Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-08-13

brought my dear mothers eyes out
Ike a parten's.
took no great stock Of girls nj
that time, for II was hard for me to
see what they had been made for.
There were none of us at Birtwhistle's
that thought very much Of them: but
the smallest laddies seemed to have
the most sense, for, after they began
to grow bigger they were not so sure
about 1t. We little ones were all Of
one mind that creature that couldn't
fight and was carrying tales, and
couldn't so much as shy stone with
out Tapping It's arm like a rag In the
wind was no use for anything.
so when this one came to the stead.
| Ing at West Inch / was not best
pleased to see her. I was twelve at
the time Ut was In the holidays) and
she eleven, a thin, tallish girl, with
black eyes and the queerest ways. She
was forever staring out In front Of
her, with her lips parted as IL she saw
something wonderful: but when
came behind her and looked the same
way / could see nothing but the
sleeps trough or the hidden or IA
theirs breeches hanging on a clothes
line. And then II she saw lump Of
heather or bracken, or any common
stun Of that sort, she would NOPE
over IL as II II had struck her sick, and
cry, SLOW sweet how perfecti" just
as though II had been a painted pic
ture. When used to tell her that
she was good for nothing, and that her
father was fool to bring her up like
that, she would begin to cry, and say
that was n rude boy, and that she
would go home that very night, and
never forgive me as long as she lived
But in five minutes she had forgotten
oil about II. What was strange was
/ did her, and she would never leave
me alone, but she was always watch
ing me and running after me, and
then saying, ooh, here you arel" as
If Il were surprise.
Jim Horscroft was away when
Cousin Edie was with us, but he came
back the very week she went, and
mind how surprised i was that he
should ask any questions or take any
interest in a mere lassle. He asked
me IL she were pretty; ando when J
said that l hadn't noticed he laughed
and called me q mole, and said my
eyes would be opened some day. But
very soon he came to be interested in
something else, and / never gave Edie
another thought until one day she just
took my life In her hands and twisted
It as I could twist this quill.
That was In 1918, after I had left
school, when I was already eighteen
years Of age, with a good forty hairs
on my upper lip and every hope OF
more. had changed since left
school. and was not so keen on games
as had been, but found myself In.
stead lying about on the sunny side
Of the braes, with my own lips parted
and my eyes staring just the same as
Cousin Edie's used to do. 1t had sat.
isfied me, and filed my whole life, that
could run faster and jump higher
than my neighbor. but now all that
seemed such a little thing, and
yearned and looked up at the big arch.
ing sky and down at the fiat blue sea
and felt that there was something
wanting, but could never lay my
tongue to what that something was
And became quick Of temper, too
for my nerves seemed all OF a fret
and when my mother would ask me
what allied me, or my father would
speak of my turning my hand 10 work
would break into such sharp, bitter
answers as have often grieved over
since. All, man may have more than
one wife, and more than one child
and more than one friend, but he can
never have but one mother, so let him
cherish her while he may.
One day, when / came In from the
sheep, there was my father sitting
with a letter in his hands, which was
very rare thing with us, except when
the factor wrote for the rent. Then
when I came nearer to him I saw that
he was crying, and stood staring, for
had always thought that II was not
a thing that man could do. My
mother sat beside him and stroked his
hand like she did the cats back when
she would soothe II.
aye, Jeannie," said he, poor VII.
lies gone. It's from the lawyer, and
II was sudden, or they'd ha' sent word
of It, Carbuncle, he says, and n flush
o blood to the head"
"Ah, well, his troubles over" said
my mother.
My father rubbed his ears with the
tablecloth. Hes left a his savings
TO his lassle," said he, land by gom,
If she's not changed from what she
promised TO be she'll soon gar them
flee. He doesn't say how much, but
she'll have enough and to spare, he
says And she's to come and bide with
us, for that was his last wish"
ITO pay for her keep" cried my
mother sharply. I was sorry that she
should have spoken OF money at that
moment, but then If she had not been
sharp we should have been on the
In n twelvemonth.
"Aye, shen pay, and she's coming
this very day, Jock, lad, I'll want you
to drive to Ayton and meet the eve