Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-11-16


utterance his opinion that the Civil
war ought to be fought all over again.
"Your father said your grandfather
hadn't heard from her for several days.
and even then she hadn't said when
she was coming home"
mo. / expect she didn't" said Flor
ence. "Mr. Dill, | was goin' 10 ask
you somep'n-it's kind of queer kind
Of question for me TO ask, guess
she paused. However. he did not inter-
rupt her. seeming preoceupied with
gloom; whereupOn Florence permitted
herself deprecatory laugh and con-
tinued: 1T might be you'd answer yes.
or it might be you'd answer no; but
anyway l was goin' to ask you--it's
kind of funny question for me to ask,
I expect-but do you like poetry"
''What?'
well. as things have turned out
lately / guess it's kind Of a funny
question, mir. Dill; but DO you like
poetryf"
NobiesN expression took on a cold
ness; fer the word brought to his
mind a tbjught of Newland Saunders.
This was poet of Mobiles age, who
wrote verses to Julia-that too-loveIy,
absent aunt of Florence's. do / like
poetry" said Noble mo. 1 don't"
Florence was momentarily discour-
aged but at her age people usually
possess an invaluable faculty which
they lose later in life; and it is pity
they do lose it. At thirteen-especial-
ly the earlier months of thirteen
they are still able to set aside and
dismiss from their minds almost any
facts, no matter how audibly those
facts have asked for recognition. Chill
dren superbly allow themselves to be-
come deaf, so to speak. to undesirable
circumstances; most frequently, of
course, TO undesirable circumstances
in the way of parental direction; so
that fathers, mothers. nurses, or gov
ernesses, not comprehending that this
mental deafness is for the time being
entirely genuine, are liable to hoarse-
ness both of throat and temper. Thir-
teen is an age when the fading of this
gift or talent-one of the most beau
tiful of childnood-begins to impair
its helpfuIness, under the mistaken
stress OF discipline; but Florence re-
tanned something of ii. In moment
or two Noble Dill's disaffection toward
poetry was altogether as If it did not
exist.
She coughed, inclined her head a
little to one side, in her mothers
repeating her deprecatOry laugh, re-
marked, wei. Of course it's kind of
"A funny question for me to ask, of
course"
what is, Florence?" Noble inquired
absently.
''Well--what | was saying was that
course it's sort of queer me askin'
IL you liked poetry, of course. on ac-
count of my writing poetry the way
do now
She looked up at him with bright
readiness to respond modestly to
whatever exclamation his wonder
should dictate but Mobiles attention
had struggled again. He failed to
comprehend what she had set before
him.
HAS she written your mother late
Typ he asked
FlOrence's expression denoted a
mental condition slightly disturbed.
NO" she said Its goin' TO be
printed in the North End Daily ORR.
ole"
"What?"
MY poem. It's about vast amen
anyhow that's prOb'ly the best thing
in 1t, / guess-and they're goin to
have 1t tomorrow, or else thpy'll have
to settle with me; that's one thing
certain! I'll bring one over 70 your
house and leave It at the door for
you, Mr.. Dlll."
Noble had but a confused notion
of what she thus generally promised.
However, he said. THANK you" and
nodded vaguely.
"Of course, | don't know as it's so
awful good" Florence admitted insin-
cerely 1.-The family all seem to think
It's something pretty much; but don't
know IL il is or not. Really. don'tw
NO" said Noble, still confused. Il
suppose not"
''fm half way through another one
l think myself'll be good deal better.
I'm not goln' as fast with II as / did
with the other one. and l expect it'll be
quite ways ahead of this one" She
again employed the deprecatory little
laugh. IL don't know how / do it.,
myself. The family all think it's sort
of funny; / don't know how / do 1t
myself; but that's the way 1t is. They
all say IL they could do 1t they're sure
they'd know how they did L.; but !
guess they're wrong. 1 presume IL
you can do 1t, why 1t just comes to
you? Don't you presume that's the
way II is, Mr.. Dill?"
"I-guess So" They had reached
his gate, and he stopped. You're sure
none of your family have heard any
thing today?" he asked anxiously.
From Aunt Julia? l don't think
they have"
He sighed. and opened the gate.
"well. good evening. Florence"
Good evening" Her eyes followed
him wistfully as he passed within the
Enclosure; then she turned and walked
quickly toward her own home; but at
A. -N all H