U niversity o f O eegon M o nthly
25
such, as would come fresh and shining through the hottest
August day. The fellows thought he looked swell, all except
his tie. They expected him to choose something pretty for
this occasion, but instead he wore a plain black.
Spick and span, as he was he came out and helped Henry
Null unhitch his. horses. While he was thus engaged Mrs.
Douglass came out and asked him if he had seen anything
of the children.
“No, I aint seen ’em.”
“Well, I wish they’d come and put on their white waists
and Sunday breeches,’
She walked out towards the portd and hallooed for them.
But to’her repeated “Johnies” there was no answering “W hat.”
“Maybe the poor little fellers are stayin’ away jest a purpose
to keep from seein’ Will married,” she mused. And as she
turned towards the house she felt very tender towards her
little barbarians.
When the hoys awoke their farms were all in ruins.
George sat up and rubbed his'eyes, with three or four cows
sticking to. his legs. “Good lands!” he said, “this is W ill’s
weddin’ day and we’ve forgot all about it. W e’d better strike
out for home.”
“It is, sure ’nough,” said John, “hut. there aint no use o’
goin’ horns now. It’s, over with by this time. We might as
well go in swimmin’,”
Following John’s suggestion they started across the pas
ture towards, the pond. By this time it was one or two o’clock
ih the afternoqn and scorching hot. They could see the heat
glimmer in the air and now and then they felt a breeze blow
warm against their faces.. The ground was Mistering even
to their calloused feet.; the water, too, was feverish in the shal
low places but under the, surface in the deeper parts it was
fresh apd cool.
They had not been in long before the dog bayed some
distance off. George and John came out, but Jim kept pad
dling about in the water. “Aint you goin’ with us, Jim?”
“No,” Jim answered, “I ’m learnin’ to swim a little bit
and I ’ve got/to keep on.”