The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-23
TRI-WE EEKLY EDITION.


Going on eight. The squire he'll be tirct
of waiting, and ma, be 20 back home"
i "And If he docs 2"> said the lecturer.
"Why, sir, that 'ud be awkward enough,
said tic landlord. "Woudnt it now 2"
"Well, my good FRIEND" said Mr. Pen
field, facctlously, ''you must remember
What the criminal on his way to be hanged
said to the crowd-"Thcrc could be no fur
without h&m p" '..Ii s& '.'.'.
'But it amt just exactly as if you was
going to be hanged, sir" said the landlord,
\ in some displeasurc. Miss Jennie Tubbs-,
beggin' your pardon for making so bold as
to mention hcr--is the pretticst young lady
IN all the country around"
'Ith ~ said Mr.. Penfieltl. ''Is size to be
there (" .,...... ,...... :, = :
The landlord stared back at him. 20
"Well, sir, " said he, "you will have youl
Joke. Here's Bill Stokes a-waitin' with the
horses, as had ought to been in their stables
half al hour ago." ' ...' ...
I'm not particular about the horses, u
said Mr.. Penfield, ''but since they are here
may as well ride
And away went the stage coach again,
plunging and floundering through the snow
! with Mr. Penfield's lucklcss head humping
up against one side Of it, then yhe other ;
until at last it came to dead stop in front
OF big, square building. ...
us this the Atheneum 2" said Mr.. Pen
field, staring about him, "Why it must be
pretty well out of town-and it's all dark.
Where are the lights, and posters and
tmngs My good man, you must have
made a mistake"
l. ''lt's all alright, sir !" cried Jehu,
pushing him hurriedly into doorway,
which opened just then, disclosing a faint
glimmer of brightness in the distance.
'Lights all at the back of the house, sir. "
| Peter" !" cried soft voice; ''is it YOU :?
| On, you poor dear You're half frozen to
death And so late, too"
And Mr.. Pcnficld, with tile vague sensa-
ton of ono who moves In n dream, felt him
self handed to and fro, kissed and hugged
and congratulated in a manner which, in all
his experience in the lecturing field, he had
never before encountered
"But perhaps ita their way of doing bust
ness out here in the Western wilderness "
thought hc-''a sort of delightful bewilder-
ment. At all events, it's not unpleasant
that | aOiU say for ito
"Were all ready and waiting this half
hour" said the first sweet voice, that had a
mnsical 'ting' to it, like 'tsmitten silver :"
"and Jennio-oh, she's just lovely /"
'Oh !" said Mr.. Peiiied, allowing him
self to be Invested of his great coat and seal
skin cap without resistance, "she is, ell p"
"Ihe minister was getting tired of wait
int%," added the sweet voice. "TIc was lust
going" ."' 4 .t... ...o =.
|'"1"Going, was he p said Mr.. Pcnficld.
swell, Pm glad he concluded to stay" 50
+. 'lle thought 1t was getting to be so late
you wouldn't COME -. .'r' d
81 am always punctual to my engage
ments," said Mr.. Penfeld; little stlfiiv,
''unless sickness or death should intervene"
' ''Fhen come on" said tho silvcr-toned
And Mr. Pentield, running the fingers of
one hand through his ambrosial locks, and
catching up his roll of manuscript with the
other, followed her into large and bril-
liantly- lighted apartment. -
But 1t was no lecturc-hall. There were
neither footlight nor rows of benches, nor
yet platform filled with the trustees and
sclcctmen of the village; there was no dis
play OF bunting, nor appreciative audience,
with open mouths and eager eyes-only a
pretty room, crowded with guests; an old
clergyman with an open book, and pretty
young girl, all in white, with wreath of
snowy clematis blossoms on her head, and
a veil falling around her like folds of mist.
''1erc he is !" cried Mr.. Pentield g guide,
vaIantly and then, her countenance chang
ing, she exclaimed I: 'No, it isn't, either l''
= ut isn't the right man !" said tht clergy
man. f' .,..' us
''It's the wrong man |" cried the bride
'lts total strangerl" shrieked the
BRIDES mother 4.G- -. -. ...,..'F
'tMy friends - began Mr.. Ponhcld,
staring wildly around him. ,, =. 81. -
But just then Squire Tubbs himself
bounced into the apartment, scarlet~faced
and furious .;.3I.. n@.,..r.,.
81 never was 30 imposed upon in all my
life !'' roared he. FtNo lecturer. no. =.
Eth, howl i What's all this ~ 'uty. Y4,.'
:, And almost simultaneously young man
rushed IN, at the opposite door, flinging his
portmanteau into the middle of the room.
"Lost the train, by George /" heexclaim-
ed. "Had to wait for the Southern express;
and" ,g .",r. -. ..vC..eI,, =
"Young man." cried q Squire Tubbs,
''what are yoN here for2" ~ ..guNstr.
''To marry your daughter, sir" yalianty
responded the hero of the portmanteau.
"Against my willa" .,,.n, aa -,
,,,,ItAgainst the will of the whole world If
necessary, sir, 80 long as she Is willing % y
''Begone !" thundered the squire. ''To
your room, Jennie AS for you, Elder
Hick0x, 7 to the astounded old clergyman,
4"tl'll lay this matter before special COM
mittee Of the church. Gentlemen and
ladies'" to the giiests, .T am very---79hem
happy to see You all here, although I
cannot say that invited you y" ~ .
! One. by one, the guests skunk away; the
belated bridegroom took the next train back
to New York, with his matrimonial happi-
ness blighted in the bud; the bride cried
rivers of tears over her new white dress I;
and there was no wedding, after all. ;
/ i Neither was there any lecture on ''The
Life and Character of Dickens,"' at the
Pippsville iAtheneum. =. HH@H j.
Eo'I I--.ef bumped Hts Head ~; 4
While crossing the equatorial belt, we