The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-01-10
When win Awoks



Willie whistled on contentedly, ex.
asperatingly unconscious that the path
over which We trod was rough, and /
was not clad for tramping. i rescued
a rutfle from a broken branch and
stepped almost Immediately upon
some prickly plant that pierced my
ankles with thousand resentful
darts.
-Will,' l said. where are you
g6ing?.
sJust ver-here; you wanted to see
the lake, didn't your
Il didn't know we had to walk over
miles and miles Of thistles.r
He turned his head ever SO slightly.
Have you stepped on another? l
should think one time should teach
you to be CAREFUL
Stepped on another! I've walked
over a million at 1east!.
"1f you would just look where you
are going
III you would tast look where l am
going ! snapped though I had learn.
ed from long experience that swapping
at viii was much like talking to the
Sphinx.
WIN and I were cousins and for %
years We had played and fought and
chummed with one another. During
that time he had proposed to me twice
a year. as regularly as the seasons.
and ! had said "no- to him as often,
He had done 1t with the same uncon.
Germ as he had told me not to walk
on a thistle; and he had taken his
answer much as az matter, OF course.
Sometimes l wondered how he would
take yes for antanswer; but. my i'm,
'agtnatfon could not picture him other,
thanY the same eexasperatingtun cons
cerned NUillsl
IT lslprettyssd said when he stood
beside1thetestiltc water and LliookSa
birdseyesytew OF myself I'M classy sur,
~face.sse iiius n 6ia 3 suo 70
"lf&you would look at the scenery
instead OF fusslng with your skirts.
he said scorntully as I shook out a
rutfe and eyed a torn place r%uefully.
Everything was SO perfectly still
that when the grasses at our feet
moved we both started, and before 1
realized what vas happening Will
had pushed me unceremoniously into
the lake.
When n is dressed for a ballroom
and the air has taken on the chill Of
septemberseyening a sudden ducking
In cold water is not the p~leasantest
thing that can happen. Between In.
dignation and fear and a desperate
struggle to- get my feet and hands
into position toskeeb myself from
sinking, Il failed TO note what was tax.
ing place on the bank, until i heard
viii speak, and then he calmly reach.
ed over and pulled me in. much as he
had when on u younger day fishing
excursion l had fallen in and scared.
the fish.
Once safely on the bank, and my
wet skirts shaken out a bit, I let the
: weight of my wrath fall upon his
devoted head. ] pride myself on being
able t.. talk we'll when l get angry,
and am sure that the, speech he lis.
tened to was a masterpiece In every
way--excepting that my soak.
ing garments and itumbled hair made
1t lacking in dignity. L had all but
finished and had cooled down suff.
GENTLY to see more clearly, when L
motel th-t Wills! face had gone Just a
trtie winter than usual, otherwise he
looked much as he always did, while
he waited for me TO finish a. special
lecture-arms folded and eyes any.
where but on me-
-Will!r l stopped In the middle OF a
sentence to exclaim. Then suddenly
my eyes fell upon an object on the
ground-a little black snake not more
than 20 inches long, with its head
crushed fiat against fhe earth.
-Will!r1 said again, and In a minute
sIswas lying in his arms and he was
ihoidingame very1 tight agatnsea heart.
ierlcould hear beating very irregraariy.
r f~oitlstepped ontdt,EWail. ohrowha:'
tarrisk1dear!r +.
tzgAsl long shudder4 passed bthroughDhisC
: frame "WhenoI sawritj curled ready
ito strike you notI1o inches fromryour
foot!r his arms frightened. 4
@oh. VIII! Will sWho would have
been SO quick asTyou?-
There was only one thing to do,-
he said quietly. They mean death,
you knows ~
Yes. l knew; but knew something
better still as l Travelled damply and
happily home, with Wills arm 10
guide me where the thistles were not,
and Wills ring shining like an i'm.
mense drop Of, water on the third
finger Of my left hand.-M. G. Pep
pard.