Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-04-06

where do we meet inc sthBe' bAAu
Mr.. Payne, as he settled himself so as
to inconvenience his pretty neighbor as
little as possible.
The driver stared at him.
"This 'ere's tho stage!" said he.
"Git up, sorrel II
Mr.. Payne stared.
"But stages have tops" said he.
"This 'ero stage don't" said the
driver.
1t was rather d trying situation
steep uphill part of the way and steep
down.hill the rest, with the Goldfish and
the mailbag alternately tumbling into
Mr.. Payne's lap, and the pretty girl
laughing in her sleeve athis ombarrass'
ment.
"Tm very rude, 1 know" said she,
"but ii you'd just tie that Goldfish to
the back of the wagon with your fish
ingline it wouldn't trouble you 80
much"
ga good idea !" said Payne, briskly.
Thanks, very much for sugg esting
itp
"Tvc travelled over this road before"
said the pretty girl, laughing.
Are you going to Mailzie Ford ?"
said Mr. Payne, with a sudden CLEAN
of animation.
"No," said the pretty girl. "To
Catley's Dam"
perhaps you know something aboat
Mailzie Ford ?" hazarded our hero.
"Oh, yesl" said the nymph with the
dark eyes. ITS a lovely place 1
used to live there before went into
the factory 1T Catloy's."
"Do you know the Widow Buck ?"
asked Payne, with interest.
"Yery WELL" nodded the pretty girl.
I'm going there to look for board
said Mr.. Payne.
al hope you'n be suited, said the
girl.
And then they began to talk about
the tall, blue crested mountains, which
were beginning to close in around
them.
Tho dewy.eyed damsel had read
Longiellcv; she knew ali about
Thoreau; she was even "up" in Rus
kin, and sho expressed herself with
grace and spirit, which set Mr.. Payne
to wondering Il all the Maine girls were
equally cultivated and beautiful.
And then the Goldfish tumblcd dewn
again and had to be frightened anew
and by tha. time they had come to a
house in the midst Of q lonely belt Of
woods, which the driver said was "Cat-
ley q Dam upon which the pretty g'vl
disappeared into the purple twilight
acd Mr.. PaJn and the Goldfish went on,
Eorrovful, much iolted aud alone.
\ glimpse Of the beautiful Magallo-
way river by moonlight; the cry OF a
wild.bird in the woods; tho noise OF
hidden cascales; a blur of lighted win
dows, which the driver said was the
factory; down a blind lane, and check
ing the tired horses at one-storied
stone house behind wall OF cedar
trees, aud then tho Jehu cried out.
"Now, thenl Here We bel Widow
Buck's'"
Mr., Payne got stiiIiy ont, and helped
to unload the various parapherralia OF
travel which belonged to him-all OF
them by this time considerably favored
with salt Goldfish.
Perhaps you had better wai.," said
he, AZ The driver turned around and
chirruped to his horse.
"What for? demanded the man.
"In case Mrs. Buck should not be
able to accommodate me, or"
"Oh, It's oil right" said the driver
"5he'll take you In. Naomi would have
told you, else"
And away he drove, leaving our hero
alone in the spectral moonlight, with q
pile Of luggage at his feet, and gaunt
dog smelling at the skirts OF his coat.
"Who's Naomi2" said Mr.. Payne,
addressing tho moon. "And what would
she have told me2 p
He raised an old.fashion brass
knocker that hung at the door and
ratified it bri5kly. The gaunt dog,
aroused TO a sense Of his duty, left of
snufiing and began to bark. Presently,
tall, thin woman, with red pocket
handkerchief tied on her head, with
kerosene lamp in her hand, opened
Tho door.
"oh," said she, peering sharply at
him, "you're tho young man from the
city are your
with Tho initfativo khua fakan o,A ~