Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-16

eff I could find club anywhere,
would"
And what II was captured by an
outlaw"
"If couldn't lick him I'd buy him
off,"
Nancy was disappointed in Steve
He wasn't Il hero and evidently
didn't want to be- She didn't want
him killed, but it did seem to her as
II he ought to do and dare for her
sake to show how great his love was
Again, as they were strollIng along
the banks Of the river on moon.
light night. she softly said:
Steve, I'm going to jump in"
Lord, but you'll get wet!" he re
Piled
I'm going to jump in and let you,
rescue mel"
II couldn't rescue a chicadee. I'd
go to the bottom like a ton of brick, "
Nancy let go of his arm and sat
down on stone and pouted.
What's the matter?" was asked
after awhile.
you don't love me-"
Eyes, | do. l love you oceans and
oceans. Because Teller can't swim
has nothing to do with it,
But if there was an elephant after
me?"
"a big one?"
! "Big as a haystack"
"And you'd crossed your feet while
running and fallen down."
yep"
"And he was about to squash the
life out Of you?"
Eyes, yes"
"Say, Nancy, I'd walk up to him
and kick both his tusks off and then
boot him into the next county,"
That satisfied the old maid for 4
day or two, and then she gol to think
ing how remote such a contingency
was, and she found herself on the
edge of a crouch. She didn't sigh for
an imaginary hero, but one on the
spot-an up-to-date one.
A few days later Steve came over
to help her pick cherries. He had
climbed to the top of tree when
Nancy called up to him:
Steve, do you love me-"
"As much as all the water In Lake
Erie!" he answered
Then be hero. Let go and come
tumbling down."
"And break my dinged neck! No
stree! I've got to have neck on
me after we get married"
There was another pouting spell
and Nancy didn't throw kisses after
the non-hero as he climbed the fence
and started for home. 1t does seem
as II male lovers ought to be more
obliging, but take them as they run
and they are selfish lot. Nancy re.
allied it and was offish for a week
1t might have been for longer had not
Steve come over to say:
Il don't know anything ABOUT this
hero business you talk Of, but I'll
tell you what I'm willing to do for
your sake.
"Oh, Steve, you are nice now!"
I'VE have lost pitchfork in the
horse pond and are going to drain
the water off tomorrow. I'll wade
through 1t first, if you say So
"Will your"
II surely will. There's two feet OF
water in It,"
"Only two feet?"
"And as much as foot of mud.
may get mired and lose my life"
"Oh, but you won't - l know you
won't! Steve, 1t isn't bit heroic for
a man to wade around in a horse
pond"
Then what in thunder am going
to do?"
The poor girl couldn't tell him, and
her pillow was wet with tears that
night. Steve was good, but he was
so unromantic and unheroic Why
couldn't he be just little different.
There was another off spell with
the lovers, and then one day, as Steve
was hoeing the corn he hal planted
when he first fell in love, he saw
Nancy driving into town with the old
white horse. She had passed by
quarter of mile when he heard the
below Of Bakers old bull on the
highway. He ran to head the animal
off and turn him back, and presently
was in the middle Of the road and
waving the hoe and calling out Thea
the bull seemed to come for him, and
he knew no more for three days. AS
he opened his eyes a tear fell on his
cheek. 1t was tear from Nancy
Baffin's left eye, and she clapped her
hands and exclaimed:
HE lives! He lives!"
"Of course l live" replied Steve
"but what has happened?"
"Why, you are hero"
How"
"You faced Bakers old bull for my
sake and let him break three of your
ribs and an arm, and we are going to
get married as soon as you are we'll
again. Brave and gallant chevalier,
have some Of this chicken soup"