Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-09-17

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not touch the buggy or reach the
lines that were dragging on the
ground. - Il
Aftei'a while his plug hat shook
off the seat, and the hind wheel weI.t
over it, making it fat as a pancake.
Bill snatched it as he ran, and, after
jamming his fist into it, stuck it, all
dusty and dimple, on his head. And
now he saw the widows house on
top of the hill, and what, oh what
will he gdo2 Then his ccat fell out
and he slipped it on, and then max
ing desperate squirt he clutched
the back of the seat and scramble in,
and pulling the buffalo robe over his
legs, stuffed the other thi gs beneath.
Now the horse happened 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 her 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 rat
tling 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 triekling down his face.
She asked him to come in. No he
was in hurry, he said. Still he did
not offer to go. He did 1t like to
ask her to pick up his reins for him,
because he did not know what excuse
to make for not doing it himself.
Then he looked down the road be-
hind him and sawa whitefaced horse
coming, and at once surmised it was
that of Gus Sockrider! He resolved
to do. or die, and hurriedly told his
errand. The widow would be delight
ed to go, of course she would. But
wouldn't he come in? No, he was in
a hurry, he said; he had to go on to
Green's place.
"Oh," said the widow; "you're
going to Green's, are you? Why, |
am going there myself to get one of
the girls to help me quilt tomorrow.
just wait a second while get my
bonnet and shawl, and T'll ride with
you" And away she skipped.
''Thunder and lighningp said Bill
"what a scrape!" and he hastily
clutched his pants from between his
feet, and was preparing to wiggle
into them, when little wagon drawn
by a boy, came along and stopped
beside him. The boy held up a pair
of bootsin one hand and a pair rJof
socks in the other, and just as the wild
ow reached the gate again, he said:
"Here's your boots and socks, Mr..
Smiley, that you left on the bridge
when you werein swimming"
"You'er mistaken" said Bill;
s'they are not mine"
ssWhy," said the boy, Saint you
the young man that had the race after
the horse Just now?'
s'No, sir, 1 am notI You had bet
ter 90 on about your business" Bill
sighed at the loss of his Sunday
boots, and, turning to the widow,
said:
sesJust pick up the lines, will you
please; this bruit of horse is
always switching them out of my
hands" The widow complied, then
he pulled one corner of the robe
cautiously down as she got in.
"What a lovely evening"" said she,
''and so warm I don't think we want
the robe over US, do we?"
(You see she had on a nice new
dress and a pair of new CATERS, and
she wanted to show them.
"Oh, my! said Bill earnestly,
'syou'lI find it chilly riding, and l
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world"
She seemed pleased at this tender
care fore her health, and contented
herself with sticking one of her lit
tie feet out with a long silk neck-tie
over the end of it.
"What ia that, Mr.. Smiley, neck
tieP''
eyes" said he, 81 bought it the
other day and 1 must have left it in
the buggy. Never mind it,"
"But," said she, "Itwas careless;"
and STOPPING over she picked it up,
and made a motion to stuff it in be-
tween them.
Bill felt her hand going down, and
making dive after it, clutched it in
his and held hard and fast.
Then they went on quite distance,
he still holding her hand in his and
wondering what he should do when
they got to Green's, and she won,
dered why he did not say something
nice To her as well as squeeze her
hand, why his coat was buttoned up
SO tightly on such warm evening,
and what made his face and hat sc
dirty, until they were going down a
little hill and one of the traces came
unhitched and they had to stop.
"Oh, murder!" exclaimed Bill
"wbat next?"
! HWhat is the matter, Mr.. Smiley?'
said the widow, with start which
came near jerking the robe off hi
knees.
cone of the traces is Off" answer
ed he.
@Well, why don't you get out ant
put it on?" E.i1 81 ...is4al