Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-04
BILLS LOVE AFFAIR.

lsd ~hat'N you nave, m0tnerKlny A
~isgs or slice from the breast?"
II won't take any meat to-day, j oe; not
nv potato either, thank YOU"
ios dropped the carving fork and looked
me across the dining table.
You're sick, Polly. Upon my word,
.ou,re pale as stalk of celery. / leave
! tnvou. Dill, if she isn't. ~
neiia Clement was the school-teacher
.bo had boarded with us ever since the
inter lefore, when Teddy had the Group.
aPolly's up, sir, chasing about after
Perpetual Notion"
Iae glanced at our hearts delight, bal
.ac;ng wish-bone on the arm of his
sigh chair, and then back at NE ailx-.
iCusly. .,A ~.
hire another girl." Whereupon Dill and
Iho,h laughed, for that is d stercotyped
mark of Joe's, repeated whenever he sees
No particularly wilted. As il one Girl
were not more than could managed Be
s;des there was the expense.
Polly needs change, J" said Dill, help
;ng herself to pick les " So do you, for
hat matter. Suppose you both run oil to
the mountains next week. Ill take care
/.
No, no; you and Polly CO. said Joe,
who hates travelling as he hates changing
his coat-and that's speaking strongly.
Il ended in our all going, and leaving
Teddy at his grandmother's on the way.
wouldn't stir without Joe, and was
bent on having Dillwi US, TO give us an
air of gentillty, / told her. She has been
shor,t the world a good deal, and always
Euows Just how to behave, which is more
tban can say for Joe or myself-es-
necially Joe, dear big fellow He's the
BEST soul living, but he isn't polished, and
he wouldn't be for any thing, that the
worst OF It. at.
Il was fearfully hot when we reached
Re,nis, which was the railroad terminus
two wears ago. Two six. horse coaches
stood biistering in a sand bank, waiting to
transport passengers to the Crawford
House, nine miles on, and these were filled
in a twinkling.
oh, Joe, Joe, do hurry we sha'n't
get seats, cried /, clutching him by the
arm.
But might as well have tried to hurry
the Great Eastern.
Don't want to, returned he, coolly.
Don't you see, Polly, they'll have to put
on an exfraS Wen ride more comforta-
bly, in that
While the horses were being harnessed,
we were grateful for the shelter of the rude
restaurant and sat down 10 a rough table,
covered with unbleached sheeting, to
drink cup of tea.
"Ii's strong as an early attachment,
Polly" observed the diyider of my sor-
rows, in an explosive whisper.
"And bitter as remorse," chimed in
Dill. but il is consolation to know il
was stepped in a tea kettle"
"Yea, verify" said Joe, with an elo-
quent glance at the rusty stove In the cor
ner on which coffee was steaming in a
wash-boiler.
His face was purplish, like a Scotch
thistle, but Dill looked as cool and waxen
as a Lent lily. Her complexion is wealth
er-proof, and, with those soft, black eyes
Of hers, she can never be anything less
than beauty; while well, l am one of
the blue and gold editions of humanity,
pretty enough at first, but sure 10 fade.
When the extra wagon came, Joe put
me on the back seat, between himself and
Dill, and we jolted theoretically on over
the mighty hills; past Kiarsage Mount
ain, capped by a ST acious hotel that in the
distance looks not much larger than
matchbox on a mantel; past the sorrow
ful Wiley House, and SO on into the heart
OF the Crawford Notch. No room for car
rlages to pass excepting at long intervals,
where places were purposely provided by
seooping level spaces in the side Of
mountain. The driver refined in at one
OF these and waited. We could hear the
rattle of a coach in the distance, and in
dlgnant echoes from the surrounding
heights, as If they resented such intrusion
upon their solitude. Presently, round a
bend IN the road, lurchcd the stage in all
Us yellow magnihcenee, its front fitting
up frIghtfully by reason Of the weight OF
baggage behind.
What's 10 hinder it turning a somer-
sauit backwardy' asked Dill, whimsical
" Certainly not those meek little
horses AT each lunge half expect to
zee them jerked from their feet and. de-
Srl6lng curve through the air."
But the coach seems well ballasted in
mont Why, look, Dill! there's some
Dody bowling to you"
Inc two stages were now side by side,
aAa as Dill recognized the gentleman, /
y" her start and turn suddenly white.
Inc next moment she had acknowledged
Ie bow in a cool, dignified way, and we
were bowling down the hill at break
neck speed.
Who was that, Dillf" queried Joe, as
ianhocently as he would have asked the
aay OF the month.
John Kepna an old acuuaintance Of
mine.p
Looks like fellow of brains com
menlec Joe, snatching handful of leaves
rom mi, an overhanging maple.
:, oil said neither yes nor no. but sat res
0iu.eiy contemplating the dust of the
earth, her face scarlet now as frosted
Nooupine. l had the grace to hold my
peace, for knew more about that love
anaif tnan she had the least suspicion of.
Nate Edgarton had told me the whole
,'ory-ail anybody knew, that is, but the
parties themselves. Dill had become en-
saged TO MIR. Keene at twenty, and for
months the two had seemed as happy as
aeed DC. Then she made visit at Newport,
Anu while there the engagement was