The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-02-15
Gbe Gilnes, Mem BLOOMFIELD, ]1a.

that time Sam Bates disappeared from
society. Literally and metaphorlcally he
shut up shop, and hung up his fiddle
He did not take to liqor like a fool but
took his axe and cleared, l don't know
how many acres of rugged, heavy tim
bered land, thereby increasing the value
of his tract to the amount Of several hun
dred dollars Sally indirectly sent him
divers civil messages, intimating that she
took no account of that little accident at
the Westinghouse, and at length ven
turod on direct present of a pair of
gray yarn stockings, knit with her own
hands. But while every effort to win
him back to the world was unsuccessful,
yarn stockings were great comfort in
his self imposed exile. Sam wore them
continually, not on his feet, as some-mat-
ter-of-fact BOBBY might suppose, but in
his bosom, and often, during the inter-
walls of his work in the lonely clearing,
would draw them out and ponder on them
until a big tear gathered in his eye
"Oh, Sally Jones, Sally jones' if 1 had
only had the spunk to have courted we
Saturday night instead of waiting till
Sunday morning, things might have been
different" and then he would pick up
his axe, and whack it into the next tree
with the energy of despair.
At length the whole county was electri-
fe d by the announcement that Farmer
Jones had concluded to sell and go West
On the day appointed for the sale there
could not have been less than hundred
horses ,ethered in his barn yard. Sam
Bates was there, looking as uneasy as a
pig in Il strange corn-ield. Sally might
have been little thinner than usual, Just
enough to heighten rather than diminish
her charms. 1t was generally known
that she was averse to moving West.
In fact, she took no pains to conceal her
sentiments on the subject, and her pretty
eyes were eNde utly red with recent weep
ing. She locke d mournfully around at
each familiar object. The old homestead
with its chunked .lnd daubcd walls; the
cherry-trees under which she had played
in childhood; the h0wcrs she had paint
ed; and then to see he dear old furni-
ture auctioned off-the churn, the apple
butter-pot, the venerable quilting frame,
the occasion of so many social gatherings
But harder than all it was, when her own
white COW was put up; her pet when a
calf, she had saved from the butcher--it
was too much, and the te ars trickled
down Sally's blooming cheeks "Ten
dollars, ten dollars for the COW !" Fif
ty dollars - shouted Bates.
why, Sammy" whispered a prudent
neighbor, "she amt worth twenty dollars
at the outside"
Now, when Sally heard this piece of
gallantry, she must needs thank the pur-
chaser for the compliment and com mend
Suckcy to his especial kindness. Then
she extended her plump hand, which Sam
seized with a devouring grip that the lit
tie maiden could scarcely suppress a
scream. She did suppress it, however,
that she might hear whether he had any
thing further to say; but she was disap-
pointed. He turned away dumb, swal-
lowing as it were great hunks of grief as
Wy dS uulnpllnSs' W Heu every UnlnS
was sold off, and dinner was over, the
company disposed itself about the yard
in groups reclining on the grass and seated
on benches and dismantled furniture
The conversation naturally turned on the
events Of the day and the prospects of
the Jones family, and it was unanimously
voted great pity that so fin C girl as
Sally should be permitted to leave the
county so much against her will
" Hain't none Of you sneaking whelps
the spirit to stop herr" asked white
headed miller, addressing group of
young bachelors lying near. The louts
snickered, turned over, whispered to each
other, but no one showed any disposition
to try the experiment
The sun was declining in the Vest
Some Of those who lived at distance
were already gone to harness up their
horses. Tomorrow, the Belle of Caca-
pom Valley would be on her way to
Missouri. Just then Sally rushed from
the house, with face all excitement,
step all determination. Arrived in the
yard, she mounted the reversed apple
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