Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-03-25

court the breeZeS big umbrella IS
How the wind did blow under there, to
be sure Becky's curls danced about
over my shoulder and in my eyes. The
blue ibhon at her throat went through
with a jig in my ear, and the way her
sash wound and twis .ed itself in and
around my nose WAS ticklish. Becky
herself sat rs straight rs an arrow and
as dumb. But rs to that, | don't sup
p ose either of us would haye spoken for
the world.
But don't suppose that no one saw us
or laughed in their sleeves at US, for
they did. If there was one wagon pass
ed us while we stood there, there was u
dozen, and everyone ground past us III
the narrow road as if they would tear
our wheels off. The horses crowded
Nance without mercy, but the best of
'em couldn't make her lift foot from
her tracks. Everybody had advice of
some kind to offer ard the dogs all
barked at us.
BY and by Sim Durwent come along.
going our way. Becky'S curles and rib
bons were doing their biggest jumps
around my face and ears, and Sim look
ed mad enough to bite somebody.
"It's going to rain, Mr.. Whistler"
said he, perhaps under the circum-
stances you'd like to have me take
Miss Ash home ?"
Becky looked straight ahead and said
nothing.
"I'm ever so much obliged, Mr.. Dur
went" said I, "but Pm afraid if we
stir, it'll frighten my horse"
"Aren't you afraid of a wetting,
Miss Ash ?" Sim looked hard at Becky
as he said this, and grated his teeth
sideways at me.
"Thank you." said Bessie, speaking
faint-like, while l could feel the skirt
of her dress pull, 81 think not"
Sim looked at the clouds, turned up
his nose at Nance, scowled as savage as
a meat axe at Becky and NE, and droye
| on. ---------.----
1t was going to rain sure. l know
was brute for not letting Becky go
with Sim, but l just felt as if | couldn't
nohow see him carry her off.
In few minutes it began to thunder
and lightning, and could feel Becky
tremble in her seat. She was awfully
frightened. She pulled her shawl tight
around her shoulders and held it
clutched with one hand, and grabbed
the back of the seat with the other.
No danger of you falling out of the
buggy just now, was what | thought,
but | didn't say word. not l. 1t was
mighty uncomfortable sitting there in
that way. Becky didn't so much as to
cough. That would have been some
thing.
Did it rain ? Well, l guess it did.
1t more than rained, it poured. And
after I'd got the apron fixed over our
laps and had nothing to do but to watch
it, it got to be the most tiresome rain l
ever saw. If could have said, "Look
at that, now !" or "Did you eyer see
the like 2" or "The cutters have never
been so full since the night old Morrow
was drowned in one,' it would have
been a reliet.
But Becky didn't seem to mind it.
She just clung tight to her shawl and
the seat, and looked straight at Nance's
ears.
Be sure she looked sort o. glum, but
what woman wouldn't, with her best
bonnet out in a shower with leaky
umbrella
l was beginning to think the thunder
was about done with, when all of sud.
den there came the loudest clap | ever
heard.
Nance heightened out her body aud
laid back her ears, and Becky drew in
a long breath and screamed: "Oh,
there she goes "just as if that wasn't
the very thing we'd been waiting for,
for the last three hours.
l loved Becky more than L eyer did
before for saying 1t, though, ana l just
put down the old soaked umbrella that
was nothing but strainer for the rain,
and hugged her for it.
"Now own up that you don't care
for that girl-faced Sim, and shall be
the happiest man in the world" l
said.
~ don't. never did," said Becky,
the water trickling over her curles and
down her nose, 'but, oh, Jim, how wet
I am"
$50 you are, :" said l, feeling as dry
and light myself as though | was up
above the clouds, "but We'll soon be
home now" For, you see, Nance did
go just as Becky said. and in those
days. when the c-eetur took it into heI
head to GO she went.
Do you wonder now that | think a
good deal of that mare ? And Beck y
thinks as much of her as do ; for the
amount of it is we both know as well
as we know our own noses. that she
meyer would have been Mrs. Whistler
if it hadn't been for the caper of
Nance'S.