Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-02-27

A4OesA W AQVbe AAO StAsbSA k4An V0Yt8t
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. a
Goodness gracious! What in Sam
Hill shau'I do? murmured the Squire
in his desperate fear. " I'd give any
thing, yes, anything, If I was safe at
home. wish all the widows were in
Guinea. I wish" i36 saaa 8 5.
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 swiftness of motion seldom sur
passed, he bore down upon the stranger.
That individuals hold was very weak
and uncertain at best, and he was lily
prepared for such On onslaught. There
fore when the Squire struck him, he,
too, assumed an unexpected momen-
tum, and both passed over the roof to-
gether, the stranger descending feet
foremost into the rain barrel and the
Squire making sad havoc with the Wild
wod's grapevines and arbor. Fl
For moment the stranger remained
within the barrel and the Squire among
The vines where he had fallen, both
too C1uch amazed and confounded to
know what to do. But only for q mo-
ment; then they extricated themselves
and stepped out into the moonlight, the
Squire with coat torn clear to the back,
and the stranger wet and dripping.
And thus and there, face to face, they
met. ,s3 ,es
Brother Butterfeld!'
"Mr. Gri'np!
There was q momentary silence after
these ordinations of astonished recog-
nition. Mr.. Grimp was the first to
break IL. 81.
"Will you allow me to inquire.
Brother Butter6eld, what you were do
ing on the roof of my house at this late
hour?" Hs'3
Sartinly you may. Mr. Grimp.
come-because--that is came to sarve
that writ Of yourn, answered the Squire,
relieved to find some excuse.
"Ahw
"Yes; an I'd like to know what bust.
ness you had up there, Mr.. G-imp?"
II came to see you serve it. said Mr..
Gsimp, with perceptible tightening Of
his thin lips.
"Well, " said the Squire, rapidly re-
covering his composure, elf your writ
don't stick better'n you did on that ere
roof, it won't amount to nothin' that's
ALL"
What reply Mr.. Grimp would have
made to this request is not known, for
just then the door opened, and Tom
Harwood and the widow, alarmed by
the noise, came out. Both the Squire
and Mr.. Grimp would gladly have
avoided an interview; indeed they
turned to hasten away, but were, too
late. The widow recognized them at
once.
Why, Mr.. Grimpi and Squire But
terrified, toow she exclaimed with the
most charming OF smiles. "Why. /
thought it was burglars, or horse
thieves, or something, and / was SO
frightened. And, why, Mr.. Grimp!
you are real wet, aren't your Is it
raining or showing ?" And she held
out her little hand to catch the falling
drops. 7'i ~
.fNo, marm, faint snowin' or rainin'
either. Ye see, Mr.. Grimp was Jest
showin' me the ,uater privileges about
the place, an tryin' to see how much a
rain bar1 would hold" responded the
Squire sarcasticaiiy, pointing toward the
aforesaid barrel. taa's5
Brother Butter6eld, be 80 kind as
to state the business on which we have
come p said Mr.. Grimp sternly.
Sartinly will. Here, Widow Bar
ney, is o writ from Mr.. Grimp, notifyin'
you TO give up these ERE premises"
"I will take charge Of that" said
young Harwood, rather haughtily, 81
will call upon you tomorrow, Squire,
and settle the matter. would say,
also, Mr.. Grimp, that the time for re-
demption not having expired, the mort
gage and costs on this lady's place
have been paid into the County Clerk,
and you will not be troubled in caring
for it further %H sf u
After that--well, Mr.. Grimp made
some indistinct reply, and the Squire
very profuse an ineoherent apologies;
then they took their leave as best they
could, feeling very awkward, mortified
and Inundated, They did not 60 home
together either. nor ever after speak OF
the evenings experience to each other.
However, q month later. whom Tom Har-
wood married the widow, the Squire
was observed to shake his head mourn
"If il hadn't been for Old Grimp
comm Jest as he did that night. things
would have been different. Widow Bar
ney never would have married that con-
ceited Harwood-
As for Mr.. Grimp his face and his
prayers grow longer day by day. and
the Sunday following the marriage he
spoke feelingly Of this vale Of tears,
the "vsa;ty OF human expectations.
and the i" uncertainty Of earthly things.