The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-02-04

above intimated. be resolved to serve the
writ and "pop the question" at the same
time. He would not delay about the mat
ter either. He would do it that very even
I ing-that he would; and then see the Ion
/ gitude Mr.. Grimp's face would assume.
/ The idea pleased him greatly. He
chuckled over it all through the day
chuckled over it on his way home in the
evening, and at tea-time chuckles inter
spersed themselves throughout the meal.
much TO the wonderment of the old house
keeper. Indeed her looks betokened SO
much curiosity that the Squire noticed il
AT last, and after he had swallowed the
! last morsel, and laid down his knife and
! fork. he said:
MRS. Crandal, I'm goin' to git mar
ried.'
swell, now, railly!' exclaimed the old
woman, almost dropping the tea cups in
surprise. May | be so proud as to ask
who she may be?'
"Widow Barney"
What! Widder Barney? Sakes, now
When We goin' to be married?"
81 don't know yet; haven't asked her.
Coin to do il. though, tonight"
"Mebbe she won't have ye," observed
Mrs. Crandal rather doubtfully.
won't have me? Me Squire Butter
field?'' exclaimed the Squire, surprised
out of all measure at so extraordinary a
suggestion. I'd like TO see the woman
that wouldn't jest jump at the chance
Jest jump at the chance"
II dunno" said the old woman, shak-
ing her head with mournful credulity !;
'fhese 'ere widders are very onsartain-
specially the young ones-an' there's no
tellin' what they'll do. Sides, there's that
young lawyer, Tom Harwood, seein' her
about good deal"
90 Oh, that amounts t0 nOthin'," said the
Squire complacently. "He boards at her
house, an takes her to meetin' an singin'
school Jest out of politeness."
Mrs. Crandal made no further remark,
but proceeded to gather up the dishes, and
the Squire went to his room to gather
himself into his Sunday clothes.
He decided not to call too early upon
the widow, lest she might not be ready for
visitors, and therefore he delayed until the
clock struck the hour of nine; then tall
hat, drab trousers, blue. brass-buttOned
''swallow-tail," l." an overcoat-and Squire
Butterfield contained somewhere within
passed out to the road.
Ii was not very long walk and he soon
reached his destination. The widows
house was a small two-story frame, quite
back from the road, and surrounded by a
forest Of shrubbery and fruit trees. From
the gate path wound up to the house
under these trees, and the Squire had to
move cautiously, as the moon gave but
faint light through the foliage.
He reached the house safely, however,
aud glanced up at the second story, the
corner room of which was used by the
widow as sitting-room, He saw it was
well lighted, the window-curtains not yet
down, and he was about turning toward
the door, when some one-a man-came
to the window and looked out. For the
first time the Squire paused irresolutely.
Who was that man? Was it Grimp-and
had he got the start of him after all? He
didn't wish to see Mr.. Grimp-at least not
then and there. He stepped back little
to get better view, and waited for the
face to appear again. But il did not.
Then he moved round to the end of the
house and looked up at the window on that
side, but with no better result. If he only
knew who the man was; knew certainly
it was not Mr.. Grimp, he would be salts
fed. His eyes rested on the low back
kitchen, directly below the end window.
If he was only on that he could look into
the room unobserved by any one. 1t could
do no harm, either; and he did so wish to
know who that man was
The more the Squire thought about it
the more convinced was he that it was Mr..
Grimp-but then maybe it wasn't. He
tC0uld find out! He became more resolute
then, and looked about for some aid TO his
purpose. This. after some search, hefound
in small ladder, which he placed against
the kitchen and began to ascend. He got
up the ladder without trouble, but found
the roof so coated with ice that he had to
move with extreme caution. However,
the window was reached at last. and, look
ing in, he saw only the widow and Tom
HarwOod sitting by the fire.
"There!" muttered the Squire in dis
gust, after making this discovery: 81
never thought of him! Why in Sam Hill
didn't | remember he was here, and saved
all this trouble? Nearly spoiled my best
clothes, too"
He turned about and was preparing to
go back, when a movement down In the
shrubbery arrested his attention and down.
ward progress at the same time. For a
minute or two he remained perfet:tly still !;
then he peered carefully over the roof s
edge. He saw a man standing below
among the trees, but who he was the
Squire couldn't make out. Howbeit,
scanning the upper front window very
closely. Indeed, this view did not seem to
satisfy him, and like his "illustriOas pre-
decessor" he, too, passed around back of
the little kitchen. The Squire became
alarmed. He would be discovered now
certainly What should he do? He
glanced about hopelessly until he caught
sight of the chimney large, old-fashion-
ed one, running up from the kitchen close
against and on the outside of the main
building. With quick movement he
scrambled to his feet into the shadow of
its deep corner and stood close against the
wall.
" Maybe" he thought, "the man will
go way pretty soon, confound him!'
But the stranger seemed i'm no hurry to
leave; on the contrary, he moved about a
few minutes, and then, to the consterna-
ton of our friend on the roof, he began TO
ascend the ladder. If ever Squire Butter
field pcrspired in his life, he did then. AL
though it was a cold night, he was in a
profuse sweat from head to foot He grit
ted his teeth, clenched his hands, bit his
lips until the blood came, but nevertheless
the intruder made his way slowly but sure
ly up the slippery incline.
"Goodness gracious! What in Sam
Hill shall | do?' murmured the Squire
in his desperate fear. :" I'd give any thing,
yes, any thing, if was safe at home. |
wish all the widows were in Guinea. |
wish-n
| But the sentence never was completed.
The ice-alas, the treacherous ice on the
roof Unexpectedly, suddenly, without
premeditation or malice aforethought, the
| Squire's feet shot forward from under
him, and with accuracy of aim and swift
ness of motion seldom surpassed, he bore
down upon the stranger. That individu-
ais hold was very weak and uncertain at
best, and he was lily prepared for such an
onslaught. Therefore when the Squire
struck him he, too, assumed an unexpected
momentum, and both passed over the
roof together, the stranger descending
/ feet foremost into the rain barrel and the
SQUIRE making sad havoc with the wild
ow's grapevines and arbor.
For moment the stranger remained
within the barrel and the Squire among
the vines where he had fallen, both too
amazed and confounded to know what to
do. But only for a moment; then they
extricated themselves and stepped outinto
the moonlight, the Squire with coat torn
clear up the back, and the stranger very
wet and dripping. And thus and there,