Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-09-23

.
] the cold chills ran down his shirtless
! back clear to his bare feet beneath the
I buffalo robe, and the water from his
( hair and the dust from his hat had
l combined to make some nice little
t down his face.
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 ito ak
!; her to pick up his reins for him be-
Cause he did not know what excuse TO
make for not doing 1t himself. Then
he looked down the road behind him
and saw white faced horse coming,
and at once Surmised that 1t was that
of Guss StOckrider. He resolved to do
or die, and hurriedly told his errand.
The widow would be delighted to 2o,
of course she would. But wouldn't no
come in No, he was In hurry, he
said; had to go on to Mr.. Green's place.
"Oh," said the widow; you're go
ing to Green's, are you? Why, was
Just going there myself, to get one Of
the girls to help me quilt tomorrow.
Just wait a second, till l get my bon
net and shawl, and Pll ride with you"
And away she skipped.
"Thunder and lightning J" said Bill,
what scrape! and he hastily clutchsd
his pants from between his feet, and
was preparing to wriggle into them
when light wagon, drawn by white
faced horse, driven by a boy; came
along and stopped beside him. The
boy held pair of boots in one hand
and pair of socks in the other, and
just as the widow reached the gate
again, he said:
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're not mine"
why" said the boy, "ain't you the
young man that had the race after the
horse just now?
mo, sir, I am not! You had better
20 on about your business" Bill sigh
ed at the loss Of his boots, and turning
to the widow, said:
"Just pick up the lines, will you,
please, this brute Of q horse is alwayi
Iswitching them out OF my hands,
The widow complied, and then he
pulled one corner of the robe cautious
ly down and she got in.
"What lovely evening"" said she,
"and SO warm I don't think we need
the robe over us, do you?"
(You see she had on a nice new dress
and pair OF new CATERS, and she want
ed to show them.)
"Ot, my" said Bill earnestly,
"you'd find it chilly riding, and 1
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world"
She seemed pleased at this tender
care for her health, and contented her
self with sticking one OF her little feet
cut with a long silk necktie over the
end of it.
"What is that, Mr.. Smiley, neck
tie?'
eyes" said he, 81 bought it the 9TH
er day, and | must have left it in the
buggy. Never mind it,"
"But," said she, sit was so careless"
and STOPPING over she picked it up,and
made motion to stuff it in between
them.
Bill felt her hand going down, and
making a dive after it, clutched it in
his and held it hard and fast.
Then he went on quite distance, he
| still holding her hand in his and Won-
dering what he should do when they
got to Green's, and she wondered why
he did not say something nice to her
as we'll rs squeeze her hand and why
his coat was buttonsd up so tightly on
such warm evening, and what made
his hat SO dirty, until they were going
down a little hill and one Of the traces
came unhitched, and they had to stop.
"Oh, murdern' exclaimed Bill,
"what next?"
"What is the matter, Mr.. Smiiey?'
said the widow, with start which
came near jerking the robe of his
knees.
One of the traces is off," answered he.
"Well, why don't you get out and
put it on?"
81 can't" said Bill, "I've got-that
is, / haven't got-oh, dear, Pm go sick!
What shall do?r
"Why, Willie" said she tenderly,
'swhst is the matter? Do tell me-"
She gave his hand a little squeeze,
and looking into his pale face sbs
thought he was going to faint, 30 she
got out her smelling bottle with her
left hand, and pulling the. stopper out
with her teeth, she stuck il under his
nose.
Bill was just taking in breath for 8
mighty sigh, and the pungent odor
made him throw back his head so far
that be lost his balance and went over
the low back buggy. The little woman
gave a little scream as his bare feet
flew past her head, and covering her
face with her hands, gave way to tears
or smiles-it is hard 10 tell which. Bill
was fright side up" ina moment, aud
leaning over the back Of the seat, WAS
htrr, hlx- onnlnnizin.r oah evnlAlnInE
when Ed. Wilburn and his wife and
baby drove up behind and stopped
Poor Bill felt that he would rather have
beeu shot than have Ed. Wilbura
catch him in such a scrape, but there
was no help for it now, so he called
Ed. to him, and whispered in his ear.
Ed. was like 10 burst with suppressed
laughter, but he beckOned to his wife
to her, he helped the widow out Of
Bills buggy and into his, snd the two
women went.on, leaving the men be-
hind. Bill lost no time in arranging
his toilet as well as he could, and then
with great persuasion Ed. got him to
90 home with him, and hunting up
slippers and socks, and getting him
washed and combed, had him quite
presentable when the ladies arrived.
need not tell how the story was all
wormed out of bs.hful Bill, and how
they all lsughted as they set around
the tea table that night, but will con-
clude by saying that they went to the
show together, and Bill has no fear Of
Guss Stockrider now.
This is the story about Bill and the
widow just as had it from Ed. Will
burn, and II there is anything unsatis-
factory about it, ask him.
LAST evening a man standing in
front Of Griswold-street barber shop
seen to feel his face and was heard to
"Yes, ought to be shaved