Smyrna times., 1872-11-13
.MiSceIIU 10 e D IL s.
Timms' Strategy.

Mapes was chivalrous by nature. He be- |
liev,d d in Seeking the bubble reputation even
in the cannon mouth" His 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 and
indirect means. TimmS on the contrary, be-
leved there was policy in war, and that the end
justified the means, particularly if the end was
attained. Companions from infancy, their lives
had been spent in competition for scholastic
and such other honors a the locality afforded,
without even mOmentary break in their
friendship But now, in early manhood, they
struggled for prize of incalculable value with
an ardOr that threatened a complete rupture of
| friendly relations Che heart and hand of
| Eliza Reed, the neighbOrhood belle, were to be
won; and to these none others might aspire, in
| the face of such formidable competition as that
of Mapes and Timms. They alone-each by
virtue of his own personality and postion-had
a right to lay siege to the heart of that varia-
hle, irritable, imperiOus beauty; ami for months
the strife between them had gone on. Each
one had called into play all his personal ard
social resources-fnr the local society had taken
such an interest that it was divided into two
factions, known as the Mapesites and the
Timm<ites And yet Miss Eliza could not be
brought to express preference. If she rode
with one to-day, she was careful to walk abroad
with the rival tomorrow.
Coquetry is delicious to a woman; and Eliza
would not have been feminine had she been
in haste to have made an election. Never
. theless, she did not intend to miss her OppOr
!, tunity. She knew we'll the war could no
always last, and feared that when one Of tn,
J., aspirants for her favor withdrew from the con
test the love of the other. wanting the stimu
lus of competition, would grow cold; henc
she had made up her mind that, upon the frs
favorable opportunity, she would signify t.
Mapes that his suit, so often pressed, was a
last accepted. The opportunity, it seemed
was not to be long Warrington invitation
were given out for an applebee in the neigh
L. borhood, and Eliza found means to convey al
intimaton to Mapes that she expected to NEE
him there, and counted on his escort home q
the conclusion of the frOllc.
The appointed evening, looked for with sue
nervous anticipation by Mapes, came at las
He felt that it was the most important OF b
life, and arrayed himself as only a rustic dand
:, can. His way lay across a meadow, throug
- which ran--or rather lOitered-a deep, but ma
row stream, spanned by a single log. 1t W;
so dark when he reached this primitive brdg
that he was compelled to feel his way slow
y. across AS he progressed it commenced
swing lightly-sOmething very unusual-unt
he reached the centre, when, to his utter CO.
md fusion, it gave way, and he was launched in
the water. He scrambled out; then sudden
the night became luminous with that lur
light TO which people refer when they say,
speaking of some profane wretch, 4" he swo
lat until all was blue" Whatever illuminatiI
qualities this lurid light possessed, it had
drying ones, and Mapes was forced TO b
adieu for the night to all hopes of plighti
his troth to the loved Eliza.
In the rural districts down East, in eal
times, the good people had such habits of j
dustry and rigid economy that they seldo
gave or attended parties unless such as we
cloaked under the names OF raislngs, quilting
all huskings, or apple-bees. Thus the apple-bC
fraught with momentous consequences
Mapes and Timms, was but q social party
disguise--a few apples being pared, quartert
ira cored and strung in the early evening for 9
e o, pearance sake.
hat As usual, Eliza Reed was the belle of I
ons occasion. Good looks, entire self possessit
e!i al. and keen, satirical wit always assured
IS or that position. And this night she shone W
IRi 1sa unusual brilliancy, until, as the hours W
'ties away, and Mapes came not she began to j
ton herself in pondering why, and at length
S;s aG. asked Timms:
rson els your friend Mapes ailing2'
= sbe % 6 / guess not, replied Timms, "saw
:; :; o., or too day. He wasn't complaining"
sns He denies himself much pleasure" s
"s3 Eliza, in not coming here TO night, for
,Oia is the place where we always have q
reoi. r. time. Aunt Judy knows how to give an apI
y sSs By bee"
. q. "You let Mapes alone" answered Timr
'he knows what he s about"