Professional Documents
Culture Documents
LILAH HART
Bachelorettes of Blackbear Bluff, Book 3
Version 1.0119
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This is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and co-incidental.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue
1
DALLAS
t was the strangest sound I’d ever heard, and it was coming from outside my house.
I I set down my coffee cup, pushed away from the table, and stood, making a beeline for the front window of my tiny
cabin. Although there was plenty of traffic up and down the main road leading through Blackbear Bluff, few cars made it up
this way. There was only one house past mine, and it belonged to the guy who owned the bar in town.
I squinted against the sun’s reflection off the snow, my gaze homing in on the navy blue SUV stalled in front of me. At least
it was stopped in place on the icy, sloped road, rather than sliding down.
And then it started again. The same strange whirring sound I’d heard inside my cabin.
Now that I had the vehicle in my sights, it was clear to see what was making the noise. The driver was pressing on the gas
and the tires were spinning, going nowhere.
“Fuck,” I said, stalking over to the front door.
I yanked my coat off the hook and shoved my arms in the sleeves. The last thing I wanted to deal with on this freezing cold
wintry morning was a stuck driver, but I couldn’t just sit in my warm cabin and watch this person struggle.
I threw open the front door, hoping the car had gained traction and was on its way up the hill. But instead, it was stalled
again, this time at a crooked angle.
The noise started up again. “Don’t do that!” I called out, knowing the driver probably couldn’t hear me. “Lady!”
Why I was screaming that as I started across my front lawn was beyond me. There was no reason to assume a woman was
behind the wheel. Maybe it was wishful thinking. It had been a long time since I’d been anywhere near a woman. Certainly not
since I’d moved to this town of mostly men. Damn, it would be nice to have a woman in my bed again.
The SUV was sliding backward now. I let out a string of profanities as I watched, feeling helpless. It was still at an angle
and heading straight toward the solid brick mailbox I’d hand built soon after a buddy and I constructed this log cabin. The box
had reliably collected my mail for five solid years.
My eyes widened as the vehicle not only slammed into the brick but kept going, spinning until it was moving, headfirst,
toward the drop-off that ran along the road next to my house. If that SUV didn’t stop, it would be off the side of the cliff, and
there would be nothing I could do to save it or its driver.
I took off at a fast walk, like I could do anything to stop what was sure to be a fatal accident. Just before the SUV drifted
out of sight, it spun again. And then I heard a thunderous crash that seemed almost deafening in the silence around me.
And then…nothing.
I was running by the time I reached my driveway, but I had to slow down to avoid sliding and ending up on my ass. My
rubber-soled boots helped me stay upright, though. Thank God I’d been hauling in wood just before grabbing my coffee.
Otherwise, I might have still been in my house shoes.
This was the worst place for something like this to happen. I didn’t have a phone, and cell service was spotty up here,
anyway. I figured the gigantic cabin at the top of this mountain had it, but it was at least a mile up the road. All I could do was
hop in my truck and make a run for help, and in this weather, that was…an iffy idea.
A hissing sound pierced the silence as I drew closer to where I’d last seen the vehicle. I breathed a sigh of relief. A hissing
sound was good, especially since it was close enough to tell me the vehicle hadn’t gone down the mountain. Guardrails ran
along the road on either side—something I’d forgotten about in my panic. Yes, everything was probably okay.
But the panic returned as I neared the SUV. Not a sign of movement. It was smashed up against a gigantic tree, its front end
crumbled like a tin can. Steam poured from the hood.
Instinct told me I should probably get the person out. Everything was probably fine, but better safe than sorry. I didn’t want
anyone inside if the engine caught fire.
The guardrail had done its job, although the tree helped stop it too. Still, I wasn’t sure how stable the scene was.
“Hello?” I called out as I approached the driver’s side of the vehicle.
No response. I saw long, red hair and a figure inside. Instinct told me it was a woman, which notched my adrenaline up a
little. I would have jumped in to help no matter what, but there was an extra sense of urgency knowing a woman needed my
help.
