The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-04-26
The Little Girl That
Swung on the Gate
lOriginal.l.

When the first warm spring day
came we got grandfather who had
been ill all the winter, out of bed and
placed him in big chair on the porch.
I was his favorite grandchild, ana
after the others had gone 1 remained
to keep him company. He sat looking
dreamily out on the landscape, which
sloped away from where we We're The
railroad ran short distance below,
and train clattered by. On grand
fathers face was a singular express
sion.
what are you thinking about, grand
father?' asked
Il am thinking about scene that
occurred many years ago on morn
ing just like this. This is-let me see
THE Goth Of May" l supplied.
'It was either the Goth or near that
date that l, then young fellow of
eighteen, was passing down there
| where that train has just darted by.
only then there was no train there, but
the highway, and l rode in stage
coach. The grounds of this house then
| extended to the road, the fen1 lining
| it. There was gate down there, and
| as looked out of the stage window
saw girl about eight years old swing
| ing on It, Her blue eyes were fixed on
the coach, and the mild breeze was
playing with her hair which, with the
sun shining upon it. was the color Of
those lances Of light that shine through
wood on bright morning.
1T was barely u minute that saw
her, but youth is impossible, or, rather.
when a youngster is impressed at all
he is impressed thoroughly.
''That was shortly before the canal
was built The road gave way to the
canal or the towpath, and we who had
been used to travelling on the coach
were now pulled along in a boat by
couple Of horses. 1t was six years aft
er passing the place that l passed it
again in canal boat about 5 O'clock
on midsummer afternoon. The leaves
and the grass We're slightly Drowned
with a drought, and the whirring Of
locusts had hot sound AS we float
ed lazily by the place l hoped might
catch glimpse of my little girl, and
though | realized she must be older
She did not appear, but us we We're
! turning the bend beyond l saw two
young ladies as supposed strolling to-
ward us on the towpath. When we
neared them l recognized in one of
them, Il tall girl whose skirts reached
to the tops of her boots, my little girl
Si I hn6 ly-
gone ashore and gathered a few wild
flowers, hoping to be able to toss one
to her, but not having seen her as we
passed the house l had dropped them
on the deck. Now 1 hastily gathered
them, and as 1 passed the two girls
made an effort to toss the flowers
ashore. The distance was not great
but the flowers had no weight and
dropped into the water Perhaps it
was just as we'll, for my move was
rather bold, and my effort having fail
ed it gave the girls an opportunity to
laugh at me- which they did
81 was now quite sure that l was
seriously drawn to a girl Of fourteen
who in physique was probably as large
her necessarily and on my way back
looked for her again. l had provided
myself with some roses and had tied
Il stone to them But | was disap-
pointed. There was no sign Of her.
'As the road had given place to the
canal, so the canal gave place to the
railway. There We're no grades to be
the track where the old towpath was.
Five years after having passed the
place on the canal l was one day ap-
preaching it on a train. We had Just
left W., few miles below, when the
brakes We're suddenly whistled down,
and soon l felt slight shock. 1t was
not so slight in front, where, on going
forward, l saw quite a wreck, our
train having run into the rear of a
freight train. Finding that we would
not get away for several hours. de-
termined to walk forward in quest Of
the girl l had twice seen. On reach
ing the place 1 passed on the other
side and in the front yard saw lady
i sitting on the porch sewing. Opening
the gate, l entered. The lady looked
up, and I was sure she was the one
sought.
i :" i have had the misfortune / said.
to be delayed on the railroad. There
mas been an accident-no one hurt. I
am happy to say-and have walked
forward to ask few questions
"She looked at me in some surprise
and asked me to be seated l told her
that sixteen years before had fallen
IN love with little girl swinging on a
gate. She gave herself up to reflection
for moment, then said smilingly:
That little girl is now twenty-four
years old, and ii you should see her
! you would doubtless be cured of your
romance
+" 1 saw her when she was fourteen
replied, and my shackles were only
more firmly welded And told her OF
throwing the flowers to her. The blood
ia