The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1910-02-05
ONLY A COUNTRY BOY

red mouth like a wax doHs. she
stood In the little arbor as James
came up the road. and he thought he
had never seen anything SO beautiful.
He noticed that she was little and
slender. TOO; that her clothes were
dainty and her hands white. AS he
came nearer she stepped out from the
arbor and asked. with little curl of
her lip:
Are you my cousin James Cree
leyT"
He was only "A country boy aud so
stood and stared in amazement. Then
be calculated:
"Me? Yes. Your cousin? Nor =
"But you must be-" persisted the
girl "They said would see you.
and she added. with a glance which
took IN every detail OF James cos
tune from the bare feet 10 the "hick-
DRY" shirt, they said you were
handsome lad" And with that she
shifted a disdainful little sniff and
walked stIfly toward the house.
Jim stood looking after her. fiush
mantllng the freckled cheeks and the
white forehead under the red hair.
lie saw the white dress vanish as she
turned the corner OF the house. and he
walked on. He reached the barn just
as Mary had finished milking the cows.
Don't you know there's companyr
she asked as she swung the milk pail
around 10 see the bubbles dance. And
they're going 10 stay for week. and
won ought IN he dressed -
A week! Jim's heart would have
sunk into bis boots had he worn any.
AS II was Il seemed 10 go up into his
throat and stick there In big lump.
He went around the yard. shutting the
chickens into the henhouse and put
ting the farm tools away. Then he
went 20 the house. His mother met
him at the door and gave him list
OF directions which made his head
spin. The result was he came down
10 supper looking like city boy. But
the freckles and red hair were still
there
AS the days went by the color came
into the white cheeks OF the little gold
en- haired girl. and when her mother
had TO go back TO the city she decided
to leave her TO stay another week or
So Jim felt that the cows were ugly
now, the horses were slow. the fields
OF wheat and timothy and the wild
roses that grew In the hedges were all
dull and drab. He could only find sun
shine when little Nell was with him.
She hated a boy with dirty hands. who
couldn't dance and who was awkward
and stupid
One morning she started out for a
long walk. Jim saw her as she went
out the gate. She had long piece OF
white thread In her hand and carried
three pins In her mouth. "Fishin'."
said Jim.
She had heard her uncle say that
there were plenty OF fish In the Dee
brook IL people were not too lazy 10
catch them She would catch some,
then Jim would see that a city girl
could do more than a country boy.
Her proud little nose turned up at the
very mention OF the name.
The brook was soon reached, and
Nellie sat down aud threw her line as
far out as she could. She watched the
hook float n moment and then dIsap-
pear. She listened 10 the chlrp OF the
birds In the trees along the bank. She
saw the sunlight glimmer through the
leaves. and she became drowsy.
Suddenly she started up. Her line
had slipped from her hand and was
floating In the water almost beyond
her reach. She leaned over and by a
supreme effort caught Il, but could not
pull IL In. One end was caught fast
under a stone In the middle OF the
brook. She thought OF the fish she
meant TO catch and gave two or three
hard tugs. There was jerk. the
string broke. her feet slid on the slip.
perry bank. and the next moment the
little girl was struggling in the water.
and the water closed above the golden
head, leaving ever widening circles
shimmering on the surface OF the
brook.
There was a great rustllng among
the bushes. a white face and a crown
OF red hair appeared for a second. and
then both had plunged into the water.
Nell felt her hair being pulled very
hard. She wondered afterward why
II took her breath away and why she
was $3.50 sleepy
When Jim made his appearance at
the farmyard with his clothes wiring
Ing wet. his hair standing on end and
the little bundle OF means In his arms
Mrs. Farmer all but had Mysteries.
She said he was a brave boy when he
told the story. but knowing how 20
swim and giving ones life up for an
other were quite usual for her boys.
The next day Nell was 20 go home.
She came out TO the barn where Jim
was watering the cows and stood low
ingly caressing the velvet nose OF the
spotted calf.
Il am going away. jim" she said
shyly. "and I came to thank you for
saving NV life"