The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-02-20
Time twas Seth wingate,s sisters gal,


haugin' nowadays? Gittin' fair
price,"
pretty fair" replied Peleg. Then,
with the persistency of the born Cos
sip. not 10 be so easily diverted from
his subject. he went on: Il told MISSY
that. but she said there want scarcely
a doubt that you meant business this
time. Said you fetched presents every
time you come home Said the only
doubt in folks minds was whether
twas Prissy or Tempy you was after,
Said she was sure you was after one
on 'em, cause she as much as asked
'em one time when she was at their
house, and they didn't deny it."
Mr.. Myrick talked steadily on this
and other subjects all the way to the
wharf. but Captain Ezra was silent
and thoughtful He shook hands with
Bradley at the gate of the Travellers
Rest and said goodby in an absent
minded way.
81 s'pose you'll be round to dinner
Sunday. Cap'n Ez"" said the boy.
Hey? Sunday: Well, don't know.
1t might be that | shall be called back
to the schooner sooner than / expect,
Can't tell
Sure enough. the next day the SIS
tiers received a note from their ex-
pected guest saying that he was obliged
to leave at once for Portland and could
not, therefore, be with them on Sun
day The ladies were disappointed,
but thought nothing more of the mat
ter at the time. 1t was nearly six
months before the captain visited Or
ham again, and during this visit he
did not come near the big house. He
waylaid Bradley however, asked him
all about himself, how he was getting
on at school and the like, but when
the boy asked if he, the captain.
wasn't comm round to see the folks
pretty soon the answer was vague
and unsatisfactory.
"Why. II don't knows I'll have
time" was the reply. I'm pretty busy,
and Give 'em my regards, will yoTs
Brad? I've got to be runnin on now.
SO long"
"Shore leave" the following Nove1n
ber Captain Titcomb saw Bradley
several times. gave him six bladeii
jackknife and took him for a drive
over to the big cranberry swamp own
ed by the Ostable company, but he did
not call on the old maids.
Three more years Of school and va
81 4
cranberry picking followed. Bradley
was sixteen. His voice having passed.
through the squeaky changing" pc
Rod, now gave evidence Of becoming
what Miss Tempy called a beautiful
double bass. jest like fathers" He
was large for his age. and his shouI
Gers were square. He was more par
ticular about his clothes now, ana his
neckties We're no longer selected by
Miss Tempy. To lie seen with girls
was not 50 ''sissiEed" III his mind as Is
used to le Lut lie still stuck ta Gus,
and She was his first choice at par
ties, and lie saw her home from prayer
meeting occasionally
As for the dog girl herself she. too.
paid more attention to clothes, and her
pets-though still numerous and just as
dsreputable in appearance were made
to behave with more decorum- Her
hair was carefully braided now. her
dresses came down to her boot tops,
and Miss Tempy grudgingly admitted
that IF twas anybody else, | should
say size was likely to be good lookin
when she grows up
The last day came. and Bradley
and Gus We're to graduate. In OrAanf
there is 10 graduation day. The event
full ending Of the winter term is the
last day" ana al the parents an'7 fs|E
atives, together wi.h TIE sell. @:.3-
mittee and the clcrgyr.en, "; The
school to sit stifiy on the scttees 4Ad
witness the ceremonies.
That evening after the "laSt day" ex-
ercises at school Bradley sat at bom.s
reading in the dining room MSS
Tempy, in the sitting room. was goiG;2
written, the wonderful arguneat III
favor Of republican form OF goS
eminent" which Bradley had compoS-
ed and had read at the school that day.
AS her sister entered the room she
dropped the roll of paper in her hlp
and said solemnly:
"Prissy Allen, it's my belief that
when that boy first came here and I
said that 1 wanted him to 90 to college
and be minister / was inspired. I
declare l do. I've jest been readin'
that piece of his again, and it beats
any sermon | ever heard
! Miss Prissy seated herself in rocker
and looked solemnly at her sister Fog
minute she gazed without speaking.
Then suddenly, as if she had made up
her mind, she rose, gave the dining
room door swing that would have
I shut 1t completely had not the corner
Of mat interfered, and, coming back
to her chair, said slowly, "Tempy, I'm
afraid We'll never be able to send
Bradley TO college"
The precious manuscript fell from
iccyT n ,ss.