Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-09-18

4 r.
to be lost, for some one might come
along and ask him what he was fool
ing around there for. He had no no.
ton of spelling his clothes by wading
in with them on; and besides, if he did
he could not go to the widows that
night, so he took look up and down
the road to see that no one was in sight,
and then quickly undressed himself,
laying his clothes in the buggy to keep
them clean. Then he ran around the
bank and waded into the almost icy
cold water, but his teeth did not clat-
ter in his head-he only wished they
could. Quietly he waded along so as
not to stir the mud up, and when he
got to the right spot he dropped under
the water, and came out with his teeth
in his hand, and replaced them in his
mouth. But bark! What noise is that =?
A wagon and dog barking with oil
his might, and his horse is starting.
"Whoa! whoa! Stop, you brute, you,
stopr But stop he would not, but
went off at spanking pace, with the
unfortunate bachelor after him. Bill
was certainly in capital running cos
tune, but, though he strained every
nerve, he could not touch the buggy or
reach the lines that were dragging on
the ground. ra. ~
After while his plug hat shook off
the seat, and the hind wheel went over
it, making it as fat as pan cake. Bill
snatched it as he ran, and, after jam
ming his fist into it, stuck it, all dusty
and dimpled, on his head. And now
he saw the widows house on the top of
the hill, and what, oh what will he do :?
Then his coat fell out and he slipped it
on, and then making desperate squirt
he clutehed the back of the seat and
scrambled in, and pulling the buffalo
robe over his legs, stuffed the other
things beneath. Now the horse hap
pened to be one he got of Squire Moore,
and he got it from the widow, and he
took it into his head to stop at the gate,
which Bill had no power to prevent, as
he was too busy buttoning his coat, up
to his chin to think of doing much else.
The widow heard the rattling of wheels
and looked out, and seeing that it was
Smiley, and that he didn't offer to get
out, she went to see what he wanted,
and there she stood chatting with her
white arms on the top of her gate, and
her face toward him, while the chills
ran down his shirtless back clear to his
bare feet beneath the buffalo robe, and
the water from his hair and the dust
from his hat had combined to make
some nice little streams of mud that
came trickling down his face. 'f' s. +--
She asked him to come in. No, he
was in a hurry, he said. Still he did
not offer to go. He did not like to ask
her to pick up his reins for him, because
he had no excuse to make for not
doing it himself. Then he looked down
the road behind him and saw white
horse coming, and at once surmised
it was that Of Gus Sockrider! He
resolved to do or die, and hurridly told
his errand. The widow would be de-
lighted to go, of course she would.
But wsnsanf he come in. no, he wss
| in hurry, he said; he had to go on to
Green's place. ss. g.
"Oh," said the widow; "you're go
ing to Green's, are you? Why, I am
going here myself to get one of the
girls to help me quilt tomorrow. just
wait minute while I get my bonnet
and shawl, and I'll ride with you" :"
And away she skipped. -" ~. =
Thunder and lightningr' said Bill,
what scrape! and he hastily clutched
his pants from between his feet, and
was preparing to wriggle into them,
when light wagon drawn by the white
faced horse, driven by a boy, came
along and stopped beside him. The
boy held up pair Of boots in one hand
and a pair Of socks in the other, and
Just as the widow reached the gate
again, he said: s# I'd afa iaa'a
:" Here's your 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" a..
Why" said the boy. "ain't you
the young man that had the race after
| the horse just now?" ss5g
't' No, sir, am not! You had bet
ter 60 on about your business" Bill
sighed at 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
twitching them out of my hands" The
\ widow complied, then he pulled one
corner Of the robe cautiously down as
she got in. .,
Whata lovely evening"" said she
"and so warm / don't think we want
the robe over us, do we p
(You see she had on nice new dress
and apairsof CATERS, and she wanted
to show them.) 5, 91a z .1aa au 4
l.cgf Oh, myw said Bill earnestly,
you'll find it chilly riding, and I
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world ,,.,, .3 l..,,.; (. 5saa.,.es +.
\, She seemed pleased at this tender
care for her health, and contented her
self with sticking one of her little feet
out with, o long silk neck-tie over the
i and of -