The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-05-08

widow would be delighted to go. of cours
she would But wouldn't he come il
No, he was in a hurry, he said; had TO g
on to Mr.. Green's place
oh said the widow; you're goin
to Green's are your Why, | was jus
going there myself TO get one of the girl
to help Inc quilt more. Just wait sec
Ond while get my bonnet and shawl
and I'll ride with you" And away sh
skipped.
Thunder and lightningm said Bill
what scrupe, and he hastily elutche,
his pants from between his feet, and wa
preparing TO wriggle into them, when
light wagon, drawn by the white face
horse, driven by boy, came along anl
stopped beside him. The boy held up
pair of boots in one hand and pair o
socks in the other. and Just as the wild
ow reached the gate again he said:
| Here's your boots and socks. Mr.
Smiley, that you left on the bridge wheI
| yOu went in swimming"
You're mistaken, said Bill, ''they arr
| not mine"
Why said the boy, amt you the
man that had the race after the horse
| Just nowl"
s,''No sir, am not; You had better
go on about your own business" Bill
sighed at the loss of his Sunday boots,
and turning to the widow, said:
Just pick up the lines, will you, please
this brute OF horse is forever switching
them out of my hands, :" The widow
complied, and then he pulled one cor
ner of the robe cautiously down and she
got in.
What lovely evening"" said she,
''and so warm, don't think we need the
robe over US, do wel'
"CYou see, she had on nice dress and
pair of new gaiters, and she wanted to
show them.) J"
''Oh my! said Bill, earnestly, ''you'n
find it chilly riding, and wouldn't have
you catch cold for the world.
She seemed pleased at his tender care
for her health, and eontented herself
with sticking one of her little feet out,
with a long silk neek-tie over the end
of it.
what is that, Mr.. Smiley, a neck
tie!"
"Yes," said he, Il bought it the other
day, and must have left it i'll the buggy.
Never mind it. D"
''But," she said, cit was so careless"
and STOPPING over she picked it up and
made motion to stuff it in between
them.
Bill felt her hand going down, and
making Il dive after it, clutched it in his
and held it hard and fast.
Then they went on quite distance, he
still holding her soft little hand in his,
and wondering what he should do when
they got to GreeneS, and she wondering
why he did not say something nice to her
as well as squeeze her hand, and why
his coat was buttoned up so tightly on
such a warm evening, and what made
his face and hat so dirty, until as they
were going down hill one of the traces
came unhitched and they had to stop.
80. murder," said Bill; ''what nextIn
''What is the matter, Mr. Smiley, said
the widow, with n start that came near
Jerking the robe off his knees.
lone of the traces is off, " said he.
well, why don't you get out and put
it on!"
al can't" said Bill; 'I've got-that is,
l havn't got-oh, dear, I'm so sick!
What shall | do!'
'sWhy, Willie" said she, tenderly,
''what Is the matter, do tell me, and she
gave his hand a little squeeze, and look
ing into his pale face she Thought he
was going to faint. so she got out her
smelling bottle with her left hand, and
pulling the stopper out with her teeth
she stuck it to his nose
Bill was just taking in breath for
mighty sigh, and the pungent oder made
him throw back his head so far that he
lost his balance and went over the low
backed buggy The little woman gave
a little scream as his bare feet flew past
her head; and covering her face with
her hands gave way to tears or smiles
it is hard to tell which. Bill was fright
side up" in a moment, and was leaning
over the back of the seat humbly apollo
gizing and explaining, when Ed. Wilbur,
with his wife and baby, drove up behind
and stopped. Poor Bill felt that he
would rather have been shot than have
Ed Wilbur catch him III such a scrape,
but there was no help for it now, so he
called Ed to him, and whispered in his
ear. Ed. was likely TO burst with sup
pressed laughter, but he beckoned to his
wife to draw up, and, after saying some
thing to her, he helped the widow out of
Bills buggy into his, and the two women
went on. leaving the men behind. Bill
lost no time in arranging his toilet as
well as he could, and then with great
persuasion Ed. got him to go home with
him, and hunting up slippers and socks,
and getting him washed and eombed,
had him quite presentable when the la
dies arrived. | need not tell how the
story was all wormed out of bashful Bill,
and how they all laughed as they sat
around the tea-table that night, but will
conclude by saying that they went to
the show together, and Bill has no fear
of Gus Sockrider now.
This is the story about Bill and the
widow just as had it from Ed. Wilbur,
and if there is anything unsatisfactory
about it, ask him.