River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-10-15


buggy, ON his way to the widows. lie
logged along quietly, thinking of the old
smglng-sohool days-and what a pretty
girl Susan was then, and wandering in
wardly If he would have more courage
now to talk up to her until at dis
lance of about a mile from her house, he
came to bridge, he gave tremendous
sneeze that blew his teeth out of his
mouth, and clear over the dashboard, and
striking ON the planks they rolled over
the side Of the bridge, and dropped into
four feet of water.
Words cannot do justice to poor Bill,
or paint the expression OF his face as he
sat there-completely dumi0unded at his
startling piece of Ill luck. After a while
he stepped out of his buggy, and getting
down on his hands and knees, looked
over into the water. Yes, there they
were, at the bottom, With crowd of little
fishes rubbing there noses against them,
and Bill wished to goodness that his nose
was as close for one second. His beauti-
iul teeth that had cost him so rtuch, and
the show coming on, and no time to get
another set and the widow and Young
Sockrider. Well, he must try and get
them somehow-and no time to be lost.
Tor some one might come along and ask
him what he was fooling around there for.
lie had no notion Of spelling his clothes
by wadlng in with them on, and besides,
II he did, he could not go to the widows
that night, so he took look up and
down the road to see that no orc was in
sight, and then quickly undressed him.
self, laying his clothes on the buggy to
keep them clean. Then he ran around
the bank and waded into the almost lev
cold water, but his teeth did not clatter
in his head-he only wished they ca" Id.
Quietly he waded along so as not to stir
the mud up, and when he got to the RICH.
spot, he dropped under the water, and
come out with his teeth in his hand and
replaced them in his mouth. But bark
W hat noise is that! A wagon, and dog
barking with all his might, and his horse
starting, "Whoa whoa! Stop YOU
brute, you, stopr' But stop he would
not, but went off at q spanking pace, with
the unfortunate bachelor after him. Bill
was certainly in capital running costume.
but, though he strained every nerve, he
could not touch the buggy or reach the
lines that were dragging on the ground.
After a while his plug hat shook off
the seat, and the hind wheel went over it.
making it flat as a pancake. Billsnatch.
ed 1t as he ran, and. after tanning his
fist into it, stuck it, all dirty and rumpled.
on his head And now he saw the wild.
Cw's house on top of the hill, and what.
oh What will he do Then his coat
fell out and he slipped it on, ard then
making desperate squirt he clutchcd the
back of the seat and scrambled in. and
pulling the buffalo robe over his legs.
stuffed the other things beneath Now
the horse happened to bc one he cot of
Squire Moore, and he got it from the
widow, and he took it into his head TO
stop at her gate, which Bill had no
power to prevent, as hc was too busy
buttoning his coat up to his chin to
think OF doing much else. Tie widow
heard the rattling Of wheels and looked
out and seeing that it was Smiley. and
that he ddnt offer to get out, she went
to see what he wanted, and there she
stood chatting with her white arms
OF top OF her gate, and her face toward
him, while the chils ran down his shirt
less back clear to his bare feet beneath
the buffalo robe, and the water from his
hair and the dust from his hat had com
bined to make some nice little streams OF
mud that came trickling down his face.
She asked him to come in. No, he
was in hurry, he said. Still he did
not offer to go. lie did not like to ask
her to pick up his reins FOR him because
he did not know what excuse to make roI
not doing il himself. Then he looked
down the road behind him and saw a
whlte-taced horse coming. and at once
Surmised ii was that Of Gus Soclrider
lie resolved to do or die, and hurriedly
told his errand. The widow would bc
delighted to 60, Of course she would. But
wouldn't he come in. No. he was in n
hurry, he said h. had to go ON to
Green's place.
oh said the widow, you're going to
Green's, are you? Why. | am going
there myself to get one of the girls to helr
me quilt tomorrow. Just wait a second
while get my bonnet and shawl and I'll
ride with you And away she skipped.
Thunder and lightnngl sail Bill.
what a scrape aud nc hastily clutched
his pants from beneath his feet. and was
preparing TO wiggle into them, when a
l.ght wagon drawn by the Whitehead
horse, driven by boy, who held up a
pair Of bcets N one hand and a pair of
sock in the other, and just as the widow
reached the gaze again, he said
"IIerc's ycur boots and socks, Mr..
Smiley, that YOU left on the bridge when
you were in swimming
You're mistaken said Bill: they are
not mine.
why said the boy, amt yon the
young man that had the race after the
horse just now :" mo, sir, | am not
You had better go oH about your bus
mess" 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 always
switching them out OF my hands," The
widow complied, then he pulled one cor
ner Of the robe cautiously down as she
got in.
"What lovely evening"" said she
"and so warm don't think we want the
robe over US, do we -
W. 600 L., L.. -.