Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-02-18
0YMPIA WASHINGTON TERRITORY FRIDAY FEBRUARY 49, 1884,

body wouldn't see us; and that I
needn't be afraid, cause he would
be there fore l would.
Well, to tell the truth, I didn't
much like the idea of sneakin' round
in the dark thai way, but I'd done
most anything to put damper on
that conceited jade of q school
ma Fam, and so, when it begun to git
dusk that evenin', put on my best
green silk dress, stuck some lovely
white roses in my hair and on my
throbbin' bosom, and then tramped
up and down the porch waitin' for
it to git pitch dark. Then she came
out with her hat and shawl on, and
any other time I'd asked her where
she was goin', bu: jist then I wasn't
a carein' where she went. When
she saw me she stopped all of a sud-
den, and looked me over from top
to toe, and then, as 1 live, she busted
out q laughin', and run down the
path as fast as she could go. Then
1 concluded she must be q goin'
crazy, and thought I'd try to not
crow too much when I told her I
was goin' to be Mrs. Squire Simp-
son.
Well, at last it got dark-black
as a stove-pipe-and then, with fius-
tered feelin's, / started to keep the
first tryst I'd ever been invited to,
but I didn't know the ground very
we'll and had to walk slow for fear
Of tumblin' down and spoilin' my
best silk. But finally I reached the
'squire's medder and climbed the
fence, cause it was too pesky dark
to find the gate; then when Id
walked few rods farther I heard
the brook Dublin and saw the dark
clump of willows, and, oh, sakes O.
mercyl how my heart did beat, and
my knees got to shakin' 80 couldn't
hardly stand up, cause you see. I
thought every minnit the squire
would pop out and grab me in his
arms; but he didn't do it. and SO I
jist kept a drawin' gradually closer
and closer to them willows and a
wonderin' whore in fury the squire
was.
At last, when I had got up close
to Ito bushes I thought saw the
squire squattin' down alongside OF
'em; and so I paused, and says I,
in low, tremblin' tone: Squire, is.
that you?' He nevered answered a
syllable, but I was certain it was
him, for l could plainly hear him q
breathin' long deep breaths iist as if
he was mighty agitated. Then, all
at once, it flashed across me that
the poor fellows bashfulness had
overcome him, and now, after writin'
me that letter and getting me to
meet him, he hadn't courage enough
left to pop the question.
"Now, Louisa, if many a girl
had bin in my place then she'd
turned round and walked off home;
and if I'd only done that might
a had my green silk good as new to-
day; but I always was to tender
hearted for my own good, and l
could no more walk off and leave
that poor fellow alone in the dark
than I could fly. So I iist sort O
edged up a little closer, and bend
in over, 1 says softly, saysI: Squire,
dear, haint you got mortal word to
say to me after I've come all this
way to meet you?' As 1 sed that, 1
sort O. let my hand drop soft-like
onto his head, and then, oh, my
stars! Louisa, that tarnal, murderin'
critter bounced up and butted me so
alfred hard right into my gold belt
buckle that he popped the breath
out O. me like thunder-gust, and
'fole I could so much as grunt, l
went kaslush, heels over appetite,
into the brook. Then I knowed it
was that consarned, hard-shelled,
old billy-goat that I'd been a tryin'
to.cuddle up to stead OF the squire;
and, so help me goodness, the first
thing I heard, when scrabbled out
on the other side, was that hateful
school ma am a tehe'n on the tother
side of them bushes, and then, all OF
sudden like. it flashed into my
head that she'd writ me that note,
and if she hadn't jist bin on the
same side of the creek with that
pesky beast I'd a ketched her and
pounded blazes out O her.
"But, see here, Louisa Ward,
what are you cramin' your handker-
cher down your throat for? Well,
I'm blessed if ever l trust any live
soul with my secrets again. Who'd
a thought that body's own neice
could have tho heart to laugh over
the painfulest episode of her whole
life?
IT is the small leaks that impover.
ish the household. It it the small