Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-07-31

Ter DuI nJtle lnOugnt, however, he turned
from the road into a pleasant lane that
wended its way toward some half-dozen
farmhOuseS until he came to a rustic seat,
upon which he threw himself and was
soon Oblivious to all the world excepting
the business affairs of Hood, Silver &
Blua ble.~ He sat until his cigar was
consumed, when he was aroused to the
world around him by the village clock
striking out ten. Buttoning his coat close
ly around him, he hurried down the lane
toward the hotel As he turned from the
lane into the great road he was suddenly
and not very softly seized by the throat
by the shoulders, and by the coattails by
at least a dozen hands. He was rather
too much surprised to speak, even if he
had chance to; the hands so closely
clcnched around his throat would have
prevented his speaking if he had not been
so greatly surprised AS he could not
speak, he listened very patiently to some
halfdOzen eXclamations of Now we've
got you!'
Something desperate must be done; so
Blumble struck the fellow that held him
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?n
The striking question had a miraculous
effect upon the numerous hands distribut-
ed about his person, and Blumble was
free. He waited few moments to regain
his breath; then looking around him,
asked very energeticauy:
"What does all this mean ?"
at means that if you don't promise to
leave town and not go to see Mary Gay
again, We'll just hide you, and then ride
you out of town on a raj" said the young
man. the recipient Of the blow, who had
regained his feet
Leave town? Mary Gay? Why, do
not understand whatyou mean,n remarked
Blumble, considerably mystiied.
Well sir, >" interrupted another voice,
''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
millpond.'
Hold on a moment" said Blumble; II
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 l 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-
ry." Hes casing" 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:
"Ain't your name Blumble?"
''Ges, sir"
"And you are from Boston?"
"Ges, Sir.'
And don't you know Mary Gay?"
mo, sir"
wen, that's strange! 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 Higdy.
"Well, young men," said Blumble, ''if
you don't believe me, go ask the young
lady herself
This proposition was met with approval
by the whole party, so Blumble started
back up the lane, accompanied by large
escort before, behind, and on each side of
him. They filed into the yard, and
crowded on to the steps of Il neat-loOking
farm house, and Higdy knocked at the
door. In few moments one of the cham
Der windows was opened and prOtruding
bead asked:
who's thcre?'
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 minute, " re-
piled voice from the crowd below.
why, she has been abed these two
hours Is it anything important?"
Yes; we want to see her Just minute"
"Well, III speak to her"
In few minutes Mary appeared at the
door She was very good looking, not
withstanding 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 Blumblc, tiring of his conspicuous
situation, and the nothing 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.
Il only asked you to satisfy these young
men, said BlumbIe
Then he amt your city beau?' asked
uigdy.
Mo- as short as though it had been
but one letter.
Then we were mistaken said voice
in the yard, and two or three of the party
slid out at the gate
Il am very sorry that I have been the
indirect cause of this annoyance to you;
but it is no fault of mine. This gentle
man. pointing to Higdy, "and his party
seized me and would not allow me to pro-
ceed 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
qulred of the landlord concerning her
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