Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-04-22

. | hS uOb w ptiI up tuO nuub uHu Whou
he got to the right spot he dropped
under the water and came up with
his teeth in his hand, and replaced
them in his mouth. But bark T.
What noise is that? A wagon, and
| al'.tle dog barking with oil his might,
ami his horse starting. whoa |!
whoa Stop, you brute you, stop
But stop he would not, but went t
at a spanking pace, with the unior-
tunate bachelor after him with the
little dog yelping after the bachelor.
| 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 along on the ground.
| Alter awhile his plug hat shook off
the seat and the hind wheel went
over it, making it as fat as pancake.
Bill snatched it as he ran, and after
Tanning his fist into it, stuck it all
dusty and dimpled, on his head. And
now he saw the widow g house Oh the
hill, and what. oh, what will he do !
Then his coat fell out be slipped it
on, and then making desperate
squirt, he clutched 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 be one that he got
from Squire Morse, and he got it
from the widow, and he took 1t INTO
his head to stop at her gate, which
Bill had no power to prevent, as he
had not possession OF the rains, be-
sides he was too busy buttoning his
coat up to his chin to think of doing
much else. The widow heard the
rattle of wheels and looked out, and
seeing that it was Smiley and that
he didn't offer to get out, she went to
! the gate to see what he wanted, and
there she stood with her white arms
on the top of the gate, and her face
right toward him, while the cold
chills run down his back clear TO his
bare feet beneath the buffalo robe,
and the water from his hair and the
dust from his hat combined to make
some nice little streams of mud that
came trickling down his face. She
asked him to come in. mo, be was
in hurry" he said. Still be did not
go. He didn't like to ask her to pick
up the reins for him, because be did
not know what excuse to make for
not doing it himself Then he look
ed down the road behind him, and
saw q white.faced horse coming, and
at once surmised it was Gus Sockrid-
er. He resolved to do or die, and
hurriedly tt Id his erraud. The wild
ow would be delighted to go, of course
she would. Bat wouldn't be come
in? No, be was in hurry. he said;
had to go on to Mr.. Green's place.
co." said the widow, "you're going
to Green's are you? Why, | was
just going there myself to get one of
the girls to help me quilt more. just
wait second while / ge. my bonnet
and shawl, and III ride with you
and away she skipped.
"Thunder and lightningl" said
Bill, "what scrapel" And be hasti-
ly clutched his pants from between
his feet, and was prepared to wrlggle
into them, when light wagon,
drawn by white-faced horse, driv-
en- by a boy, came along and stopped
beside him. The boy held up a 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 your boots and socks, Mr..
Smiley, that you left on the bridge
when you was in swimming"
"You are mistaken" said Bill, "they
are not mine.
"Why,' said the boy, saint you
the man that had the race after the
horse just now2"
"No sir, l am notl Won had better
go about your business" Bill sighed
at the loss of his Sunday boots, and
turning to the widow, said
"Just pick up the lines, will you, if
you please this brute of horse is
forever switching them out of my
hands,"
The widow complied and then he
pulled one corner of the robe eau
tiously down and and she got in.
"Wbat lovely evening"" said she,
sand SO warm 1 don't think we need
the robe over US, do we?'
(You see she had nice dress aud
q new pair of CATERS, and she wanted
| to show them
"Oh, myr' said Bill, earnestly,
you'll find it chilly, riding, and l
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
worl1."
She seemed pleased at his tender
care of her health, and contented her.
self by sticking one of her little feet
out with long silk necktie over the
toe of il.
"What is that, Mr.. Smiley, neck
tie 2"
"Yes,' said be, 81 bought it the
other day, and | must have left it in
the buggy. Never mind it,"
But" said she, sit was 30 care
less 5" and STOPPING over she picked
it up and made motion to stuff it in
between them Bill felt her hand
going down, and making dive af-
ter, he clutched il in his hand and
held it hard and fast.
Then they went on quite dis
lance, he still holding her hand in bis,
wondering what be would do when
they got to Green's and she wonder
ing why he did not say something
nice to her as well as squeeze her
hand, and why his coat was buttoned
up tightly on such a warm evening.
and what made his hat and face dirty,
until they were going down a little
hill one of the traces came unhitched,
| thap thax, nod ~ ot1D