The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-05-10

caught her, ,,.
His first impulse was Ia shout FIRE ms
second Water" Before he could ITO either,
the bell rang. the whistle shrckcd, the loco
motive .nortcd and The train began to move,
What was to be done? II he failed to rcacl
Tick Knob in season, after all his Wanting,
The would be set down H. an arrant poltrooh'
and his political cake h"nCcturth would De
dough He had no alternative but to drop ms
burden and run, or To stand al his post TIL hrlp
came. leaving the "iSsucS of the hour To take
their own chances,
Jones was too much of man To hesitate
1t was still early, and there might be another
train: it was possible to drive to llck'khoo
in a couple of hours. But come what might
he would never desert such an angel rs TINS IN
distress. 80,
When the train was fairly oil the lady--till
then in dead taint-opcncd her eye, and
looked up confdingly:
where am - she murmurcd.
"Safc in these arms" was the assuring an
swcr.
A modest blush mantcd her check as she
made an effort to diScngagc herself
"Don't--pray don't exert yoursclr'-loneS
pleaded. permit me TO carry you-lt you
only knew the great pleasure that feel
in"
"You have my sincere thanks, sir she an
|
A mere attack of MISUNDERSTANDING more.
If you will only lend me your arm little
way to a relatives, shall not reSpaSS further
on your kindness"
Jones was sure she wa, not equal To the EFF
fort With his permission she should prove
III Jones shook his head She took his arm
and pointed the way He begged her to lean
upon it, and they walked on.
At the relatives, after being warmly thank
led by the family, and most charmingIy by
the lady herself who was hurried OIL to ne
down, Jones explained his perdicament lie
was Mr.. Jones, candidate for congress against
the archJdcmagoguc DoX, with whom he was
under an engagement to meet and discuss the
tissues Of the hour" at Tick Knob, that day
at 10 o'clock Would there be another train
in time?
There wa, no train till three o'clock.
Could private conveyance be had:
The relative would see if Mr.. Jones would
take seat Most of the conycyanceS IN that
line were in use, ~ nearly everybody had
gone to the speaking" But he thought OF
Il friend who might be able to accommodate
him. !
Nearly an hour elapsed before the friend
returned with u riCkcty old sulky, drawn by
Il lanky horse, whose sire might nave been
Rosnantc, and his danI--wcll, he hardly
looked to be worth one II was the best that
could be done however and no time was to
! be lost.
Jones mounted the seat and took the lines
| For quarter of a mile the horse did won
| dcrs He was IN earnest looking quadruped
evidently an animal of tenacious purposes
but Jones didn't expect any such-likc speed
If il was backed by corresponding BOTTOM he
would reach Tick Knob in ample time to de
molsh DoX and brand his witc'S siStcr-ln-
laws swinding hrothcr-in.la. with the ever
lasting infamy he deserved.
AT the end of quarter Of an hour the road
forked Jones way lay to the right; the horse
saw the path of duty on the left Jones tug
Gcd one way, the horse set his face the other
Jones coaxcd, the horse was inllcxible. Jones
swore, it was SHINING to no purpose. l. was
nearly noon and there were yet twenty miles
to go.
(Which way'cr we're agoing?' inquired a
shock-headcd urchin in ventilation pana
looms.
TO Tick Knob-blast you" The latter
clause to his horse
oyer don't understand JinglcboneS" said
the boy "Hc wants to go home, an wen he
does there's only one way ter manidge him.
Lemmc show yer"
The boy took off his hat, and holding III
brim up, went to the right calling:
Cope! copel'
Attracted by imaginary oats, Jinglcbones
turned in that direction, when the boy adroit- !
| " clappcd thistle he had in readiness under
the cruppcr 1t acted like charm. Jingle. !
bones set off at full gallop. Jones heart
bounded with delight He might yet be in
time. If the stimulating thistle only kept its
'placc-cyerything now depended on that.
But the faes were against Jones. Al a
sudden turn the hub of the sulky struck Il
telegraph pole, and the whole concern
spokcs, fellocs, axle and body-tlew to pieces
/ like the shell Of a tuuch-me-not. Jones was
hurled head first into "a hrier patch, and be
fore he could cXtricate himself Jingleboncs,
whom the shock had relieved of his thistle,
turned about and Cantcrcd playtulIy nome
ward
Jones gave it up. 1t was too late TO think
of going forward He would walk back and
! tell the fair creature he had left all he had
suffered for her sake, trusting to her gcncros.
/ y To reward his devotion. On second
thought he would wait till evening. The la
! dy would probably keep her room till then
and it would be greatly against etiquette tot
disturb her
Turning in the fields, he sought quiet
place for meditation. He tried to imagine
' what box was saying at that moment. Could
- he have known that at that moment the repu-
Stcptathcrs unclc's aunt's cousin by marriage
was being ruthlcssly asSailcd, and his own
absence attributed to a sncaking fear of meet
| ing that and other tissues Of the hour" he
\ would probably have felt even less comfort.
l able than he did.
+ On his way back, hc skircd through the
y lanes and bypathN, carefully avoiding the
public road, now throngcd with people
" returning from the meeting A. he listened
= To their cheers for box, and their groans for
4 Jones, his heart sank within him. 1t revived
| little rs he thought of the consolation before
. him
His destination reached, lac rang the door.
i bell.
Could he see the lady he had LETT there in
the morning:
He could Would he step in:
There she was aS lovely rs ever The same
I matChless eyes, the same heavenly smile
But stay, who is that she's about To introduce
; To Jones.