When I knocked on the driver’s window, I half-expected no movement whatsoever. The airbags obviously hadn’t gone off,
and the person was slumped over the steering wheel, but she sat up and looked around as though she’d suddenly realized where
she was.
“Can you unfasten your seat belt?” I asked.
Maybe that was a bad idea. But before I could say anything else, she turned to the right and then the left. It took me a second
to realize the movement was her unfastening the seatbelt and moving it back into its holder. Then, suddenly, the door started to
open.
“Wait, wait, wait!” I said, reaching up to stop the door from moving. “Let’s go slowly.”
The vehicle seemed stable. All four wheels were on the ground. I honestly didn’t see a way opening the door would throw
the vehicle off balance, but I’d never forgive myself if something happened to this woman.
Together, we opened the door, watching with each inch. Nothing budged. Then I stepped back and gestured for her to get
out. I didn’t breathe again until we were both standing on the road, staring at her vehicle.
“Do you think it’s safe to open the trunk?” she asked.
I started to say no, absolutely not, but it seemed pretty safe to me. Still, I wasn’t going to take any chances.
“Let me get it,” I said. “You stay here. What is it you need?”
“All of it. My suitcase. The gifts.”
I stared at her, and that was when I really got a good look at her. Damn, she was beautiful. Most beautiful sight I’d ever
seen. She had mesmerizing green eyes, and her auburn hair made them stand out against her porcelain skin.
Despite the stress of the moment, I felt something. A spark. And a thought that rocked me to the core. This was the very type
of woman I’d looked for in my younger years.
“Gifts?” I asked.
Christmas was two months ago. But it was Valentine’s Day weekend. Oh, that made sense. She was meeting her lover for
Valentine’s Day.
But the only thing past my house was Jasper Phillips’ cabin. Maybe she’d taken a wrong turn, and she was headed for
Gage’s or Brody’s house. Whoever he was, he was a lucky son of a bitch to be sleeping with this gorgeous woman this
weekend. What I wouldn’t do to wrap my arms around this beautiful redhead, maybe kissing her from head to toe. Sliding my
cock deep into her wet folds. Stroking her clit as she cried out my name and begged me not to stop.
Yeah, it’d been way too long without a woman. I’d have to do something about that. In the meantime, I needed to make sure
this woman and her vehicle were taken care of.
And I needed to keep my hands to myself.
2
PHOEBE
h, hell no.
O That was my reaction to what I saw outside. I’d barely gotten the door open when sheets of snow assaulted me. They
blasted in past the door and onto the floor around my feet.
The weird thing was, it didn’t seem to bother Phoebe at all. She actually looked relieved as she sat in front of the log fire—
literally in front of it on the floor, legs crossed, blanket covering her lap. She was cold, and I wanted to keep her warm.
That was at the heart of why the sheets of snow were a problem. I could carry her to the truck and deposit her on the
passenger seat if needed. But I didn’t want to leave her at the top of that mountain.
No, I wanted to keep this angel all to myself.
“It’s coming down hard out there,” I said, shrugging out of my coat and hanging it on the hook.
“Do you think it’ll lighten up?” she asked. “I don’t want to miss the wedding.”
“When is it?”
“Tomorrow. We were all supposed to arrive today.”
I looked out the kitchen window as I stood in the center of my living room. “And you think they’ll be able to make it up the
hill in this?”
“Maybe the sun will come out.” She pushed herself to her feet, looking around. “I guess there’s no way to check the
weather forecast.”
I laughed. “I just go with the flow here. Whatever happens with the weather happens.”
That probably made sense to nobody but me, but I prided myself on being completely self-reliant. It was exactly the type of
thing I prepared for throughout the year.
“How do you keep up with what’s going on in the world?” She looked around my cabin. “Politics, war…if the world was
coming to an end, would you know?”
“Probably not.” I shrugged. “I have everything I need here except…”
My mouth got ahead of my brain there. But that one word, “except,” had gotten her attention. She was staring at me now.
“Except a woman,” she said.
Now I was the one staring. No way had I imagined her jumping to that conclusion, even though it was exactly what I meant.
