Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-06-25

and no limo t., lose, for some one might
como along md ASH him what no was
fnling around tllete for. lilo hal no
notion Of spelling his good clothes by
wading in will. them on, and besides, If
he did that he could not go to the
widows that night, no he took look
up and down tho ro,.d to see that no
ono was in sight, and thcn quickly I'M
dressed himself, laying his clothes in
tho buggy to keep them clean. Thcll
hc ran around the bank and waded iuto
the almost icy -coldswater, but his teeth
did not chatter ilf Ills he..l-llc only
wished they could. Quietly he w.ulel
along; so us not to stir up tho mud, and
! when he got tho right spot he dropped
under the water md came up with his
tooth in his hand, anu replaced them III
his mouth. But bark What noise is
that? A wagon, and little dog bark
ing with NIL his might, md his horse is
starting. "Whoa!. Whoa! Stop you
brute you, stop!"~ But stop he would
not, but went OF at Il spanking pace
with the unfortunate bachelor after him
and tho little dog: yelping after tho
bachelor Billwas certainly III capital
running costume, but though he strain
ell every nerve he could not touch the
buggy or reach tho lines that were
dragging OH the ground.
After awhile his plug hat shook off
the scat and the hind wheel went over
it, making it rs flat rs IL pancake. Bill
snatchctl it a. lie ran, and after JAM
ming his fist into it, stuck it, all dusty
and dimplcd on his head. And now hc
SAW the widows house on the hill, and
what, ol, what will he do! Then his
coat fell out, he slipped it ON, and then
making desperate spnrt he ciutchcd
the back Of the seat md scrambled III,
AMI pulling the buffalo robo over his
legs, stuffed the other things beneath.
Now the horse happened to lie ono that
he got from Squire Moore, and he got
il from the widow, and he took it into
his head to stop ut her Snte, which Bill
had no power to prevent, as no had no
possession Of the reins, besides he was
too busy buttolling his coat up to his
chin to think IF doing much else. The
widow heard the rattle Of tho wheels
and looked out, and seeing that it was
Smiley, and that he didn't offer to get
out, she went to the gate to see what he
wanted, and there she stood chatting;
with her white arms ON the top of the
gate. and her face right toward him,
while the cold chjlls ran down his shirt
less back clear to his bare feet ben sath
the buffalo robe, and tho water from
his hair and the dust from his hat had
combined to make some nice little
streams Of mud that came tritskling
down his face. She asked him to come
in. No. he was in q hurry, he said.'
Still he did not offer to 60. He did not
like to ask her to pick mp his" reins for
him. because he did not know what OK
cuse to make for NOT doing it himself.
Then he looked down the road behind
him anil saw u whit e-faced horse COM
ing. and ut once sur,alisel it was that If
Gus. Sockriler! He resolved to do or
,lic. nnd hurricdly told his crrand.
The widow would be delighted to go,
of course she would. But wouldn't he
come in. No, he was III q hurry, he
said had to go Oh to Mr.. Green's
place.
"Oh," s'sil the widow; "you'rc 60
ing to Green's arc you? Why, was
lust going there myself to get one of
the girls to help me quilt more: just
wait 4 second while 1 get my bonnet
anu SIltWl, anu L 4ksIlue' "'uA Joo'
away she skippcd. =,
"Thuntler and lightning !" said
Bill, what scraps, / and he hastily
clutcl,c.l his pants from between his
feet, and was preparing to wrlgglc into
them, when u Zig int wagon, drawn by
the whitc-f,cci horse, driven by u boy
came along and stopped beside him.
The boy held up q pair Of boots III ono
hand md u pair Of socks in the other,
and inst as the widow reached the gate
again, he said:
Here's your boots and socks, MIR.
Smiley, that You left on the bridge when
yo,, was in swimming"
"You're mistaken" said Bill, they're
not mine
"Why," said the boy, amt You tho
man that had tho raco5 after the horse
Just now?": 81 Z -.
= .sNo sir, I am not You hal bother
60 on about your business" Bill sighe!
ut the loss Of his Sunday boots, and
turning to tho widow said:
"Just pick mp tho lines, will You,
please this brute of horse il forever
switching them out of my hands,. The
widow complied, nnd then he pulled
ono corner of tho robe cautiously down
and she got in.
"What u lovely evening"" said she,
"anl so warm / don't think VIC need
the robe over us, do we?" i
you see, she had Oh u nice dress and
a pair Of new CATERS, and she wanted
to show Thorn E@ *
ooh, my p said Bill earnestly,
"you'll find it chilly riding, and 1
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world"
She seemed pleased at his tender cure,
for her health, and contcntcd hcrsoir
with sticking ono of her little feet out
with long silk neck-tie over the end
of it.
What is that, Mr.. Smiley, n neck
tic p
eyes" said he, 81 bought it the 9th
or day, and must hive left it i'll the
buggy. Never mind it.
But" said she, lit was 80 careless ;" :
md stopping over she picked it up, and
made !, motion to stuff it i'll between
them.
Bill felt her l,aml going down, anil
making !. dive after it, clutclletl it in his
and held it hard and last.
| Then they went OH quito u distance,
l,c still holding her hand i'll his AMI
wondering what he should do when
they got to Green's, and she wondering
why he did not say something nice to
her :.s we'll as squeeze her hand, anil
why his coat was b,lttonctl up 50 tightly
on such warm evening, and what maize
his hat and face so dirty, until they were
going down u little hill and one of the
traces came ,lnlitcllcd and they had to
stop.
ooh, murdcr!" exclaimed Bill,
"wl,at ncxt?"
"What is the matter, Mr.. Smiley? ?"
said the widow, with start which came
near jerking the robe off his knees.
zone of the tr.ccs il Off, answered
he.
! "Wcll, why dou'tyou get ont and put
it un?'
see can't, said Bill "I'vc got-tllat
Is, + haven't got-oh, dear, I'm 50 sick
What shall do?'
| "Why, Willic," said she tcntlcrly,
" what is the matter? do tell me-" she
gave his hand little squeeze, and look
ing into his pale face elle thought nc
was going to faint, 40 she got out her
smelling bottle with her left hand, and
pulling the stopper out with her teeth,
: sll" stuck it to- his nose
Bill WIS just taking in breath for Il
mighty sigh, and the pungcnt ulor
, made him throw lack his head 80 far
that he lost his balance and went over
the low backed buggy. The little