, 1875-05-22
THE PET OF THE VILLAGE.
WHO'S hes What is heR Whence

When Percy Walford dropped,
as it were from the clouds into our
village, the rapidity wherewith
such like queries few about was
really curious.
1t must have been from the
clouds he dropped, for such a sum
total of perfections could scarcely
have had a less celestial origin.
What a dear young mani was
the unanimous vote of the good
old ladies. What a nice young
mani not tless unanimously Uttered
the young ones, who peeped at
him over their hymn-books.
1t was astonishing what pro-
gress he made. Before six weeks
he was superintendent of the Sab
bath school, and had as much to
say at the Thursday evening meet
Iings as the minister himself. In
short he was popular with every
body but the young men. We all
hated him.
How sweetly Mr.. Walford sang
i" want to be an angel" said Elsie
Howard, as We walked home from
church one Sunday.
With all my heart I wish be was
one, and drafted into active ser
vicel l bluntly blurted out. I
couldn't help it, you see; for there
had been a distinct engagement
between us ever since I thrashed
Bill Doggett, in our school days,
for prssuming to spell = word she
had missed.
! never knew before, rejoined
Elsie, what an objectionable sin it
is for some folks to be better, and
better looking than other folks.
As for the looks, retortsd, that
is a question Of taste. As to some
folks bsing better than Others;
Others may be quite as good if they
are not up to the dodge of playing
pious 'possum.
i Pardon me for not understand
ing slang, was Elsie's quiet, but
none the less provoking answer.
He's an intern began, grow
ing still more excited.
# you're going to swear, said
Elsie, quickening her pace, | pro-
fer walking alone.
As you please, 1 assented huff
6shly hanging back. And 50 we
parted. We would probably have
made up the next Sunday, but
Mr.. Walford singled me out in the
class that morning for one of his
posing questions. I don't think
it related to the paternity of zeb-
edee's children, but it was some-
thing Of that sort. At any rate it
stumped me, and the girls all gig
gled, Elsie among the rest. Ny
first impulse was to dare Mr.. Wal
ford out; but I thought of the
time and place, and restrained my
self. That settled matters be-
tween me and Elsie. Mr.. Wal
ford walked home with her after
service, and my place in the class
was vacant.
It soon leaked out that Mr.. Wal
ford was rich, fact that no way
diminished the general favor he
was held in, for whenever he want
ed a little ready money he took a
government bond to Hiram Chepe
who cashed it.
Hiram did a mixed business in
dry goods, drugs and groceries,
and was considered by long odds,
the keenest observer of men and
things in the village.
Mr.. walford began to be very
particular in his attentions to Ell
sic. To prove l didn't care / made
up to Betsy Tilden, the most con-
frmed Hirt in the town, between
whom and Elsie there had been
the bitterest feeling since early
lchildhood.
Betsy was engaged to Hiram
Chepe, whom she delighted to keep
in hot water; but whether that was
her motive, or not, she both ac-
oepted and encouraged my atten-
tons, whereat Hiram became furi-
ously jealous, which may have
been one reason of his partiality