Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-06-10

Then l remembered my mothers word
OF caution, Leeman's reiterated exhorta
tions, the landlords friendly words of warn
ing.
| And, in spite of it all, l had deliberatel,
thrust my silly head into the Jaws of dan
| ger. There was only one thing for me Il
do-te get out of the scrape as well as
could.
cast about in my mind how to do this
and presently, with beating heart, I drop
ped little paper parcel of blue ribbon into
the road. - y
''Oh," l cried, checking up Pomp. sI,vt
dropped my parcel Would-would yor
mind getting out after it ?'
"NOt in the least" said the stranger
and he climbed laboriously out of the WAGON
He had scarcely set his feet on the prounf
before laid the whip on old Pomp with 3
will, and ratified away over the long. straight
road at pace that seemed positively mar
velous to me and Pomp both.
So we left our passenger behind. in tbe
middle of the Red Swamp. 1 could see him
standing there, blank and astoupded, the
sole figure lathe long perspective, as.i ven,
tured to look back; but | only whipped
Pomp the harder; and never let him bate
his pace nntifwe were well out of sight OF
the Red Swamp.
'Ive out-generaled him, ''said l to nv
self, ''and I've saved Leeman's twenty-fou,
dollars. I'm sorry about the blue ribbon
but it was only yard and quarter, after
all, and can trim Lil's hat with something
else.''
They were delighted at my prewess when
related my adventure at home. Leeman
declared that was a capital little market
woman; mother shuddered at the idea of the
desperate tramp alone with me in the tan
gled wilderness of the Red Swamp; Lii de-
clared that was heroine.
"Wasn't it good idea for Kate to drop
the blue ribbon, and send him after it %
said she.
''Kate was goose ever to let him get in
to the wagon" said Leeman, knitting his
"Kate mustn't go by herself such a long
distance again." said mother.
l drank my cup of tea and rested myself,
and went out afterward to see the new
brood of darling little yellow chicks which
Old Speckle had brought off the nest during
my absence.
| was on my knees in the hen-house feed
ing them with scalded meal from the palm
of my hand, when heard mother calling me
from the house.
'Kate Kate come up at once Colonel
Hay has arrived"
l started up, looking with blank dismay
at my calico dress and the meal stains on
my hands.
(. However, there was nothing for it but to
obey the summons; so l went up to the
house. A soft blur seemed to come before
my eyes, as entered the sitting-room and
heard mother saying:
"Colonel Hay, this is my eldest daughter,
Kate"
And then the blur cleared away, and 1
knew the man had twice before seen that
day-the pale, tired traveller whom had so
recklessly abandoned in the middle of the
Red Swamp.
"I-I beg your pardon, Colonel Hay" l
cried out impulsively II thought you were
thief -
The burst of laughter that followed from
every inmate of the room effectually scatterd
all embarrassment.
That was my adventure. And Colonel
Hay has long since forgiven me that unkind
desertion of him. In fact-this is quite
private and confidential, mind-we are to
be married soon, and am going with him
to Florida, to try the effects of a Southern
climate on his health. That's all. Isn't it
enough