Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-08-07

speak, he listened very patiently to some
| halfdOzen EXPLANATIONS of Nov we've
got your
Something desperate must be done; sc
| Blumble struck the fellow that held hin
| by the throat full in the face, knocking
him down, and then cried out as though
he expected this would be the last chance
he would ever have to speak.
"What in the deuce are you about?"
The striking question had miraculous
effect upon the numerous hands distribut
ed about his person, and Blumble was
free. He waited a few moments to regain
his breath; then looking around him
asked very energetically:
"What does all this mean?"
at means that if you don't promise tc
leave town and not go to see Mary Gay
again, We'll just hide you, and then ride
you out Of town on rail-" said the young
man, the recipient of, the blow, who had
regained his feet.
Leave town? Mary Gay? Why, dc
not understand whatyou mean,' remarked
Blumble, considerably mystified.
"Well, sir" interrupted another voice,
1--WE mean that you've come here from
Boston to court Mary Gay, and you mean
to cut out Billy Higdy here; now if you
don't give up Mary and leave town to.
morrow night, We'll pitch you into the
mill-pond.'
Hold on a moment" said Blumble; 81
think you have got hold Of the wrong
person, as / have not the acquaintance of
Miss Gay, nor, in fact, Of any other lady
in this place. But | want you to under
stand one thing distinctly, and that is, |
shall not leave town until get ready"
Something about BUNDLES manner
seemed to convince the young men that
he was in earnest, for they uttered various
expressions, such as, That's likely sto-
ryt' Hes gassingw Il don't believe
that" etc. Men invariably express
doubts when being convinced of some,
thing they had rather not believe.
For few minutes the whole party re-
manned in silence: then one of the young
denizens of P. broke the spell by asking -:
Amt your name Blumble?'
Eyes, sir"
and you are from Boston,"
Eyes, sir.''
and don't you know Mary Gay?''
mo, sir"
"Well, that's strangel She said his
name was Blumble, and that's your name ;
he belongs to Boston, and so do you; and
you've been right up by her house. and
we believe you've been there to see her
Don't we, Bill"
yes, we do" replied Highly.
'Well, young men," said Blumble, eff
you don't believe me, 90 ask the young
lady herself"
This proposition was met with approval
by the whole party, so Blumble started
back up the lane, accompanied by a large
escort before, behind and on each side of
him. They filed into the yard, and
crowded, on to the steps of neat-looking
farm house, and Highly knocked at the
door. In few moments one of the cham
Der windows was opened and a protruding
head asked:
who's there?"
Come down to the door a minute,
Squire, will you?" asked Bill
why, what do you want?" inquired
the voice in the chamber window above
I'VE want to see Mary a minute" re
piled voice from the crowd below.
why, she has been abel these two
hours. Is it anything important?"
Yes; we want to see her Just q minute"
"Well, I'll speak to her"
In few minutes Mary appeared at the
door. She was very good looking, not
outstanding her being called out of bed
at such an unreasonable hour-and so
thought Blumble For some moments
the whole company remained speechless
At last Blumble, firing of his conspicuous
situation, and the nothing -tO-say" spirit
of the party, broke the silence by asking
the young lady if she had ever seen him
before.
Not that | remember Of" she replied
ttT ppIy. aclya6 Won To cafiS ~ those rpuo or
men," said Blumble.
Then he amt your city beau:' asked
Highly.
No" as short as though it had been
but one letter
Then we were mistaken" said a voice
in the yard, and two or three of the party
Sid out at the gate
II am very sorry that | have been the
indirect cause of this annoyance to you;
but it is no fault of mine. This gentle
man." pointing to Higdy, land his party
seized me and would not allow me to pro-
coed to my hotel until | had proved to
them that [ had not been visiting you. |
must now leave them with you to make
their own explanations, and bid you good
evening"
Good evening" said the young lady,
in very sweet voice.
Somehow Blumble didn't sleep very
sound that night; he was in very strange
place, and he kept constantly thinking of
his strange adventure, and of the good.
looking strange young lady; and the
more he thought, the more he wondered
who she was; and, when at last he deter
mined to inquire about her in the morn
ing, he fell asleep and dreamed Of her
Blumble was an early riser, and the
next morning, before the villagers were
astir, he had walked out and passed the
house of Squire Gay; but he did not see
Mary, so he returned to the hotel and in
quired of the landlord concerning her,
The landlord must have praised the girl,
for the bachelor decided to remain an
other day and be introduced to her, then
to remain a third, and finally he conclud-
ed he might as we'll stop the week out, and
so he wrote to his partners, informing
them that he should remain there few
days to himself The protested woman
hater walked up that same lane each even
ing, and walked into the house, too. He
was not disturbed again by Bill Highly,
for the Squire had threatened if he came
within gun-shot of the house again to put
a dose Of cold lead into him. SO the wise
but jealous Highly kept out of the way.
There was a great reform IN the manners
and habits of Thomas Blumble, merchant.
He left his bachelor clubs, notwithstand-
ing the jeers and taunts of his former
companions, and he became circumspect
in his remarks on female character. For
a number of months he spent his spare
hours writing to Mary, and choosing ap-