The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-05-18
A PRACTICAL JOKE.

did love her. Oh, how did love that
girl. And they say all is fair in love and
war, and perhaps that is some excuse for
me.
had liked hera long while, and knew
that she liked me.
| was as big fellow as she could see
anywhere about. l had farm of nay
own, and, when was married, father had
promised to build me a tirst-rate house and
stock the place for me.
And when / went to church on Sunday,
or to town, l had good clothes, and was
never told looked i'll in them.
On the whole felt myselfa good fair
match for Fanny Martin, though she was
SO nice a girl. And her father and
mother thought so, too, and she never re-
fused my attentions.
had settled, in the slow, quiet sort of
way in which countrymen do settle these
things, that we'd make a match of it.
The other young fellows knew it, and if
we were not fashionable we were 50 far
gentlemen that we had our code of honor.
None of them ever interfered or tried to
cut me out.
But then he came. you sec-dapper
and pretty, and dressed like tailOr's
fashion plate, and he talked of things I
knew very little about, and his hands
were white and he had graceful, gallant
ways that l had never learnt.
Mr.. Williams-that was his name. And
in that summer holiday of his, while we
were working hard over the hay, and were
tanned, dirty and worn, and SO tired that
sleep was about all we wanted when work
was over, why, then, he, soft, sweet and
smiling, made himself agreeable to the
girls and crept into Fanny Martins heart
my Fanny.
She scarcely looked at me. She did not
care whether she met me or not and on Sun
day there he was making me feel somehow
so coarse, rough and vul gar; and when
wanted her to go with me into the woods
where we used to sit in the great green
shadow and listen to the birds sing, she
had some excuse for staying at home and
when on the road from church took her
hand in mine she snatched it away and
said, quite Grossly:
Don't Ben; don't do such silly rustic
things while the London folks are here.
They never do it themselves, and they
laugh So"
MIR. Williams laughs, you mean, 1
suppose" said l. That's gentlemanly,
too"
And then she blushed and curled her
little lip and said:
You are criticising Mr.. Williams
manners; are yOu?'
After that there was GOODNESS between
lis; but though it made my heart ache l
could not think that it mattered much to
her.
stayed away from her fathers house,
and did not walk home with her from
church on Sunday; indeed, l did not go
to church at all And l knew the young
folks-aye, and the old folks, too-were
saying that we had fallen out with each
other, and l suppose every one guessed
why; but would never answer any ques-
tions-not even when my own mother
asked me-not l.
SO the summer came and the autumn
passed on, and the town people stayed and
stayed.
saw that fellows silk hat and twill
umbrella and cxquisitely- fitting garments
wherever l went. Farther than l could
see other people l used to see him and her
MIR. Williams and Fanny.
They had meyer made Fanny work much
at home, and she had plenty of time to
enjoy herselt-an only daughter, you see,
n.eoh, onu Hel people WeEc what Is
called torehanded
l never intended that she should
drudge after we we're married. When l
had hoped for that 1 did not nina work
myself, but I'd never have made slave
Of my wife.
This Mr.. Williams could not make of
her amOre precious treasure than | would;
l knew that.
was thinking this all over one even
ing Ill the meadow, when suddenly
heard some one say:
"Ah-Mr.-Mr. Burling."
looked up, and there was Mr.. Will
Jams, natter than ever, with a cigar in
his mouth.
If he had known just how l felt to him
I'm not sure that he'd have come to find
me alone in the great meadow, and |
thought of that as jumped up from the
grass and looked at him. But he was
smiling as politely as possible, and there
is something in mans heart that makes
it hard to do the frs! rude thing to one
who is civil.
Still l was not polite to hims
That's my name," said / to him.
'DO you want me?"
" want something of YOU" said he.
There's little excursion to night from
our house. We're going to take lady.
Have you any little light trap. and horse
of course, that you could let me hire for
the evening: I'd rather go alone with
her than in the big wagonette. You
know, Pm sure, how it is that fellow
had rather ride alone with pretty girl,
and If you will help ME out will be ever
SO much obliged to YOU"
So he had come to ask me to help him
to have nice time with my grille who
had cut me out!
l looked at him, just holding my hands
still by main force, and thought of him
riding along the moonlit road with Fanny
close by him.
l asked myself whether his arms would
not be around her waist, and whether in
the shadow, as they fell little behind the
others, he would not kiss her.
ANA you want me to help you?" 1
" Yes" he said. PLEASE"
Come along" l said. "I'll show you
what have got.''
On the farm that was mine there was
one building, little cow.sh We mt
the tools in there sometimes, and / had a
paddock for the door; the key was in my
pocket.
1t came into ny head that could spoil
this evening for him, and spite Fanny,
too, by locking him In this shed. And il
he had spirit enough to fight me for it at.
forwards SO much the better. ri; 49, u
led the way down into the meadow
where it stood. and unlocked the door.
Just look in" said ], /" and see if that
will suit you.'' r.,-
Can't see anything" said he. ats
pitch dark. Wait, have u match"
lie took one from his pocket, and
stopped to strike it on the sole OF his boot,
and then gave him push and over he
went, Hat on the floor, and I had the key
in my pocket. 49, So
You'll not make any one hear very