Morris tribune., 1882-10-26
An Abbreviated Romance.
rom the Youths Companion.

MIS-. WaQul6S anu N1fS. COuQoc were
near neiglrbors, but very distant friends.
In fact there was feud between them
of several years. standing, and their in
tercourse consisted chiefly in turning up
their noses at each other whenever they
happened to meet. The two neighbors
were not even on borrowing" terms.
Naturally this mutual antipathy extern
ded to the children ofthe respective fam
ilies-at least as far as parental example
and precept could make it.
Neither party in the dislike belonged
to a very refined class of society, and
neither the hostile lessons at home, nor
the defiances flung back and forth over
the garden fence, could be patterns of
elegant expression.
Mrs. Waddles gave out warning TO her
tow-headed children with lifted finger
AS sure as preachin', if catch any of
We playin' with Nancy Conder's young
ones, I'll fix we when We come in"
They knew perfectly we'll what she
meant.
Mrs. Gender, broom in hand, pro-
claimed to her wondering household
eff you go long with any of old Peg
Waddles' family, you'll get licked an sent
to bed without any supper; you hear
me-"
The juvenile Conders were equally
certain what was expected of them-and
what to expect.
In consequence of this understood
embargo, the state of things between the
youngsters of the rival houses became
considerably perplexing.
RalnU fOO npar toOat her tn Sfriotlv avoid
each other, they not unfrequently came
into collision, and howlings out of doors
and crying indoors, under the discipline
OF switch or slipper, were familiar to
both parties.
But meantime, absurdly enough, a
new mischief crept in to tempt transgres-
sion and further complicate matters.
The "blind god" did it-iust as he did
centuaries ago between the Montagus
and Capulets. Alas for the security of
social walls when Cupid lets down the
bars!
Septimus Waddles and Angelina Con-
der, aged respectively fourteen and
thirteen years, began to cast Sleeps
eyes" at one another over the forbidden
line. They came to so good an under
standing, that they learned how to plan
interviews without being discovered,
and at these meetings they exchanged
compliments, and compared their trials,
and mingled their sympathies.
Seppy promised Angie that she should
be his only own," to which she cordial
ly and graciously responded.
Early one summers morning, Septimus
had gone to the stable to shell some corn
when, looking across las usuaD to the
Gender premises, he saw Angelina milk
ing her mothers COW.
None of the younger children were up
and their jealous guardians were both
busy with breakfast.
The maiden finished her milking after
a fashion, and came softly toward the
partition fence, glancing over her shout
der at every step. None but themselves
saw when Angelina gave Septimus a rus
tic drink over the rail through the snout
of her tin milk-pail
"Come and see my Kittens murmured
Septlmus, looking around to make sure
the coast wos clear.
A similar look from Angie, and in an
other moment she was in the yard.
"I'll tell you what we'll have when we
get married"-and then the fancy and
the tongues of both ran loose, Keeling
off the skein of cloves young dream.'
1t should be, among other things, "a spl
-endid dress of white silk velvet,
trimmed in two rows ofyellow lace, with
ever so many pink flowers"
In the glorious air-castles they forgot
how much time they were taking. Judge
of the shock when right in the midst of
their pretty imaginings the apparition of
human head and face rose through the
fence!
Mrs. Peggy waddles, thinking her boy
Septimus had been gone more than long
enough to shell his corn, had come out
to the crib to see what he was about,
AMI hearing voices crept up to the fence
to listen.
Horror!-but what was that OH the
other side, looming up by the bar-way?
Another head and face?
Now it So happened that Mrs. Nancy
Gender, wanting another egg or two to
complete her cooking, and finding none
in her old nests in the cow-shed, had
taken notion to wander about the
premises.
''Ill ventur' anything them hens is
layin' in the Wsddles' stable! I'll slip
over there somehow an see."
So muttering, Mrs. Nancy Gender had
stalEed across the yard few seconds
after Mrs. Waddles mad appeared on the
opposite side
Here was situation! Rage, astonish-
ment, terror, ruled the moment.
Spec HESS at first, the two housewives
stood and glared at their delinquent off
spring and at one another. Between
them, looking very scared and wild and
foolish, poor Seppy and Angie sat cow
ering on bundle of hay
Peggy Waddles recovered her voice
soonest. Her words came out with
snap like a volley.
You come here--you Sep!-I'll teach
We to- play hide an coop with the Con-
ders!" And in a second she had the
young Romeo by the arm.
Nancy g, nder needed no further sig
nal. Pouncing forward, she seized the
young Juliet. "I'll teach We to 90 hum
tin hens nests long O. the Waddlesesl"
she screached, at the same time shoot
ing vindictive glance at Septimus'
mother.
"Ketch your gall sneakin' round here
arter my boy agin, an see what!' vocif-
Grated Peggy.
"You steal my hens eggs agin' an
SEE etorted the doughty Nancy.
.You trollop!' continued Nancy to
Juliet. Mite "a known what would
happen, comm here to the Waddles'g'
Thwack! thwack!
sSent we out to do my milkin'-this's
the way you milk, is it?'a Thwackl
thwack!-"on' wantin' we t. home to
help about breakfast thwack! thwackl
In this way Mrs. Gender and her
daughter made their exit from the
place.
Very soon after, the miserable Septi-
mus, with his jacket all awry and his
hair full Of oats, was seen plunging
cross the yard at rapid pace.
Never did romance have more ig-
nominious end. Our young admirers
never ventured to play Romeo and
Juliet again. Ina year the Waddleses
moved away, and Septimus and Ange-
line entirely forgot their sentimental
promises.