Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1915-02-12
CHAPTER vi-contInued.

"Thars a-goin' ter be a dancin'
party over ter Vile McCager's mill
come Saturday" he insinuatingIy sug-
gested. Il reckon yen go over thar
with me, won't We, Sally?"
He waited for her usual delighted
assent, but Sally only told him absent
ly and without enthusiasm that she
would study about it." At last, how
ever, her restraint broke, and, looking
mp. she abruptly demanded:
Air We a-goin' away. Scmson?"
Who's been a-talkin' ter ye?" de-
manded the boy, angrily.
For moment the girl sat silent.
Finally, she spoke in grave voice:
Hit hain't nothin' ter git mad about,
Samson. The artist man lowed as how
ye had right ter go down thar, an
git an eddication." She made weary
gesture toward the great beyond
He hadn't ought to of told We,
Sally. If I'd been plumb sartin in my
mind, I'd a-told We myself-not but
what ! knows" he hastily amended,
tibet he meant hit friendly"
Air We a-goin'?"
I'm studyin' about hit"
He awaited objection, but none
came. Then, with piquing OF his
masculine vanity, he demanded:
'Hain't ye a-keerin'. Sally, whether
goes, or not?"
The girl grew rigid. Her fingers on
the crumbling plank of the stiles top
frightened and gripped hard. Her face
did not betray her, nor her voice.
though she had to gulp down a rising
lump In her throat before she could
answer calmly.
Il think ye had ought to go. Sam
son"
The boy was astonished. He had
avoided the subject for fer OF her OPP
Dosition-and tears.
Then, slowly, she went on:
There hain't nothin' in these here
hills fer We, Samson. Down thar, yen
ace lots of things thet's new--an' civil
lied an beautiful! Yell see lots of
gals tibet kin read an write, gals
dressed up in all kinds of fancy fix
ans" Her glib words ran out and
ended in sort of inward gasp.
Compliment came hardly and awk-
wardly to Samson's lips. He reached
for the girls hand and whispered:
Il reckon / won't see no gals thet's
as purity as you be- Sally. reckon We
knows, whether goes or stays, we're
a-goin' ter git married"
She drew her hand away, and
laughed, little bitterly. In the last
day, she had ceased to be a child. and
become a woman with all the soul-ach-
ing possibilities of woman's intui-
lions.
Samson" she said, 81 haint askin'
We ter make me no promises. When
ye sees them other gals-gals tibet kin
read an write-I reckon mebby ven
think diff'rent. can't hardly spell
out printin' in the fust reader
Her lovers voice was scornful of the
imagined dangers, as recruit may be
OF the battle terrors-before he has
been under fire. He slipped his arm
about her and drew her over to him.
Honey" he said, we needn't fret
about tibet. Readin' an writin' can't
Aibh0 hO 0lnCASuCo lcr d woman.
Hits mighty important fer a man. but
you're gal" i
You're a-goin' ter think diff'rent at.
ter awhile" she insisted. when We
goes. l hain't a-goin' ter be expectin'
we ter come back But"-the
resolution in her voice for a moment
quavered as she added-"but- God
knows I'm a-goin' ter be hopin!"
SALLY" The boy rose. and paced
up and down In the road. "Air We
goin' ter be ag'iDst me. too? Don't We
see that l wants ter have a chanst?
Can't We trust me? I'm jest a-tryin'
10 amount to something. I'm plumb
tired of bein' ornery an no count"
She nodded
I've dc0e told ys." she said, YEARLY,
-tnet thinks 70 ought ter do hit"
Lescctt and Samson discussed the
matter frequently. At times the boy
was obstinate in his determination to
Semain; at other times he gave way
70 the yearnings for change and oppor-
8unity.
The dance on Saturday was to be
something mora portentous than a
mere frolic. Il would be a clan gath
airing to which the South adherents
would come riding up and down Mis-
cry and lea tributaries from nigh