang
we saw it too. When she came to the
last verse:
when draw In my stool
On my coy hearthstane.
My heart loups sac LIGHT
I scarce kent for my ain,"
there was feeling Of tears in the flow.
ing song, and we knew the words had
brought her a picture of the fireside
that would always seem empty. felt
the tears in my eyes, and, wondering
at myself, I cast stealthy glance at
the men about me, and I saw that they,
too, were looking through their hearts
windows upon firesides and ingle hooks
that cleaned from far.
And then she sang ''The Aud Hoose,'
and Geordie, giving me another poke,
said. That's my ain sang" and when
l asked him what he meant he whis.
pered fiercely, 'Wheesht, mon" and
did, for his face looked dangerous.
In pause between the verses l heard
Geordie saying to himself, "Aye, maun
gle it up, doot."
"What" I yentured.
"Naethin' ava" And then he added
impatiently. Mon, but ye're an in
queesitive buddie." after which I sub
sided into silence.
Immediately upon the meeting being
called to order Mr.. Craig made his
speech, and it was fine bit of work
Beginning with clear statement OF
the object in view. he set in contrast
the two kinds Of leagues proposed-one
a league of men who would take wits
ky in moderation, the other a league OF
men who We're pledged to drink none
themselves and to prevent in every
honorable way others from drinking