The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-05-21

circumstances, she foresaw would be the
result.
To say that Lefty turned with gratitude
her engine-driving admirer would be to do
injustice to her capacity for ambition which
the squirrels son had aroused: and as she
huttered her fan she blew up a little flame
u luminosity against all of them together.
Nor was she far wrong in her estimate of
the situation. The houses of Porter and
Amden were in no way averse to an alli-
ance that seemed the most natural thing in
the world, n a match whose possibility
had been foreshadowed in the winter gay
cites OF the city would receive impulse in
the rural festivities of the summer to the
qualification of all concerned.
h gossips of Smyrna soon had this busi-
ness, as well as much more pertaining to
equally private affairs of the neighborhood,
high n low, satisfactorily arranged. 1t
was not determined by this authority
whether the wedding was to take place be-
fore the close of the season or early IN the
winter. Preference was generally given
to the later date; and this was the news
the development Of the talent Of gossip
bearing having a commencement in early
youth among the ~Smyrniotes.
Sammy was, indeed, a precocious child,
and would perhaps have been a more val
liable member of society than one ought to
be at his age had it not been for the COM
pensating circumstance that his precocity
was wholly unreliable. He was at once
useful and dangerous, amusing and e1as-
perating; and never did these qualities
expand and glorify themselves as among
the events with which he managed to con-
meet himself this summer. The mysteries
of telegraphy were never too deep for his
probing, as the arcana of love was not too
sacred for his investigation and mastery.
derfully accurate comprehension Of his sis
ter Letty's romantic tendencies, but he also
| developed a practical usefulness as the
Ariel to speed with her messages, n the
Caliban to scrub the corroded metal ele-
| ments of her battery.
while the summer days passed quietly
the augmented household at Squire
Porter's spread itself over the ~countr.
round about in daily u~junketing OF
for picnics, such a talent for fishing,
such an endurance in mountaineering as
Miss Van Amden showed herself 20 possess
| would hav captivated the great Pan him.
self, and Tom Porter, who was a worshiper
of the woodland deity, found his devotion
turning more and yet more strongly toward
this handsome priestess. Talk of the
| glamour of gas-light and ~hot-house flow
ers, of the infatuation of the dance in
crowded bathrooms, of all the destinations
of good parts can work more havoc in a
fortnight of rural pleasuring than in a
whole season of artificial campaigning.
II Tom Porter did not confess to this fact
in so many words, it was lone the less true
that Miss Van Amden conquered him with
in a week after her arrival at Smyrna, and
dragged him a willing captive over hill
and valley, attuning his soul to what he
imagined to be concord with nature, but
what was in reality the romance of his WI
heart. 1t was on their return from a
mountain party, filed but not surfeited
with picturesque views, that the two found
themselves in advance of the rest, walking
alone.
'.There are the carriages just ahead of
and wait for Milly and the others?"
"What a pity we left them so far be-
hind 7" suggested Miss Van Amden, affect
ing to adjust her jaunty hat at a more
sedate angle.
"Not a bit of it; I had almost forgotten
they were anywhere in the world" replied
the young man, eagerly and unsuspecting-
ly accepting the suggestion his companion
had so delicately limited. "Let's imagine
we nave quite stepped out Of it ourselves
soon enough, and then we go home to dinner
and civilization again."
"Do I look very uncivilized now?" asked
the girl, glancing up in Toms face as she
sank on an old tree trunk by the side Of the
road.
"No, I can't say that you do" replied
Tom, with a glow of genuine admiration.
.It is something altogether better than
"Sit down here by me, and I'll spare you
telling me what it is. You were never
very bright in analysing your impress
sions.o
"But there are some feelings that 1 can
analyze well enough, Florence" said the
young man., seating himself, MOI By her
side, but on the moss at her feet. eff at
first I couldn't tell myself what made our
trip so pleasant up this mountain two
weeks ago, l believe I know it now"
"Do your" she said softly, as as if un-
conscious that Toms hand had sought
hers, and displaced a frond of sweet-fern
in order to possess her fingers.
eyes; l know it only too surely, Flor
ence. May I tell it to you?"
Florence's firm brunette face, with its
lightly disarranged hair, in which vas
stuck a fiery cardinal flower, seemed more
beautiful than ever as it was half turned
from Tom. Her eyes, rather than her lips,
gave the desired permission. Tom had
now both her hands in his, and was gazing
with a lovers admiration at the lovely
cheek whose curve rounded against the
dark hair SO softly. He was no epicure in
sentiment, and was very much in earnest
just then; but he delayed one instant
from pure ecstacy at the sensation. His
heart was humping furiously, and in
eloquent, at least to F1orence's ears, had
not a sudden splash, accompanied by the
shrek of a childish voice, broken in upon
the silence and the sentiment of the occa-
sion.
Perhaps there was no necessity of a for.
NAL completion of Toms remarks; certain.
lY there was no opportunity. For the cries
continued, and the young man was speedi-
ly dashing down the hillside, through the
bushes, toward the stream that flowed 6
few rods from where the lovers had seated
themselves.
1t was the work of an instant for Toms
long arms to drag out a kicking and strug.
Cling boy from what might have been &
watery grave had the brook been deeper
but which was earthly enough in fact, tt
judge by the amount of clayey soil clinginG
to the wet garments of the involuntary
bather.
"There you are, Sammy" said Tom, a.
he put the dripping boy on his legs TO
drainage purposes. "What in the worlt
nave you been doing here?"
"Fishin'."
"Do you chase the fish into the water?'
"No; 1 scoop 'em up. There's my ha
out that article, escaped from employment
-as a net, floating down the stream, gyra
!. ting through eddies and around rocks
and slowly filling with water.
. take off your jacket and wiring it out,
said Tom, chasing the vagrant hat with hi
, became water-logged. Then, seizing tn
, soaked garment in the boys hands, an
giving it a twist hat would have don
a credit to the Squire's laundry-woman, b
, exclaimed:
3 "Why didn't you a K the things out {
, your pockets? What's this?"
3 1t was only a yellow envelope we
soaked.
|; 80, that's the dispatch Lefty gave me t
q carry up to your house." said the hoy. "
. was a-goin' there"
o "By the way of the brook? Sammy
Sammy what if the fish had eaten you
3 what is it, TOMB" called Florence
q voice from the bank above them.
4 ga dispatch for father. He has left o
= the train two hours ago." said Tom, lool
q ing at his watch. Sand here''-carefull
: spreading out the wet copy on his knee
o. "they a him at the other end of th
. line. Well, I can attend to this business 6
s well as he could, but 1 must get to the sts
q ton in thirty minutes. Will you forgiy
a me if Ileave you to the care of the otht
e folks? Here they come now. Tumble il
Sammy: I'll take Won home:, and viii