Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-09-09

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There Is no more dainty bit OF seen.
cry. to my thinking. than one of those
little patched up, tumbledown, moss
covered water mills OF the olden time.
They are always situated nj the lower
end OF pond. Nesting under trees
and half buried In shrubbery. They
speak Of a past when farmers were
used to carrying n sack or two OF
grain to mill on horseback before them
to have II ground. Now the grain Is
grown on bigger farms in bigger bulk,
and the individual farmers product is
lost In n great cereal river that flows
10 mills driven by steam and with
stacks towering hundreds OF feet high.
Progress is there. but the little water
mill OF the past is only useful to fur
nish themes for the artist.
am one of these knights OF the
brush myself. One day. coming upon
such Il simple scene as | have men
toned. | opened my three legged stool,
set up my easel aud began TO work In
my colors. have the picture | made
OF the mill. and no money would in.
duco me 20 part with II. There Is a
story connected with It. told me while
was painting. which. appealing to
my fancy. rendered my work especial
~ successful. The picture and the
story 90 together.
While | was nj work man under a
faded straw hat and suspenders UNI
covered by coat or waistcoat came up
behind me and looked at my work.
He was a middle aged eountryman'
with those burrows in his face that
seem to be transferred there from his
eyes being constantly fixed on burrows
made by his pillow. lie seemed 10 take
a deep interest In my picture.
There's somep'n wanted on that
little space beside the wheel" he said.
Whats that" asked.
"A boy and a girl
What boy and girlr'
"Somep'n happened there onct. !
kin tell s. about it If = want TO hear
IT,"
Go ahead"
ITS about myself and the girl. !
was nigh on TO seventeen. and Janey
was fifteen. Children haven't got any
sense. and Janey wasn't much past
beln' child. We had been playin'
play. and now we was Il little older
we kept on playin' together. Anyway.
fancy was wild little thing and up
TO all sorts OF FRANKS. What ! was
dom about this time I'm speakin' Of
was tryin to keep her from tumblin'
OFF the peak of the barn roof, or fallin'
down through u hole In the haymow
floor, or glttln' drowned In the pond.
One day we was over there where
q dirt road led down 10 the mill. It's
all grown over with grass now, but
YOU can see where IL was. At that
time the mill was run whenever there
was any grain to grind, and when
there wasn't the water was turned
off the sluice. That day II was turned
off.
The first thing | knew Janey she
climbed out on 10 the wheel. Her
weight was Just enough to turn II and
let her Down slow. While she was
sinkin' she looked al me and laughed.
II was a purity enough laugh. but
somehow ! didn't like To see her goin'
down into that hole. cause there
wasn't any way for her 20 git out. Ii
was walled In. except sear the top,
where an opening had been left to let
the water out. or course when Janey
got 10 the bottom the wheel stopped
turuln
Then asked fancy e. stand on II
and let me turn Il and her back ag'in,
but she got of and dared me To come
down can see her eyes now Just
as they locked then with lot OF dew
iltry In en-
"Thcre was two simpletons instead
OF one got on 10 the wheel. and IL
turned quicker with my weight than
with hers | Joined her az the bottom.
aud she was amu>n herself In all
sorts Of ways. dancin and runnin'
around the wheel ana hOllerln TO near
how queer It sounded down there.
Two or three times ! tried to git her
TO let me take her out II wouldn't
be an easy matter in any event. The
only way II could be done was for US
10 balance each other by climbin' on
opposite sides of the wheel. But II
the water should be turned on we
couldn't do that.
First thing | knew ! heard somep'n
moved Student above. and down come
the water. | looked NJ Janey. scared
out OF my boots. but fancy seemed TO
consider II good Joke. the little fool,
and began 10 dance about In the wa
ter on the stone floor. But gradually
the water rose. From the bottom t.
the lowest part OF the wheel II was
up 10 our necks lifted fancy on tc
the wheel and got up myself The
only thing for us to do was TO climb
as the wheel turned.
81 shouted with all my might. hopin
the rrsler would hear me. But b,