Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-11-06

Ing on the gTouHu.
After awhile his plug hat shook off
the seat and the hind wheel went over
1t, making it as flat as pancake. Bill
snalcled it as he ran, and after jamming
his fist into K, stuck it, all dusty and
dimpled, on his head And now he saw
the widows house on the hill, just as he
reached the tailboard of the buggy, over
which he hastily leaped, took his place
upon the seat, hurried on his coat, but
toned it up to the chin, and drew the
robe closely about him. 1t is needless
TO Say 10 unnecessary time was lost, nor
had Bill any to spare when the aggra-
vatiug brute, who could not sooner be
induced even to slacken his pace, stopp
ed conveniently in front of the house.
As Bill did not offer 10 get ont, the
widow obligiugly went to see what he
wanted, and there she stood chatting
with her white arms on the top of the
gate, aud her face right toward him,
while the cold chills ran down his shirt
less back clear to his bare ieet beneath
the buffalo robe, and the water from his
hair and the dust from his hat had com
bined to make some nice little streams
of mud that came trickling down his
face.
She asked him to come in. No, lie
was in q hurry, he said. Still he did
not offer to 60. lie did not like to ask
her to pick up his reins for him, be-
cause he did not know what excuse to
make for not doing it himself Then he
looked down the road behind him and
saw q white faced horse coming, and
at once surmised it was that OF Gus.
Stockrider. He resolved to do or die,
and hurriedly told his erraud The wild
ow would be delighted to 60, OF course
she would But wouldn't he come in.
No, he was in hurry, he said; had 10
90 on to Mr.. Green's place.
oh, said the widow, you're going TO
Green's, are you! Why, was just
going there myself to get one OF the
girls to help me quilt tomorrow. Just
wait second till get my bonnet and
shawl, and III ride with you
and away she skipped.
Thunder and lightning said Bill,
what q scrape! and he hastily clutched
his pants from between his feet, and was
preparing to wriggle into them when a
light wagon drawn by a white-taced
horse, driven by boy, came along and
stopped beside him. The boy held a
pair of boots in one hand and a pair OF
socks in the other, and just as the wild
ow reached the gate again, he said;
Here's your boots and socks, Mr.
Smiley, that you left on the bridge when
you were in swimming.
You're mistaken, said Bill. They're
not mine
'Why,' said the boy, 'aint you the
young man that had the race after the
horse Just now!
No, sir, am not. You had better
90 on about your business. Bill sighed
at the loss of his boots, and turning TO
the widow said
Just pick upthe lines, will you,please;
this brute of horse is alwaysswitching
them out OF my hands.
The widow complied, aud then he
pulled one corner of the robe cautiously
down and she got in.
What lovely evening, said she,
'and so warm don't think we need the
robe over us, do we ?
(YCu see she had on nice new dress
and a pair Of new CATERS, and she
wanted to show them.)
'Oh, my! said Bill earnestly, you'd
find it chilly riding, and / would Mt
have you catch cold for the world.
She seemed pleased at this tender
care for her health, and contented herself
with sticking one of her little feet out
with q long silk hectic over the end OF
it.
What is that, Mr. Smiley; a neck
tie?
" es, said he, i bought it the other
day, and / must have left it in the bug
gy. Never mind it.
But, says she, it was so careless,
and STOPPING over she picked it up, and
made a motion 10 stuff it III between
them.
Bill felt her hand going down, and
making a dive after il, clutched IL iii his
and held it hard and fast.
Then he went on quite distance, he
still holding her hand in his and wonder
ing what he should do when they got
TO Green's, and she wondered why he
did not say something nice TO her as
well as squeeze her hand, and why his
coat was buttoned up 50 tightly on
such a warm evening, aud what made
his hat so dirty, until they were going
down little hill and one Of the traces
came unhtched and they had to stop.
'Oh, murder.' exclaimed Bill, what
next
what is the matter, Mr.. Smiley
said the widow, with start that came
near jerking the robe off his knees.
'One OF the traces is of, answered he.
well, why don't you get out and put
it on?
Il can'., said Bill, I've got-that is,
haven't got-oh, dear, I'm SO sick!
What shall | DO?
Why, Willie, she said tenderly,
what is the matter? Do tell me.
She gave his hand little squeeze,
and looking into his pale face she
thought he was going to faint, SO she
got out her smelling bottle with her
left hand, and pulling the stopper out
with her teeth, she stuck it under his
nose.
Bill was just taking his breath for a
mighty sigh, and the puDgent odor
made him throw back his head so far