“Except a woman,” I said. “It’s been a while.”
She said nothing, continuing to stare at me as I struggled to find words. I was a man of very few. I’d learned long ago to
keep my mouth shut and my nose in my own business.
“Not many women around these parts,” she said, a smile tugging at the corners of that beautiful mouth of hers. “My cousin
told me about that.”
“Your cousin?”
“Emerald. She’s the one getting married tomorrow. To Bo Phillips?”
“The bartender?”
I knew full well who Bo Phillips was. His dad lived just a mile away. But I had no idea the son of the owner of the only
restaurant in town was getting married. And that he was partly to thank for the beautiful woman who’d landed in my life.
“Yeah, not too many women in Blackbear Bluff.” I turned and started toward the kitchen, mostly to put some distance
between me and this woman. “I don’t know where guys like Bo are getting them.”
“So, you don’t date?”
Her question froze me in my tracks. I turned and looked at her, just steps from the fridge that held my beer.
“What makes you think that?” I asked.
Phoebe tossed her blanket on the couch and started toward me. So much for putting distance between us.
“Think what?” she asked.
I was truly clueless. My mind was scrambled at the sight of her approaching me. Those curves had my hands itching to
touch. I’d spent almost every second of the last couple of hours or so wondering what she looked like beneath those clothes.
“What makes you think I don’t date?” I asked.
“You said there weren’t too many women here.” She stopped at the countertop where she’d set her coffee mug that morning
and stared me down. “I assumed that meant you’re single.”
Damn, I wanted this woman. That face, those hips…everything about her.
“I haven’t been with a woman since I moved here six years ago.”
I’d just said those words. Out loud. She’d have every right to lose all respect for me. A woman didn’t want a man who was
celibate.
Did I want her to want me?
Yes. The answer was yes. At some point, I’d teetered from mere attraction into conquest mode. I would do whatever it took
to win this woman over and have her moaning beneath me by the end of the day.
“Don’t get me wrong,” I said. “I’ve had relationships and…women.”
I was screwing this up, big time. Maybe I’d lost my touch with women. No, sweet talking them had never been my thing.
Mostly, I’d show up somewhere, a woman would start flirting with me, and next thing I knew, we’d be back at my place or
hers.
Problem was, there was no one to flirt with around here. Even when I went to town, it was all ex-military dudes and old-
timers. The number of women in town had gradually been growing lately, but they were all attached to the men here.
“I haven’t,” she said.
I’d already moved over to the fridge, and now I squatted in front of it, door open, staring blankly inside. “Haven’t what?”
“Had a lot of relationships,” she said. “Or men. None, actually.”
Now I looked over at her, straightening. What was she saying? I didn’t get it.
“I’ve dated.” She shrugged. “And I guess I had a couple of those high school relationship situations. Holding hands, going
on dates, making out…but no sex. And nothing serious.”
I was just flat-out staring at her at this point. She had to be joking.
“Exactly how old are you?” I asked.
After the words were out, I realized how abrupt they sounded. Foot-in-mouth disease strikes again.
“Twenty-one.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not my age. It’s...”
Silence. I waited her out for a few seconds, then remembered the fridge door was open. Propane didn’t grow on trees. I
squatted and grabbed one beer, then paused again.
I looked over at her. “Want a beer?”
She was legal, right? Twenty-one. Yes, legal. Last thing I wanted to do was run afoul of the law. But I was thirty-six. A
thirty-six-year-old had no business sleeping with a twenty-one-year-old, even if she was as fine as a deer on a crisp fall
morning.
Yeah, I needed to work on my sweet talk if that was the best I could come up with.
“Sure,” she said. “I don’t suppose you have anything stronger.”
I looked at her again. “I have some vodka, but—”
“I’ll take it. Got anything to mix it with?”
“Water?”
She made a face. “Anything with…flavor?”
I glanced back in the fridge and spotted a couple of cans of pineapple juice. Lord knew when or why I’d bought them. I
grabbed one, kicked the fridge door shut, and got to work making her a vodka-pineapple juice drink.
