The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-07-31

intention of carrying Matilda's heart by
desperate forlorn hope, come what
would, and narrowly escaped receiving
charge of small shot in his body, fired
from the farmers shotgun, he mistaking
the forlorn suitor for a chicken thief,
after which warm welcome Mr.. Poddy
hurried home and gave Matilda up in
despair.
So it was with the other two court
ships. When he mustered up courage
and escorted Polly Bascome home from
meeting one Sunday evening, he was
Mortified to hear, the following week,
that he had been accepted by that young
lady, and though at the time he wished
he was in that position, he never even
looked at her again.
He spent several pleasant evenings at
Widow Browns, and had got so far as
holding the widows pretty daughter
Bessie's ball of crochet cotton, without
turning pink, when one evening he
overheard the hired girl refer to that
goose why don't he speak outY" and
the widow knew Poddy no more.
Thus persisted in the bud Solomon's
young affections before they had begun
to make an impression upon the adored
object.
Solomon Poddy had celebrated his
forty-fifth birth day. Gray hairs began
to show among the carroty locks, and
good living had rounded out his form.
Still he was under the dominion of the
stern-faced Miss Perkins, his maiden
aunt and houskeeper, and was supposed
by all the people round, who were ac-
quainted with his feelings, to be con-
firmed old bachelor. But such was not
to be his fate.
The summer of '75 came, and with it
came an influx of city boarders to sleepy
Tattleopolis. Down the road from Solo
mons, Peter Hicks had his house full
of "a lot of crazy, impudent gals" Miss
Perkins told Poddy; and one evening,
soon after his arrival, as he was smok-
ing a pipe on his front piazza, a wagon
load of them passed by and saluted him
-muoh to his surprise-with a volley of
"Good evening Mr.. Poddy." Old Hicks
had informed them of poor Solomon's
troubles, and every one had made up
their mind to get a desperate Irritation
with the old bachelor.
After that Solomon drove to the
village by miserable rough and stony
back lane which ran between stone walls
overgrown with blackberry bushes, and
avoided Hicks young lady boarders.
Along this road Poddy was jogging
one day behind his old gray mare, bump
ing Cover the stones, and musing as he
went on the misery of living in the
same house with Miss Perkins, when he
heard little scream and, looked up, saw
his fate.
Lazily struggling along the narrow
lane, cropping the choice bits of grass
as she came, was Hicks old red cow,
and perched upon the highest stone in
the wall, where she had climbed fearless
of the brambles and briers which grew
rank up to the top, was lady, in NOR
tai dread of the COW.
Here was predicament for Solomon.
But though bashful man, he was not
devoid of politeness. He fastened to
the rescue of the fair prisoner, and drove
the surprised COW down the road at a
run, then approached to help the lady
from her elevated position.
Thank you'll can get down very
well indeed" And the lady proce eded
to get down.
A rafting of stones, then scream,
and our hero, turning quickly, found
the over-confdent lady hanging by her
hands and feet to the wall Solomon's
bashfulness gave way to the dictates of
humanity and he sprang forward, caught
the lady in his arms just as her hold
was loosening, when-Oh, heavens !
his foot slipped, and down both rolled,
one over the other, through the briers
and singing nettles, into the ditch,
Nothing is so apt to establish two
strangers on congenial terms as the en-
durance of mutual misfortunes. When
Solomon and the lady sat up and looked
into each others scratched and bleeding
faces, all restraint was thrown aside.
" am afraid, sir, have caused you
great trouble and pain by my foolish ner-
vousness,' said she, and she adjusted
her spectacles to her nose and looked at
Solomon's face.
ooh no, madam, / am used to = I