American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-06-17
DHL'S LOVE AFFAIR.

DILL'S LOVE AFFAIR.
And what'll you have, motherkinP
A wing? or slice from the breastpn
al won It take any meat to-day, Joe;
not any potato either, thank you.''
Joe dropped the carving fork, and
looked at me across the dining table
"You're sick, Polly. Upon my word,
you're pale as a stalk of celery. leave
it to you, Dill, if she isn't"
Della Clement was the school-teacher,
who had boarded with us ever since the
winter before, when Teddy had the
Group.
"Polly's used up, sir, chasing after
Perpetual Notion
Joe glanced at our hearts, delight,
balancing w.sh-bone on the arm of
his high chair, and then back at me
anxioEsly.
1--WE can't have this, Polly. Can't
you hire another girlp'' Whereupon
Dill and both laughed, for that is a
stereotyped remark of Joe's, repeated
whenever ne sees me particularly wilt
ed. As if one girl were not more than
Icould manage! Besides, there was
the expense.
"Polly needs a change" said Dill,
helping herself to pickles. $50 do you,
for that matter. Suppose you both run
off to the mountains next week. I'll
take care of Teddy.''
'No, no; you> and Polly co." said
Joe, who hates travelling as he hates
changing his coat-and that's speaking
strongly.
1t ended in our all going, and leav-
ing Teddy at his grandmother on the
way. wouldn't stir without Joe, and
was bent on having Dill with us, to
give us an air of gentility, told her.
She has been about the world good
deal, and always knows just how to
behave, which is more than can say
for Joe or myself especially Joe, dear
big fellow. He's the best soul living,
but he isn't polished, and he wouldn t
be for any thing, that's the worst of it.
1t was fearfully hot when we reached
Bemis, which was the railroad terminus
two years ago. Two six-horse coaches
stood blistering in sand bank, wait
ing to transport passengers to the
Crawford House, nine miles on, and
these were filed in twinkling.
ooh, Joe, Joe, do hurry! we sha'n'i
get seats,'' cried I, clutching him by
the arm.
But might as well have tried to hur.
~ the Great Eastern.
"Don't want to- returned he, coolly
stDon't you see, Polly, they'll have to
put on an extra? Well ride more com
fortably in that
While the horses were being har
messed, we were grateful for the shelter
of the rude restaurant, and sat down tt
a rough table, covered with unbleachet
sheetiHg, to drink a cup of tea.
'It's strong as an early attachment
Polly" observed the divider of my sor
rows, in an explosive whisper.
"And bitter as remorse," chimed il
Dill. "But it is consolation to know
it was stepped in tea-kettle.''
Yea, verify" said Joe, with an elo
quent glance at the rusty stove in the
corner, on which coffee was steamine
in wash-boiler.
His face was purplish, like a Scotch
thistle, but Dill looked as cool ant
waxen as Lent lily. Her complexion
is weather-proof, and with those sof
black eyes of hers, she can never be an,
thing less than beauty; while well
I am one of the blue and gold editions
of humanity, pretty enough at first, blu
sure to fade.
When the extra wagon came, Joe pu
me on the back seat, between himsel
and Dill, and we jolted theoretically OIL
over the mighty hills; past Kiarsag'
Mountain, capped by a spacious hote
that in the distance looks not mucl
larger than q matchbox on a mantel
past the sorrowful Wiley House, ant
so on into the heart of the CRAWFORD
Notch. No room for carriages to pas
excepting atlong intervals, where places
were purposely provided by scoopine
level spaces in the side of mountain
The driver refined in at one of these ane
waited. We could hear the rattle of
coach in the distance, and indignan
echoes from the surrounding heights
as if they resented such intrusion upol
their solitude. Presently round benz
in the road lurched the stage in all it
yellow magniicence, its front fitting VI
frightfully by reason of the weight o
baggage behind.
"What's to hinder its turning
somersault backward?'' asked Dill
whimsically. Certainly not thos
meek little horses. At each lunge
half expect to see them jerked from
their feet and describing curv
through the air.
"But the coach seems well ballaste'