A few minutes later, my mind was still struggling to catch up with everything that had happened as I settled in next to her on
the sofa. We stared at the fire, each seated on opposite ends with a cushion between us.
“My dad left when I was fourteen,” she said. “Right as I was starting to get interested in boys. Turned out, he’d been
cheating on my mom with another woman. He got her pregnant and now he’s married to her and living in Maryland.”
Whoa. That was…a lot.
“So, you didn’t want to date?” I asked.
“I did, but I could never quite trust anyone.” She shrugged. “If the only man you’ve ever loved lied to you your whole
life…”
“Yep.” I nodded, taking another sip of my beer. “Makes sense.”
I wasn’t good with stuff like this. I was probably supposed to say I was sorry to hear that or something. But there was a
reason I was better off living alone.
“But with you, it doesn’t matter,” she said.
“Huh?” I turned to look at her, feeling like I must have missed an important piece of the discussion.
“I’m leaving town Monday morning anyway,” Phoebe said. “And once this snow clears up, I’ll be heading up to the
wedding. So there’s no need to worry about whether you’ll call me after we’ve…”
Her voice drifted off at the most important part of the sentence. I had to know exactly what she was thinking about doing
with me.
Before I could work up a question, she laughed. “You don’t even have a phone. When I leave here tomorrow, that’s
definitely it. So…let’s do this.”
She took a long sip of her drink, tipping it up until she drained it. I watched, not speaking, waiting for her to clarify. When
she set the now-empty glass on the coffee table beside her, I had to figure out exactly what she meant by “do this.”
But when she stood and asked, “Where’s your bedroom?” there was no doubt about what she meant. She reached out a
hand, like she could actually help lift me off the couch.
“I—”
My words cut off as her hand slid into mine and she gave a little tug. What was I going to say? No?
Like hell I was. I had to see where this was going.
4
PHOEBE
oday, I would lose my virginity. Once I made up my mind to do it, there was no turning back.
T I followed Dallas to the only room inside this cabin with a door—a door I’d assumed led to the bathroom. But no, it
was a bedroom. Not a huge one, but something that was at least separate from the rest of the cabin.
“It’s dark in here,” I commented as he stopped in the center of the room, steps from a large bed with a wooden frame.
“Do you want me to open the blinds?” he asked.
I shook my head. The dim lighting was perfect. No man had ever seen me naked, and I was nervous about it. If I believed he
couldn’t see my flaws, this would be so much easier.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
I stepped closer, moving his free hand to the small of my back. That seemed to send the message.
He released my hand and moved that hand to my back as well. My entire body seemed to tremble as I rose on tiptoe and
pressed my body to his.
Had I ever been this bold? The answer was a resounding no.
He didn’t move at first, and for a long moment, I worried I would have to do all the work. But his stare was so intense, he
had to be feeling this too.
I settled my hand on his nape and brushed my breasts against his chest. Gradually, I moved my mouth closer to his. And
closer. And closer. And closer.
Suddenly, the dam seemed to break. Whatever had been holding him back melted away and his mouth crushed mine. Our
lips and tongues meshed with a passion that was startling. How did this work? Did he undress me? Or was I responsible for
disrobing?
My hands started roaming, answering for me. I slid them down the center of his chest, my fingers fumbling with his top
button. Meanwhile, his hands moved beneath the bottom band of my sweatshirt, making contact with my bare skin.
I wasn’t prepared for just how good it would feel to have his strong, work-roughened hands on my bare skin. I’d spent
years avoiding making out with boys, knowing one thing would lead to another. But Dallas wasn’t a boy. Dallas was a man.
“Let’s get some of these clothes off,” I said when we finally broke the kiss.
With a nod, he stepped back and began stripping. There was something so matter-of-fact about it, like he was simply
following orders.
I didn’t want him to see it that way. I decided to do something about it.
Without taking my eyes off him, I lifted my sweatshirt over my head, tossing it to the floor. Then I reached for the fastening
of my jeans. I was no pinup model, but I was proud of my body. I had generous curves that got attention everywhere I went.
