The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-02-06
WHAT THE FROGS HEARD +;
BY w. w. WHALEN. I

the top or the neayy Locust Summit
grade, and as he stood on the roof Of
a box car he saw girl kneeling at an
open upstairs window In the house
adjoining the station. Her head lay
on her hands; a few of her curls hung
out over the window1edge and waved
in the breeze. Ben got off the car and
stood looking up at her. This chance
perhaps Fortune herself had put in his
way. How often he had watched
those black curls through the station
window, when he CHANGED to be there,
and Cora Goyne was in sight! Yet
she had never seen him. He gave
shrill whistle.
Could anything be prettier than
that round, dimpled, sleepy dark face
which started up from the window
sill, the eyes bright from sleep, the
hair gracefully disordered! For a sec
ond or two she was bewiIdered. She
looked down, and saw an engine and
train standing-and something else;
a brakeman, cap in hand, looking UP
into her face.
For only an instant she gaZed at
him; then, with little cry of morti-
fication, leaped away from the window
and disappeared from his view. But
in that instant, she had, with a wom-
ans facility, noted how yellow his
hair and mustache we're, how big ard
blue his eyes, how brawny his skoul-
ders, and how handsome his face.
That was their introduction. They
became lovers. Every day Ben's train
stopped at Locust Summit, and every
day Cora made it a point to meet
him; sometimes for only word,
sometimes for a prolonged converse
ton. His southern heart yearned to-
wards this lovely bit of northern wom-
anhood.
It was a night in July. Ben's train
was waiting for orders. Hes and his
sweetheart were conversing in low
tones, as they walked up and down
the railroad.
$50 you liked The Last of the Mo
hicans?"
Eyes, very much; but should have
liked the story better had Maj. Hey
ward married Cora and lot Alice"
THAT is just what liked about
1t. No wonder Major Hayward was
Disguised with Cora when her father
told him of her birth"
Her birth? l don't understand"
why, her mother was a creole, or
gro or Indian blood in Cora, faint per-
haps, but there for all that" The
girl trembled and grew pale to the
lips. He felt her CULVER on his arm.
Surely you are not chilly tonight;
why shiver?"
She was taken unawares, but her
answer shed only faint light on
her thoughts. What coincidence
that my name is Cora, tool" she blurt-
ed out.
He laughed.
''Be my wife, dearest; say yes" No
sound from her colorless lips. He
pressed her again to him. "You lit.
tie goose, I thought I knew you, but
now I see that no man can ever un-
derstand woman. Who'd think you
so shy? Well, the answer tomorrow"
He bounded across the rails,
spring, he climbed the side Of a house
car; stood on the top, cap in hand,
the moonlight falling on his yellow
hair; a kiss from the tips Of his
fingers, then the train rolled by and
Cora was alone.
She looked at the green waters OF.
the swamp, whence came the sonorous
voices Of the frogs.
ooh, If I had never met him!" she
cried, in SO low a tone that only the
frogs heard her. "And now to give
him up! Was 1t your fault, mother
dear, that your mother was a mu-
latto?"
Was there in the music of the frogs
any note that caused her to shud-
der SO?
Cora! Cora! where are you!"
Her aunt's voice reached her ears.
The cir, started to her feet at the
sound, go suddenly that she well nigh
fell into the water. She hurried down
the railroad to meet her aunt, who
stood near the station. There was
an engine, 'pusher," standing near,
wheeling and painting.
Get into the engine, Cora. Here
is hat. I'll go with you"
Her aunt led the way and Cora
wonderingly followed her into the
cab. Her uncle was there, and on
his saying, "All right" the engineer
started the engine, and the frogs
songs died away in the distance.
Cora, I must be abrupt. 1t has just
come up over the wires that Jim Glib
bons' freight ran away down the
grade and plunged off the track at
the curve"
"And Ben Evens is killed." came in
a hollow sound from Cora's lips.
"No, he's hurt and wants you"
Ben was lying on the bank on some
coats which the men standing around
had furnished; his eyes opening and
closing, his breath failing, but he
knew Cora.
Little wife," he whispered, as her
arm stole about his neck, and her hot
lips pressed his forehead, chat was
not to be on earth. but God grant it
will be In heaven"
With a great effort he raised his
arms, put them about her, pressed her
to him, and then all was over.
From her heart arose the words:
at was not to be on earth. but It
will be in heaven. Thank God, he
Iyya