The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-08-23
Miscellaneous.
TIMM'S STRATEGY.
A STORY OF CALIFORNIA LIFE.

Mapes was chivalrous by nature he
believed in seeking thebubble reputa.
ton, even at the cannon's 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 indi-
| rect means. Timms, on the contrary,
believed there was policy in war, and
| that the end justified the means, ,particu-
larly if the end was attained. Compan-
| ions from infancy, their lives had been
spent in competition for scholastic and
such other hOnOrs as the locality afford.
ed, without even momentary broak in
| theirfriendship But now,in early man.
| hood, they struggled for price of incai
| culable value, withan ardor that threat
ened a complete rupture of friendly re
latiOns. The heart and hand of Eliza
Reed, the neighhorh00d belle, were to
| be won and TO these none others might
aspire, i'll the face of such formidable
competition as that of Mapes and
Iimms. They alone--each by virtue of
his own personality and position-had
a right to lay siege to the heart Of that
variable, irritable, imperiou5 beauty,
| and for months the strifebetwocn them
had gone on. Each one had called into
play all his personal and social resour-
| ccs; for the local society had taken
such an interest that it was divided
l. Ia,
ties and the Timmsites. And yet Miss
Eliza could not pc brought to express
preference. Ifshe rode with one to day,
she was careful to walk abroad with the
rival tomorrow.
Coquetry is delicious to a woman land
Eliza would not have been feminine
had she been in haste TO have made an
| election. Nevertheless, she did not In.
tend to miss her opportunity. She knew
well the war could not always last and
feared that when one of the asDirants
for her favor withdrew from the contest,
the love of the other, wanting the
stimulus Of competition, would grow
cold hence, she had made up her mind,
that, upon the first favorable opportuni-
ty, she would signify to Mapes that his
suit, so often pressed, was at last accept.
ed. The opportunity, it seemed, was
not to be long wanting; for invitations
were given out for an applet bee in the
| neighbOrhoOd, and Eliza found means
| to convey an intimation to Mapes that
she expected to meet him there, and
counted on his escort home at the con-
clusion of the frolic.
The appointed evening looked for
with such nervous anticipation by
| Mapes, came at last. He felt that it was
the most important of his life, and ar
| rayed himself as only rustic dandy
can. His way lay across a meadow,
through which ran-or rather loitered
"a deep, but narrow stream, spanned
by single log. 1t was so dark when he
reached this primitive bridge that he
was compelled to feel his way slowly
across. AS he progressed it commenced
to swing lightly-something very un-
usually-until he reached the centre,
when, to his utter confusion, it gave
way, and he was launched into the wa
ter. He scrambled out, then suddenly
the night became luminous with that
lurid light TO which people refer when
they say, in speaking of some proflno
wretch, "He swore until all was blue"
Whatever illuminating qualities this
lulid light possessed, it had no drying
ones, and Mapes was forced to bid adieu
for the night TO all hopes of plighting
his troth to the loved Eliza.
In therural districts down East in ear
ly times, the good people had such hab-
its of industry and rigid economy that
they seldom gave, or attended parties,
unless such as were cloaked under the
names of raisings, quiltings, huskings,
or applebe thus, the apple-bee,
fraught with momontous consequences
to Mapes and Timms, was but social
party in disguise-a few apples being
pared, quartered, cored, and strung in
the carly evening for appearance sake.
AS usual, Eliza Reed wasthe belle oi
the occasion. Good looks, entire self
possession, and keen, satirical wit al.
ways assured her that position and this
night she shono with unusual brilliancy
until, las the hours wore away and Mapes
came not, she began to lose herself in
pondering why and at length she asked
Timms:
sis your friend Mapes aiing ?"
~ guess not" replied Timms "saN
him to-day. lie wasn't complaining
"IIe denies himself much pleasure,
said Eliza, sin not coming here to- night
for this is the place where We alway.
have good time. Aunt Judy knows
: how to give an apple bee"
"You let Mapes alone," answered
Timms, she knows what he Is about.
"What do you mean ?" asked Eliza
"Oh, l mean," replied 1lmms, "tha
Mapes is the prlnceof good fellows, ,anC
gets invitations whore the rest Of u'
don't.'