But today, there was only one person’s attention I sought.
Dallas had stripped to his underwear by then, which made it impossible to ignore his bulge. Again, I wondered if I was the
one who had put it there. And how did I convince him to remove his underwear? I wanted to see what was beneath that blue
cotton.
Once my jeans were off, I reached for the clasp of my bra. I didn’t take my eyes off him as I tossed the bra aside, baring my
breasts to him.
He moved then, walking boldly toward me. He didn’t even stop when I stood, frozen, struggling to process my body’s
reaction to him. Chills spread from head to toe, but heat pooled in one very specific area. Warmth and moisture. My body was
preparing for him.
“Let me do the rest,” he said.
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but at that point, I was willing to do whatever he wanted. He was the expert. I was here to
learn.
“Get on the bed,” he said.
His words, coupled with the desire in his eyes, sent a fresh wave of heat to my pussy. I’d never felt anything like this. No
one had ever looked at me the way he was right now.
I knew, in that moment, that I’d never be the same.
5
DALLAS
didn’t want to leave. But Dallas seemed to want me to go, so what choice did I have?
I “Ready?” he asked once I was settled in the passenger seat of his truck.
I nodded, trying to hide the fact that my heart was breaking. “Ready.”
It was ridiculous to have this reaction. I’d spent an entire night with Dallas, and now he was taking me to the cabin where
my cousin would be getting married today. He would then head off to find someone who could get my SUV to the town
mechanic.
But after spending the past few hours in this man’s bed, I couldn’t imagine my life without him. Dallas, meanwhile, had
gone stone-faced and silent since Emerald’s fiancé showed up at his door, asking if mine was the wrecked vehicle he’d just
passed.
“You should come to the wedding tomorrow,” I blurted as we started up the road to Bo’s dad’s cabin. “You can be my
date.”
Silence. I held my breath, anxious to hear his answer. Terrified he’d say he never wanted to see me again. Instead, he just
laughed.
“Your fancy friends don’t want me there.”
Fancy friends? What was he talking about?
As though sensing my question, he continued. “The Phillips family practically owns this town. Bo’s a good guy, but the rest
of the family doesn’t really think much of us mountain folk.”
“Mountain folk?”
“Yep. That’s what I am. To people who don’t get it, anyway. Here we are.”
He’d pulled into the driveway while I was staring at him, trying to make sense of his words. I wasn’t getting out of the car
until we talked this out.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked.
“Doing what?”
“Pushing me away.”
He looked over at me then, and I guessed what he was thinking. What was my plan? To give up my job and move up here to
the mountains, where I couldn’t even get a cell phone signal?
Yes. That was my plan. That was exactly what I wanted. If it meant I got to see him again...and every day for the rest of my
life.
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“It was just sex to you,” I said. “And I know it was my first time, but I felt something. I still feel something.”
“I felt a lot of things.” He looked over at me, propping his left arm on the steering wheel. “Things I was hoping to explore
after the wedding when I talk you into waiting at my place for your car to be ready.”
I held back a smile. “That could be days.”
He gave a nod. “Or weeks.”
My heart was soaring. He wanted me in his life after today. But what did that mean?
“My job,” I said, more to myself than him.
My mind was racing as I tried to work through the logistics. It wasn’t like I was married to my job. I had fun as a barista,
but it was basically a temporary gig while I figured out my next steps.
“You don’t need it,” he said. “I have enough to take care of all your needs. There are jobs in town if you want to keep
working. I’m sure the convenience mart could use someone who can make a decent cup of coffee.”
My heart was full. I had no idea what any of this meant, but he wanted me to stick around a little longer. Together, we could
figure out where this was going.
“I think I might have fallen in love with you, Phoebe,” Dallas said. “I know it’s soon and I don’t want to scare you off, but
the last thing I want is for you to think this was just about sex to me. Not at all.”
Love. That was a big word. I wasn’t ready to say it yet, but I certainly wasn’t scared off. Not by a long shot.
“Let’s do this.” I reached for his hand. “Starting with going inside and meeting everyone. You can leave if you want to after
that.”
