The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1885-10-15

Chnnneis.
Lucy has given Annelssy his walkin'
papers. "
Could 1t be possible that she was not
going 70 marry tho New Yorker after
all
And II not what thenP
The letter seemed plain enough 10 be
understood without possibility Of mis-
take. yet he read II the second time be-
fore its full import came 70 him, aud
then tho blood rushed TO his heart even
more violently than before.
Lucy might be his yet--that is what
Uncle John meant" he said 10 him
self III she had not loved some one
else bettor she would not have dis
missed Annelsey." And "she did not
encourage any Of the young men
there that was what the letter said,
and II said he was 10 come at once.
He had climbed out OF the ditch and
was brushing the dirt from his overalls
with his hands
Mr.. Johnson" he said. addressing
the neighbor with whom he boarded,
Twill you let me have your roam horse
for n couple OF weeks and nse my colts
while I'm gomez I'm going home and
want TO make the trip as quickly as
possible, and neither OF the colts can
stand hard jannt under the saddle
very well. I'll take good care Of the
roam and promise not 10 hurt him. II
do you may take your choice OF the
colts TO pay the damage
whats ups"
"Folks sickpn
"Why don't You 20 10 Frisco and
take the steamcrP' came from one and
another Of the crowd
The fact Is, replied Erastus, with
his usual straightforward honesty, ~
have not got money enough. You fell
lows know how II Is yourselves. Money
don't grow on these sand ridges until
they arc irrigated; but can ride
through IN four days by travelling late
and early and resting In the hottest
part OF the day. and not hurt the horse
bit II Mr. johnson will let me have
him, and II won cost half rs much rs
IL will to 20 by the cars and boat"
"You can have the horse II you want
him. replied Mr.. johnson. i know
you won't hurt him; but you haven't
told us vet who Is sick or dead"
There's no one sick or dead, boys;
but I'm going, and going 10. start TO-
night"
HGirl run away with another fellowp"
asked one Of the mon. with grin.
"No. my girl hasn't run away with
another fellow. replied the young
man. with laugh that some way re-
minded him OF what he had often called
the "giggling' Of tho girls.
How could be help Il when reminded
so forcibly Of what, up 10 the moment,
he hardly realized; that instead OF run
ming away with another fellow as he
had expected her. to do. his girl had dis
missed thc-othsEisilow because Of her
love for him. ~.
The rough. 10 fsounded irresistibly
funny. and-withal brought spch de-
lightfully warm feeling to his heart that
Il Is no wonder he laughed. or that the
laugh was Just trihe hysterical.
What terrible mistake there had
been. What wretch he was for not
having spoken up when Annelsey first
came courting Lucy, aud so have saved
all this suffering.
How tender his heart grew. thinking
OF her who had suffered so--who must
have suffered 80 terribly all this time.
Such were the thoughts that passed
through the young mans mind ~ he
walked rapidly towards his boarding
place.
But what IL Uncle John was mis-
takenp
He was halfway to the house whom
this thought came TO him, and he
stopped aud stood perfectly still for
some seconds, but not stiller than his
heart seemed to have become.
.At any rate III know the truth" !"
he said aloud, and then mentally: ~
PLAYED tho coward once. I'll not do 1t
again. Uncle John certainly meant
me to understand that Lucy loved me
we'll enough to be my wife. and would
be craven indeed not to ask herself
now
Going directly TO the shed where the
roam horse stood, he groomed him
carefully, then went to the house and
to the low room upstairs whore he
slept p q.
Here he bathed and changed into his
best suit, being careful TO see that the
few dollars In money which he pos
sessed were in his pocket-book and in
his pocket
Meantime Mr. johnson had left the
ditch and gone TO the little patch OF
ground a quarter Of a mile away, which
his wife cultivated as garden, where
ltse knew her 10 be at work.