Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-08-07
Miscellany
Tlmms' Strategy.
A Story OF RIVAL CAurOKSn Lovers,


MAPEs was chiyalrous by nature; he
believed in seeking the bubble reputa.
tion, even in the oannOn's mouth" Ills
enthusiasm was aroused by the recital Of
stories of deeds Of desperate daring ;
while he had nothing but contempt for
even success won by crooked aud indirect
means. Timms, on the cantrary, believed
there was policy in war, and that the end
justified the means, particularly If the
end was attained. Companions from iu-
fancy, their lives had beeo spent in COM
petion for scholastic and such other honors
as the locality afforded, without even a
mOmeutary break in their friendship.
But now. in early manhood, they strug.
gled for prize of incalculabe value,
with an ardor that threatened complete
rupture of friendly relations. The heart
AMI hand Of Eliza Reed, the neighbor.
hood belle, were to be won; aud to these
uoue Others might aspire, in the face oi
such formidable competition as that OF
Mapes and Timms. Tney alone-each
by virtue Of his own personality aud pc,
sltion-had right to lay seigc to the
heart Of that variable, irritable impcrvi
Gus beauty, aud for months the strife be
tween them had gone on. Each one haC
called into play all his personal aud socia
resou ces; for the local society had ia
ken such an interest that it was divided
into two factions, known as the Mapcsites
and the Timmstes. And yet Miss Eliz;
could not be brought to express prefer
ence If she rcde with one to-day, sh,
was sure to walk abroad with the rival to
morrow.
Coquetry is delicious to woman; anC
Eliza would not have been feminine hat
she been in haste to have made an. elect
ion. Nevertheless, she did not mean It
miss her opportunity. She knew wei
the war could not always last, and feare'
that when one Of the aspirants for her ia
vor withdrew from the contest. the lov,
OF the other, wanting the stimulus o
competitor. would grow cold; hence, sh
had m ade up her mind that, upon the frs
favorable opportunity, she would signif,
to Mapcs that his suit, so often pressed
was at last accepted. The opportunity
it seemed, was not to be long wanting; fo
invitations were given out for an apple
bee in the ncighborhood, aud Eliza founC
means to convey an intimation to Mape
that she expected to meet him there, AM
counted on his escort home after the frol
ic.
The appointed evening looked for wit
such nervous anticipation by Mapes cam
at last. He felt that it was the most i'm
portant of his life, and arrayed hlmsel
as only a rustic dandy can. His way Ia
across a meadow, through which ran--o
rather loitered--a deep, but narrov
stream, spann ed by a single log. 1t wa
so dark when he reached this primitiv
bridge that he was compelled to feel hi
way slowly across. As he progressed
commenced to swing lightly--somethln
very unusual-until he reached the. center
when, to his utter confusion, it gave wa
and he was launched into the water. H
scrambled out, then suddenly the nigh
became luminous with that lurid light t
which people refer when they say. i
speaking of some profane wretch, I'll
swore until all was blue Whatever i
Eliminating qualities this lurid light pos
sessed. it had no drying ones, and Mape
was forced to bid adieu for the night t
all hopes of plighting his troth to the 10,
ed Eliza.
In the rural districts Down East i
early times, the good people had sue
habits of industry and rigid ecouom
that they seldom gave, or attended pal
ties, unless such as were cloaked unde
the name of raisings, quitings husking'
or apple bees; thus, the apple-bee
fraught with momentous consequences I
Mapes and Timms, was but social pal
ty in disgnise---a few apples being pared
quartered, cored. and strung in the earl
evening for Appearances sake.
AS usual, Eliza Reed was the belle {
the occasion. Good looks. entire self-poF
session, and keen, satirical wit alway
assured her that position and this nigh
she shone with unusual brilliancy, unit
as the hours wore away, and Mapes cam
not she began to lose herself in ponderln
why, and at length she asked Timnis;
Is your friend Mapes ailing?"
II gusss not" replied Timms; "sa
him to-day. He wasn't complaining"
He denies himself much pleasure
not coming here tonight, for this is II
place where we always have good tim