Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-05-23
A SENSIBLE
LOVER
BY C. B. LEWIS
Copyright. 1906, bg Homer Spra0ue


a month while her parents made hur
. ried trip to England. It was the last O.
. February, and there was snow on the
: ground.
, The next farm TO Aunt James wal
, the Rosslter place, and Mrs. Rossitei
, was also widow. A hired man named
: Jim Williams plowed, planted ant
: reaped for her. When Jim heard thai
a city girl was stopping with Aunt
Jane he went over to see her for him.
self. He didn't stop to put on a clean
shirt or to grease and lampblack his
shoes. He entered the house In that
familiar way farmers have among
themselves, and when introduced to
the visitor he held out hand as big as
washboard and shook her small one
vigorously.
How are ye? Nice winter weather
we're having" he said.
The young lady Of wealth and social
standing tried to squelch him, but Jim
drew up his chair and spoke of spring
calves and kicking cows in a way
meant to be highly entertaining. He
refused to be snubbed, and he wouldn't
take hint.
When the subject Of music was re-
ferred to he volunteered to sing bal
lad or two, and when 10 o'clock came
he took his hat, held out his hand again
and departed after saying
"Well. Minnie, don't know when
I've spent more interesting evening,
and It's all owing to you. I'm not one
Of these stuck up chaps. I'm Jest plain
Jim Williams, and you'll find me a
yard wide and all wool every time. I'll
run In quite frequently and cheer you
up"
Miss Minnie had many criticisms to
make after the caller had left and as
serted II he came again he would get
setback to last him all his life.
Aunt Jane tried to soothe her. "Oh,
you mustn't mind our ways out here In
the country. AS Jim has fallen in love
with you at first sight he wlll"-
"W-h-a-tw exclaimed the Mortified
girl.
why, couldn't you tell that he had
fallen in love with your
"Of course not! How dare he do such
a thingw
Il don't see why you make such a
fuss over 1t. II you don't want to
marry him you can say so when he
asks you"
When Jim had retired that night he
got to thinking things over. "I'm Jim |
Williams" he sOliloqulzed. I'm as
stout as bull and have an appetite |
like a horse. I'm twenty-seven years
old and have 5000 in the bank. There
amt no files on me, and I'm n good |
nun match for any gal that lives. I'm
In love with Minnie Stacy. 1 don't
know what sort of a farmers vito
she'd make, but I'm willing to take my
chances. Wen take in Niagara falls
on our wedding trip, and II she wants
candy at 80 cents box she shall have
1t. III give her week to sort o. get
acquainted, and then I'll pop the ques-
ton"
1t was all settled in his mind when
he turned over and went to sleep, and
he saw no clouds ON the horizon as he
awoke In the morning. Thereafter for
nine or ten nights he was a regular
caller at Aunt James house II he saw
Minnie he tried to interest her in
snakes, mud turtles, frogs and other
novelties Of farm life and gave her In
teresting statistics Of how much hay a
COW would consume In the winter.
When Minnie stuck to her room and
refused to come down he had Green
ing apples and other messages for her
and continued to grow more deeply in
love. About the LIST Of March the ma
pie sugar season opened. The making
Of the sugar was part Of Jim's spring
work. and from the first run of sap he
sent the city girl some maple wax on
clean, white maple chip.
The snow disappeared, the spring
birds began to appear and the ground '
vas getting dry underfoot when Min
lie started out one afternoon for a 1
walk. She wandered over a field and !
nto piece OF woods, hoping to find |
he first spring flower, and Of a sudden I
he felt chills sweep over her and the
atmosphere grew dark A blizzard had I
tolen upon the country as softly as a I
hief in the night. In her sudden alarm
be girl became turned around. She
vas hurrying through the woods when
he wind rose, the air filed with snow, ,
nd she clutched the branch Of bush
nd shrieked her alarm.
She kept up her shrleks for half an ,
our and then sank dewn in a collapse. ,
he did not realize what was happen {
ne when Dim Williams came feeling | !
Is way through the storm, took her In 8
is arms and carried her to the sugar !
ush shany, forty rods away II
1t was blizzard long to be remem- / :
cred. The thermometer went down to | :
ero, and foot or more OF snow fell, | ,
nd for two or three days the farmers ,
'ere imprisoned in their houses. The a
irl recovered her senses soon after =
eachlng the sugar camp, but there was q
o going farther. Jim happened to o
ave plenty to eat and plenty of blan- 3
cts. He gave up the shanty TO her for
he night and dug out place for him
Elf before the fire. She might have
ept, but be had TO keep the fire going ! 4,
} prevent his freezing to death.
He had plenty of time to think. The h
ind howled, the snow few, and the a
I'D made the trees pop like musketry, a
nd Jim's owe, fear was that the girl ,,
Ould freeze 10 death before morning :.
was q gl.6i relic; 10 him when he .
ard her voice calling him soon after .
Wight.
The sky had lightened up, but the y
lizard was still booming away. Jim ~
ade coffee and fried bacon and :
armed up the frozen bread and In r
fnd Mice Stacy IN hroakfQct Shp had 1 4