The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1876-07-28
THE MULES OF THE YELLOW
JACKET.
By GRACE THORNTON.

Slttlng III a lovely grove on tnt
Potomac shore, a pretty and spec
ulatiye young lady looked admi
ringly around her, and addressing
her fellow picnickers, remarked
sentimentally:
81 don't wonder so many decla
rations are made in the woods.
should imagine that couples the
least bit disposed toward each
other would eliminate in the in.
tensest affection, and a mutual
confession of it, after an hours
stroll through a scence like this
81 wonder if there are any reli,
able statistics as to the scenes OF
proposals." asked somebody.
81 don't know" said a chatty
old lady; "but | once found quite
an exciting interest in watching
pair of lovers, and trying to dis
cover when and where the pend
ing declaration would occur"
"Ifit isn't very long, pray tell
us about it," said the speculative
young lady, who desired informa-
tion Of a tender sort, but who, at
the same time, remembered that
luncheon was in process of prepa-
ration, and was also interested in
that.
Being aware that, in the ex-
hausted mental state Of the gen
erality of young people, it is quite
an opportunity to find party dis
posed to listen, this old lady seiz-
ed the present offer thankfully,
and said:
II will try to make it as short
as possible, and so say, to begin
with, that was one of a party of
half Il dozen who made a Western
tour together, three or four years
ago, and at the outset we were
joined by a young gentleman
named George Allen, whom the
Wallace family knew and intro
duced to the rest Of us.
"The way he chanced to attract
their attention and recognition
was rather peculiar. Old Mr.. Wal
lace was near sighted, his sister
miss Wallace) was near-sighted,
and Minnie had as much as she
could manage, every time we
changed cars or went out for
meals.
"Young Mr.. Ashton had begun
by Offering his services, but he
had only been married few
weeks, and his bride, noticing
how pretty Minnie was, took to
being nervous if she were left an
instant alone, and SO the Wallaces
stumbled in and out of the cars at
meal times, nearly crushing Min
ME between them, until we reach
ed a pretty little Ohio town,
where we had a remarkably nice
supper, and Mr.. Wallace and Miss
Wallace managed to consume so
much time, mistaking the car
step, that they barely got on as
the train started.
"'Where's Minnier cried the
old gentleman, looking around,
as it began to move.
"'GoOd graciousp exclaimed
Miss Wallace, in alarm.
"There was a little hustle out
side, a good deal Of excitement
within, and then the cars stopped,
and Mr.. George Allen appeared,
carrying Minnie in his arms.
"Her head hung lifelessly on
her shoulder the poor thing had
tainted from pain and fright.
"Of course there was q terrible
scene! Mrs. Ashton swooned, so
as to give her husband legitimate
employment, and every one
crowded around, eXcitedly de-
manding what had happened.
"Mr. Allen was trille pale
himself, but quite composed.
"The young lady had missed
her foothold and slipped, turning
her ankle in her fall. Her arm
and dress had caught in the car.
rail, and for a pace or two she had
been dragged forward; hence her
fear and pain.
"There was a physician on the
train, who set the sprained joint
in a few minutes. A glass of wine
restored her consciousness, and
very soon Minnie declared herself
perfectly well again; but she did
not leave the car for two or three
days.
"Mr. Aliens connections were
well known to Mr.. Wallace, and
they already had slight person
al acquaintance, which the late
incident seemed to ripen into
warm friendship at once.
"He took. k.iMinnic's place in
marshaling the party safely to and
from meals; waited upon Minnie
herself in the most anticipative
and devoted manner, and one
evening | heard her say to him,
in n low tone, that had quite a
thrill in it:
HJ do moi know how TO thank