He hesitated a long moment, then finally gave a nod. “Let’s do this.”
He shut off the engine and we both got out of the truck. But I still felt his trepidation as we walked toward the front door of
the gigantic cabin. This wasn’t in his comfort zone. In fact, this might be the one situation that could intimidate this man.
I’d just lifted my free hand to ring the doorbell when it burst open. A man with a big smile stood there. It was the groom
himself—the man who’d stopped by the cabin to ask about my wrecked SUV.
“Dallas!” Bo said with a big smile. “I was wondering if we’d get the two of you out of that cabin.”
I looked over at the man standing next to me. Bo hadn’t indicated they really knew each other when he stopped by the cabin,
but now he was greeting him like they were friends.
“Hey, everyone!” Bo called out. “Dallas and Phoebe are here.”
Hearing our names together like that warmed my heart. This was right. It was how it should have been all my life.
Dallas and Phoebe.
“Come on in,” Bo said.
I looked over at Dallas, who appeared more uncomfortable than ever. For a long, heart-stopping moment, I was sure he
would make some excuse and bolt, maybe never to return. That was okay, though. I knew where he lived. I’d just have someone
drop me off at his place when the wedding was over.
Instead, I tugged on Dallas’s hand and he budged, following me straight into the house. Progress.
I couldn’t help but smile as he said hi to the dozen or so guests gathered around. Some were visiting relatives, some were
from this area. It made sense that Bo was well known, considering he was the town bartender. That tended to make a person
popular.
Dallas and I eventually settled onto the couch with the rest of the group and waited as the newly arrived catering crew set
up food for the rehearsal dinner. The bride and groom had decided no rehearsal was necessary. We were lucky just to be able
to move forward with the wedding at all, considering the weather.
“I guess this beats steak made on a propane grill,” Dallas commented.
I shook my head. “I can’t wait to try your steak. I’m definitely going to take you up on that dinner offer as soon as this
wedding is over.”
I smiled at him, then snuggled against him. I put my head on his shoulder as we listened to the people around us talk.
I felt at home here—not just with these people, but in Blackbear Bluff in general. I guess I’d never thought of myself as a
small-town girl before. I’d assumed I’d live in the suburbs for the rest of my life. But in just a half a day, my entire worldview
had changed.
This was my future. This was my man, and some of these people would become my friends.
A sigh escaped, and Dallas couldn’t help but hear it. He leaned away a little to look down at me, then moved back toward
me, planting a kiss on my temple.
“I love you,” he whispered.
I looked up at him and mouthed the same words back to him. They were words I’d be saying for the rest of my life.
EPILOGUE
DALLAS
DALLAS ’ S NEIGHBOR Gage gets a sexy massage from Bo’s new employee in Book 4, Touching the Mountain Man. Get your
copy now!
And have you read Dax and Erika’s story? Resisting the Mountain Man is free with newsletter signup.
For a full list of Lilah’s books, visit her website.
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Vielä näillä valtioilla,
Että kesti keskustelut
Eikä päästy päätöksihin,
Kun oli aikoa kulunna
Vielä viisi kuukauttakin.
Vaan on vielä tietämätön,
Asiakin arvelussa,
Tokko päätökset pitääpi
Eli ei merkinne mitänä
Valtiopäiväpäätöksemme;
Jos ei perustus pitäne,
Suomen laki suojanamme.
Tääll' oli myöskin tutkittava
Manivesti mainittava
Heleässä helmikuussa;
Joka tuotti tutkintoa,
Aivan paljon arvelua,
Se on paljon seisottanna
Yhteistä asian tointa.
Kaikistapa kansa saapi
Seuraukset selvitellä.
Mitä kansa saa kokea —
Ettei tiedä tuulen päällä
Mitä sattuupi selällä.
Ruvennenko runoilullen
Tämän ajan asioista; —
Kuinka ajan kunkin kulku
Menojansa muutteleepi.
