Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-01-30

men. it was time 1 looked up Mary
Daykin, and l went off in search of
her at once. in the full flush Of my
popularity. [ had a trouble to find
/ that Terris again-I lost myself three
times IN new streets, but there were
people TO ask questions of, and it was
not long afore | was at the IDENTICAL
/ house where the perliceman and I and
Mary went up the steps in the morning
after Boxing Day.
It was eggstronary how my heart
beat under my badge as | walked up
| those steps. Was | getting fat and
puffy? Wasn't I we'll? 1t wasn't like
ly l could be bashful at my age. Cab
men can't be bashful-it amt material.
Yet, | qods bashful when she, Mary,
opened the door, prettier and trimmer
than ever-stared for a moment with
her big eyes full of wonderland then
broke into merry laugh and clapped
her hands.
Why, l declare, if it isn't Mr..
Pledge"
Yes, that's him." | answered. "Tm
the bad 'un?"
Come in, please. I won't keep
you long. I'll Just run up stairs and
/ GET"
Not the money" exclaimed, in a
ore woolly voice than ever; don't say
anything about the money. | amt
come for that"
"What have you come for, them
she asked.
"Jestto see you-iest to see if you're
we'll"
cob! Pm very well, thank you, she
said laughing.
THAT'S good hearing. And do you
like your placer
eyes. Mrs. Botherton's very kind
to me-"
"And that's good hearing too. 1
think I'll go now"
I turned to GO 1t had struck me
sudden that [ hadn't anything to stop
for, or to say.
but you haven't told me how you
are Mr. Pledge?"
"OhL Pm alters we'll"
"You caught bad cold that night
You're husky now"
cts the fog on my chest"
why, it isn't foggy."
cts comm up thick" stammered
call down the Peckham road, like soup
It'll be here presently"
60 Is it though? and-oh! here's my
mistress"
Mrs. Bothcrton came out of hel
little parlor, and looked from one tC
the other.
"Ihayen't ordered a cab," said she.
ono % ~, hut -
And you aren't going out in Il cab,
sureIy?"
"Pm not going out at all, ma'am."
Il thought your young man was com
foryou at SKIP
eff you please, ma'am, he's not my
young man: and I wasn't going out with
him; ana [ told him this morning ]
would never, never keep company with
him."
"Who's she talking about?' asked
"Mr. Riggs the-the policeman"
"Wot-the perliceman-the fellow
who"
eyes, that's the man." said Mary
'he's been calling ever since. He want
ed me to go to the theatre tonight
as he's off duty, and got an order"
"He's very respectable young mar
I knew his father-he was a milk
man, and had two COWS on the Rye,
said Mrs. Botherton.
"If you're going to the play with tht
Bobby, I'll drive you there for nothin', ,
[ said hoarser than ever; mot that
like him-not that L shouldn't die hap
ply if was to run over him; but TIL dc
it if you're going"
''I'm not going"
Don't you like him."
81 can't bear him; but he's been here
calling ever SO many times since tina
, night, on one excuse or another; and
can't abide him"
''Pm precious glad. Good evening.
) could not say any more that nigh
I went away happy but muddled
from my pretty Mary, and that wicked
old matchmaker her missus. I calleC
) again though-.without my cab-and a
last took Mary to the theatre myself, al
by myself, anu in a new suit that mad,
TREMENDOUS swell of me. l wrote tt
her fust, and she sent word back she'C
come, and happy evening we spen
together in the pit.
Going home that night, [ drove he
home in a Hanson. | told her through
the trap in the roof that [ wasn't baC
'un any longer, and that it was her owl
blessed self that had made q differen
man of me, and she cried little, anC
said she didn't doubt it, and that sh'
had never doubted me. I made her al
offer through that trap-reg'larly pro
pased-and was accepted.
And so we kept company tOgethe
when we could, and Mrs. Botherton al
lowed me to visit once a week, and SCI
Mary, and l saved up, and Mary saved
up, and Bones is going to let MT
have cab of my own next week fo1
fourteen pounds paid down. and the res
in monthly hinstalments till til
squared. and Mary next week will b.
my partikler Mrs. Pledge.
There, that's the long and short of i
sir, and you're quite welcome to put i
into print, tiding up the langerwidg'
here and there. 1t was a Call, wasn't i
now. And it was all through my dea
Mary, Heaven bless herr. ". Robin
son, an the London Graphic.
The Richest City i'm the World.
t., -