Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-08-08
or Polly Ann, the first day the new
SIGN was raised.

/ j
the firm that Blumble had travelled
through the New England States
last fall with samples, receiving or
ders. During his tour he remained
in the pretty little village of p,
N. H., one fine night in October.
He sat in the bar-room after supper,
smoking his cigar, until it became
filled with villagers, discussing po-
litics, smoking their pipes, talking
of their crops, and ogling him, all
of which was quite undressing to
him, so he concluded to walk out
and view tho village by moonlight.
He had hardly stepped into the en-
try, and before he could close the
door, ere he heard voice inquire:
"Who's that gentleman"
ellis name is Blumble; he's from
Boston," chimed in a third voice,
and then added: "You don't say so!''
followed by long whistle Of aston
ishment.
Blumble stepped off the piazza
and walked up the village street.
He had scarcely walked twenty
yards before he was aware Of being
followed. Giving the matter but
little thought, however, he turned
from the road into a pleasant lane
that wended its way toward some
half dozen farm houses, until he
came to rustic seat, upon which
he threw himself, and was soon OBJ
livious to all the world excepting
the business affairs of "Hood, Silver
& Blumble." He sat until his cigar
was consumed, when he was aroused
to the world around him by the viii
lage clock striking out ten. Button
ing his coat closely around him, he
hurried down the lane toward the
hotel. AS he turned from the lane
into the road he was suddenly and
not very softly seized by the throat,
by the shoulders, and by the coat
tails, by at least dozen hands. He
was rather too much surprised to
speak, even if he had a chance to;
the hands so closely clencEed around
his throat would have prevented
him from speaking even if he had
not been SO greatly surprised. AS
he could not speak he listened very
patiently to some half dozen excla-
nations 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 expect
ed this would be the last chance he
would have to speak:
"What in the deuce are you
about?"
The striking question had a mi
raculous effect upon the numerous
hands distributed about his person,
and Blumble was free. He waited
a few moments to regain his breath;
then, looking around, asked very
energetically:
"What does all this mean?"
"It means that if you don't prom
Use 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
rail-" said the young man, the re-
cipient of the blow, who had re-
gained his feet.
'Leave town2. Mary Gay? Why,
l do not understand what you mean" "
remarked Blumble, considerably
mystifed.
"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 tomorrow
night, we'll pitch you into the mill
pond"
"Hold on moment" said Blum
BILE, 81 think you've got hold of the
wrong person, as l have not the ac'
quaintance Of Miss Gay, nor, in fact
Of any other lady in this place. But
l want you to understand one thing
distinctly, and that is, l shall not
leave town until l get ready"
Something about BUNDLES man.
ner seemed to convince the young
men that he was in earnest, for they
uttered various expressions, such as
"That's likely storyp' "He's gass.
ingp' 81 don't believe thatp' etc
Men invariably express doubts
when being convinced of something
they had rather not believe.
For few minutes the whole par
ty remained in silence; then one OF
the young denizens of P. broke the
spell by asking:
"Ain't your name Blumble?"
eyes, SIR"
"And you are from Boston?"
eyes, sir"
"And don't you know Mary Gay
"No, SIR"
"Well, that's strange! She said
his name was Blumble, and that's
tyour name; he belongs to Boston
and so do you; and you've been
right up by her house, and we be-
lieve you've been there to see her
Don't we, Bill"
eyes, we do" replied Highly.
"Well, young men," said Blum
BILE, eff you don't believe me 60 and
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 be-
fore, behind and on each side OF
him. They filed into the yard, and
crowded on the steps, of a neat
looking farm house, and Higdy
knocked at the door. In a few mo-
ments one Of the chamber windows
was opened, and protrudiDg head
asked:
"Who's there?"
"Come down to the door a min
ute, Squire, will you?" asked Bill.
"Why, what do you want?" in
quired the voice in the chamber
window above.
"We want to see Mary minute -
replied voice in the crowd below.
"Why, she's been abed these two
hours. Is it anything important?''
eyes; we want to speak to her
just minute"
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