Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-08
By j. j. BELL


he had been familiar in rather a pat
ronizing fashion. On one occasion he
had chased away a small dog which in
a playful mood had caused her much
alarm, and since then she had regard
ed him in the light of hero, and had
somewhat embarrassed him with her
attentions, for Macgregor was sorely
afraid of the chaff of his boy friends,
who, with the exception of his chum,
Willie Thomson, were not slow to
make jeering observations when they
caught him in the company of his adj
mirer. Therefore, as rule, he passed
her without speaking, or at most with
a hurried and awkward reply to her
shy but eager remark, made in the
fond hope of interesting him.
But with his new wheelbarrow he
was in a nightly pleasant humor, and
grinned so kindly that the little girl
was quite fiurried with pride and de-
light
See ma new barra!" said Macgreg-
or, at the end of short silence.
My" she exclaimed, admiringly.
Its an awful fine barra!"
"Ay!"
Il got it frae Granpaw Purdie.'
did YEP"
'Ay, did 1! An I'm gaun to gle
folks hurls in it,"
My"
Macgregor reflected for a moment;
then remarked, IF We wis laddie
wud gle We hurl!'
Katie's bright eyes clouded and her
fair head dropped. From a pinnacle
of pride she fell into the depths of hui
initiation. She wanted to say, I'm
throat frightened and her lip trembled,
and she remained speechless.
Macgregor repeated the invitation,
with a glance in her direction.
Katie cast down her eyelashes and
stood still.
Are We no wantin' hurl?" he in
quired, a trifie impatiently.
,"Ay," said Katie, hastily, but with
out moving.
Whit wey are We greeting"
I'm no greetin'!"
Eye are so! Ye're greetin' because
ye're a lassie. Lassies is aye greetin'"
They're mo- aye greetin'!" she ex-
claimed, in flash of Indignation But
she was a gentle little soul, and she
could not be cross with her hero. I'll
no greet again." she said humbly
"An' / wud like a hurl in yer nice
l.
young to know, and he was too young
to see the beauty of her eyes at that
moment, but they looked at each other,
and their friendship became less one
sided than it had been so far.
sit doom in the barra, Katie" said
Macgregor, graciously.
Yell no coup me?" said she, with
an inquiring yet confiding glance.
Nae fears! I'll no coup We! Haud
yer feet up"
She raised her feet obediently, and
pulled her short skirts over the darns
on her knees.
I'll hurl We to the corner an back
again." said Macgregor.
AYE" assented Katie, who was
holding on to the sides of the vehicle
and looking just the least thing
afraid
They set off at a good pace. and
when the corner was reached Katie
was smiling fearlessly and enjoying
the envious stares of several little
girls whom she CHANGED to know. The
journey back was all too brief in its
duration, and she rose from the bar
row with undisguised reluctance. What
a splendid thing it was to be hurled"
by her hero!
'Ye're an awful strong laddie." she
observed, admiringly
'Ay, I'm gey strong" he returned.
trying not to pant.
1T wis awful nice!" she murmured.
with little sigh.
Macgregor spat on his hands. "Wud
We like anither hurl?@ he asked.
''Ay, wud |. Am no over heayv?"
'Ye're no heavy ava. Get into the
barra, an I'll hurl We to the ither cor
ner. It's faurer"
Katie nodded and beamed upon him
She took her place in the barrow. and
MacgregOr was just about to start off
when heavy paw was laid upon his
shoulder, and a disagreeable voice
said, LENS yer barra, an I'll Gle tha
lassie a hurl."
The voice was that of a great
lumpy boy, the terror of the young.
sters in the vicinity of Macgregor's