Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-05-16

E&& ~
"You shalt get learning and ,oealth."
this boy amt a-goin' t. be wuth putty
on farm. Look a. them slender
hands.
'"There was q man come to me the
other day an wanted t hev poem
bout his wife, that he'd jes' died. asst
him t tell me all bout her.
"'Waal,' said he after he had scratch
ed his head an thought minute, she
was dretful good woman t work
"'Anything else7' asked.
"He thought ag'in fer minute.
Broke her leg once he said. AN
was laid up fer more'n year.
"'Must "a suffered said I.
"'Not then,' he answered. 'Ruther
enjoyed 1t layin' abed an rsadin' an
bein' rubbed, but twas hard ON the
children
dispose ye loved her. I said.
"Then the tears come into his eyes,
an he couldn't speak fer q minute.
Purity soon he whispered Yes kind o
confidential Course he loved her. but
these Yankees are ashamed O. their
feelin's. They hev tender thoughts, but
they hide 'em as careful as the Wild
goose hides her eggs. Toll an slave
an scrimp an save-thet's bout all we
think Nv n this country. 'Tain't right,
Holden"
mo, faint right" said Uncle Eb.
IT know I'm poor, miserable critter.
Kind O. out O tune with everybody I
know. Allwus Quarreled with my own
folks, an now I amt got any home.
Some day I'm goin' t. die In the poor
house er on the ground under these
woods. But I tell ye''-here he spoke
In voice that grew loud with feeling
"mebbe I've been lazy, as they say, but
I've got more out O. my life than any O.
these fools. An some day God II hon.
or me far above them.
81 know Dave Browers folks hev got
brains an decency, but when thet boy
Is old enough t. take care o himself
let him git out O. this country. I tell
We he'll never make a farmer, an If he
marries an settles down here he'll git
t. be poet nebbe er some such shit
less cuss an die in the poorhouse
Guess l better git back t. my b'ilin'
now. Good night" he added; rising
and buttoning his old coat as he walk
ed away.
"Sing'lar man." Uncle Eb exclaimed
thoughtfully, "but any one tibet picks
| him up fer fool III find him counter
felt"
Young us was, the rugged, elemen-
tai power Of the old poet had somehow
got to my heart and stirred my mag
nation. 1t all came not fully to my
understanding until later. Little by
little it grew upon me, and what an eff
feet it had upon my thought and life
ever after l should not dare to esti-
mate. And soon sought out the "poet
Of the hills as they called him, and
| got to know and even to respect him
in spite Of his unloyely aspect.
Uncle Eb skinned the boiling sap,
put more wood on the Are and came
and pulled off his boots and lay down
| beside me under the robe. And, hear
/ Ing the boil Of the sap and the crackle
Of the burning logs in the arch, soou
went asleep.
4 remember feeling Uncle Eds hand
upon my cheek and how rose and
stared about me in the fading shadows
Of a dream as he shook me gently.
"Wake up, my boy" said he. Come
we mus put fer home"
The fire was out. The old man held
a lantern as he stood before me. the
blaze pickering. There was fear.
some darkness all around.
"Come, Willie, make haste" he whis
pered as rubbed my eyes. "Put on
yer boots, an here's yer little coat an
muller"
| There was mighty roar in the for.
est and icy puffs Of snow came whis
ting in upon us. We stored the robes
and pals and buckets and covered the
big kettle.
The lofty tree tops reeled and creaked
above us. and deep, sonorous moan
was sweeping through the woods as
II the fingers Of the wind had touched
mighty harp string in the timber
We could hear the crash and thunder
of falling trees.
Make haste! Make haste! It's resky
here" said Uncle Eb, and he held my
hand andsran. We started through the
brush and steered as straight as We
could for the clearing. The little box
Of light he carried was soon sheathec
In snow, and I remember how he
stopped, half out of breath. often ant
brushed 1t with his mittens to let ou
the light. We had made the scatter
Ing growth Of little timber at the edg,
OF the woods when the globe of til.
lantern snapped aud fell. A momen
later we stood in utter darkness.
knew for the first time then that WI
We're In bad fix.
II guess God II take! care Of us. VIII
lis,' said Uncle Eb. IT he don't well
J H4Has 1st. thasa a thiS alasId na1sTl Z,