Samoin kaikki kansan toimet
Tapojansa toimittaapi
Aina kullakin ajalla;
Kuin on täällä kulkeminen,
Milloin myötä-, milloin vasta-
Tuulta täällä soudettava
Tämän maaliman merellä,
Ihmisillä ilman alla.
Kuitenkin on kulkijoilla,
Nykyajan asujoilla
Monenmoista muuttelua;
Joita nyt nykyinen aika
Tuopi etehen enemmän
Kaiken kansan keskentehen.
Kun on vielä vaaliajat,
Valtiollen valmistukset,
Edusmiesten evästykset.
Näistä ompi nähtävänä,
Näistä toimista tulokset,
Kuinka ompi Suomen kansa
Eri seuroiksi erinnä,
Pukeutunna puolueisiin,
Joita on jollain nimillä.
Siitäpä tulevi sitten,
Ett on kansasta kadonnut,
Sopu kaikki sortununna,
Veljeys manallen mennyt,
Mielet monimielisiksi;
Joista syntyy sanasota,
Kiistelyjä kiivahia.
Vaan mikä puolueista parahin
Ompi maata moittimassa,
Vielä vanhoja tapoja,
Se on suuret sosialistit,
Mokraatit monilukuiset;
Jotka kautta kokousten
Juttujansa jutteleepi;
Akitaattorien avulla.
Vaan on näissä joutavia
Monen puolueen puheissa.
Nää on aina alkusyynä
Että seuroja enemmän,
Puolueita kaikin paikoin.
Ompi sitten syntymässä.
Eri seuroiksi elämä
Turmiollen turmeltuupi;
Josta näky nähtävänä,
Edessämme esimerkit,
Miten on mielet muuttunehet,
Sopu kaikki sortununna
Kansan kaikissa tiloissa.
Paha on nähä näkevän,
Paha kuulla kuulevankin.
Toista oli aika ennen,
Viime vuosikymmeniset.
Eipä silloin elämässä
Ollut paljon puolueita;
Oli kaksi kaikestansa:
Olihan omat suomalaiset,
Vaarit vanhat ruotsalaiset.
Nyt on uudet urohomme
Ottanehet ohjelmaansa
Kutsut kuudella nimellä.
Ansainneeko aineheksi,
Ottaa puheeksi pakina,
Sanella saunaväestä,
Kyllin kylpyvierahista?
Vai lie aine aivan huono
Sanella runosanoiksi?
Vaan kuin sanoo sananlasku,
Että kaikki kelpajaakin
Laulajallen virren laadut;
Kun vaan saisi sattumahan
Sanan synnyt syitä myöten,
Luottehet lomia myöten.
Vesi on aivan arvollista
Ollut aikojen alusta.
Vettä kaikki kaipajaapi,
Koko Luojan luomakunta.
Vettä aivan arvosteli
Entiset esi-isätkin,
Koska sanoiksi sanovat
Kalevankin kansalaiset:
Ilma on emoja ensin,
Vesi vanhin veljeksiä.
Entäs nyt nykyinen aika,
Kuin on tarkat tutkimukset
Veden voimasta valittu,
Mitä auttais kylmä kylpy,
Mitä lämmin miellyttäisi,
Mitä savi, mitä suola,
Mitä höyry höydyttäisi —
Etten taida tarkemmasti
Nimittää niitä nimiä,
Mitä saapi saunavieras
Veden voimasta kokea
Kylpytiellä käydessänsä.
Kun on nyt tavaksi tullut,
Kylpykeino keksittynä,
Jota suosii suuret herrat,
Rouvat myöskin rohtonansa,
Viinit, hienot ryökkynätkin,
Ehkäpä ei pahaa tekisi
Höyrykylpy kyntäjällen,
Saada vähän virkistystä.
Mieli maistuisi mesillen,
Hunajallen höyrähtäisi;
Kuten tämän kertojankin,
Kun on ollut osallisna
Kylpijänä Kuopiossa.
Ehkä vaikutti vesikin,
Virkistänyt vanhan mieltä,
Kun hän kiireellä kyhäsi
Runon kehnon kylpijöillen,
Saunaväellen saneli.