The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-10
Copyright by the 8. 8. Mcclure %.

2ff, and his family ain so big. I think
Libby'u be doin the worst thing she
can think Of If she lets that chance slip
by. Lem stringer'd make her a good
man. =
"But Libby says she IS lived there SO
long that Lem seems like her brother,
an she wouldn't like to marry her
"But he aim her brother, Byron
no more'n you are. And if I
was girl an had chance to git
good man, with propputty, who ID give
me q good home, I'd git over that akin
feelin' soon's possible
But, granny, she don't love Lem.
she loves me. ! love her, an we IRE
e goln TO- to marry right away, SOS when
place to come to right away. We're
goin' to live in the old house, if you III
let u.s. IN goin' to run petition
thru one of them big rooms an make
two rooms for bedrooms. -
grandmother Beck g lips frightened to
a hard line and her eyes snapped.
Run a petition, are you? Byron
Theodore Lonsberry, you re gran pa an
me planned that house an we lived in
1t ter years an years. An if it don't
it. They ain It no change goin' to be
made in that house while T live"
She wiped her eyes with her apron
and looked at her grandson defiantly.
you d care. The house has been empty
tor so long an rs talked bout stor-
in hay an fodder there
"But you I'll take notice he amt
never done it, Byron Theodore. Ner
in the house if YOU WON'T make no
changes an III see that things is took
good care of. I'd be ivin there my
self if ia had my way, but your ma
thought was too old to live by myself.
no petitions run.''
Byron Theodore shook his head.
49, wouldn't run petition if you
| didn't want it, for the world. But,
as L was a 'sayin' we can git along all
right. Last week pa was talkin' bout
seliln' six of the COWS, but I IL get him
run the dairy wagon same. as eyer, an ,
Twin 50 close together, things IL 20 on
jest as they have. An all the time I II
Importantly.
"You're right good speaker, By
ron theodore, | don't know but that
you a 40 well in pollyticks.. Still, eff
ever hurt the other party's feelin Is
like you did mine bout that petition
You'll Ill, never YS git 'lected in the world
Ell you do: But eff this matter is all
cut an dried, what did you fetch it to
n ne fer All your plans is made, ain T
. 1T +. ain't settled, granny, I ain y
fuss 's' theugR mt as % hew Ta' ~bea
LIB Rrqn 1a ~, up the subjec' mebbe you {
"You can't deny bein' young, Byron
Theodore, ner neither. can Libby. Still
Libby had q heap Of Experience. You,
grandpa graz d ian; an me was y? ?y when W
ters so fer all that. He cut down tn
trees an built the house, an while h,
was dom that was maxim rag car
pet, a-wearin' and a-spinnin'. But my
Oh my, how happy we vast reckon
Byron Ihe99dore, l reckon I will hell
zS$:, ,'sFVld'n) they ain It no pssi5i''
| you i've er 50 longs I iive,'' the grea
sunbrowned boy assured her as he seize
her in his arms: He pressed kiss o.
her thin old cheek, placed her in he
chair as it she had been a small child
and went away to the field.
The old woman rose and watche
after him.
mused th tho f1h snce T Ryron TIN S
odore was in long cloes, an was KEEP
t b;Hsy d t1y d4s, to keep him still. HOY
. She sighed and looked across to tn
t old log house among the orchard tree:
Q "And there's wher Byron Theodor
0 an Libby wants to begin life together
!, Well, 7 do hope they'll be as happy te
Q gether as me an John was. Twas les
d about this time o. year when me an
: him was married. Then the house wa
new new and the trees was young an
?. land, but I was happy. I member tn
y next mornin' after we was married
e John got up an went to the door,. an
r he says, Come here, Lizzybeth an sc
,, the bloom o. the orchard trees. An
y smell EN- Um-m! We're pore, raj
l. pore, but I reckon they. amt a mill7
Q wife live in p 'fumery like can The
y he kethced me up in his arms an say
/. Look out there, Lizzybeth, there's
It bee a-lookin' fer honey. He do b
It thinkin you re apple blossom, and
2 Glare you do look like one, all pin
r an white Them was happy day
But THERE gope ia an, LIZ, m ? old ID wor,
o the trees is old an bent an crooke,
q An John, my John still, is waitin' fe
= me. I'd like to see John mighty wei
d I would. But I'm past. 70 now. so
a won It be long, l reckon.H
s She dried her eyes on her apron an
sat down. Then she smiled.
q -"I' IN goin to do my best to hav
10 Byron Theodore and Libby as happ
as we was, anyhow
It When Byron Theodore went back
u his work that morning he worked wit
III a will. He whistled and sang like tt
20 healthy, hearty boy that he was.
y, was only to his immediate family thu
IN he was Byron Theodore Lonsberry.. H
- mother, who. had read some. had give
s, him this name, in opposition to b
g. fathers wishes, when he was tiI
To mite three days old.
re- "Sech big name for sech HIT
- feller,' his father had said, regardir
[e the squirming little boy with pity.
But the child was SO named, and
T called, until he started to school. II
u school teacher asked him his name, al
= being very bashful, he had answered h
~ in a very low tone. Three times
W repeated it, and when the young teach
finally understood, she looked at hi
ut thoughtfully for a moment, then wro
It the name down.
m Brit his schoolmates would have no
he Of it; and three days later had
er christened this snub-nosed, red-cheek
ed boy. And his name was Barndo'
m Even the teacher called him by tn
he name finally, tho his mother and gran
n: mother made special calls at the scho
SO house to argue the matter.
er Byron Theodore fought with some
It. the boys near his own size, but tina
Il found that he must kneel to the Inc