Smyrna times., 1886-05-19

ming costume, but, though he strained
every nerve, he could not touch the
/ hugo or reach the lines that were
dragging on the ground
After a time his plug hat shook Off
the seat, aud the hind wheel went over
1t, making it as fiat as pancake. Bill
snatched it as he ran, and after jam
ming his fist into it, stuck it, all dusty
and crumpled, on his head. And now
he saw the widows house on the hill,
and what should he do? Then his coat
fell out; he slipped it on and then,
making desperate squirt, he clutched
the back of the seat and scrambled in,
and pulling the buffalo robe over his
legs, stuffed the other things beneath.
Now the horse happened to be one
that he got from Squire Moore, and he
got it from the widow, and he took it
into his head to stop ut her gate, which
Bill had no power to prevent, as he
had not possession Of the reins, beside,
he was too busy buttoning his coat up
to the chin to think of doing much
else.
The widow heard therattle of the
wheels and looking out, and seeing
that it was Smiley, and that he did
not offer to get out. she went to the
gate-to see what he wanted and there
she stood chatting, with her white
arms on the top Of the gate, and her
face right towards him, while the cold
chilis ran down his shiVtie5s back clear
te his bare feet beneath the buffalo
robe, and the water from his hair and
dust from his hat had combined to
make some nice little streams of mud
that came trickling down his face.
| She asked him to come in. No, he
was in q hurry, he said. Still he did
not offer to 90. He did not like to
ask her to pick up his rens, because
he did not know what excuse to make
for not doing it himself Then he
| looked down the road behind him, and
saw white-faced horse coming, and at
once surmised that it was that of Gus
| SackTider. He resolved to do or die,
and hurriedly told his errand. The
widow would be delighted to 90, of
course she would But wouldn't he
come in? No, he was in hurry, he
said; had to go to Mr.. Green's place.
"Oh," said the widow, "you'rc go
ing to Green's are you? Why, l was
| just going there myself to get one of
the girls to help me quilt. Just wait
a second, while l get my bonnet and
shawl, and I'll ride with you" And
away she skipped.
Thunder and lightning!" said Bill,
what a scrape !"
He hastily clutched his pants from
between his feet, and was preparing
to wriggle into them, when a light
wagon, drawn by the white-faced
horse, driven by Il boy, came along
and stopped beside him. The boy held
up pair Of boots in one hand, and a
pair Of socks in the other, and, Just as
the widow reached the gate again, he
said
Here's your boots and socks, Mr..
Smiley, that you left on the bridge
when you went in swimming"
d" You are mistaken" said Bill 4;
they do not belong to me-"
Why" said the boy, amt you the
man that had the race after the horse
Just now"
" No, sir, am not. You had better
90 on about your business"
Bill sighed at the loss of his good
Sunday boots, and, turning to the wild
Ow, said
Just pick up the lines, will you,
please? This brute Of a horse is for
ever switching them out of my hands, y
The widow complied. and then he
pulled one corner of tha robe cautiously
down, and she got in.
"What a lovely evening :" said she
and SO warm don't think we need
the robe over Us, do you think we
do?"
You see she had on Il nice dress
and Il pair Of new CATERS, and she
wanted to show them.
oh, my!' said Bill, earnestly,
you'll find it chilly riding; /
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world"
She was pleased at his tender care
for her health, and contented herself
with sticking one of her little feet out
with long slick neck-tie over the end
oft
tie?"
Yes" said he; 81 bought it the
other day, and | must have left it in
the buggy Never mind it.m
But" she said, 1T was so care
less ;" and, STOPPING over, she made a
motion to stun it in between them.
Bill felt her hand going down, and,
making Il dive after il clutched it in
his, and held it hard and fast. Then
they went on quite a distance, he still
holding her soft little hand i'm his.
and wondering what he should do
when they got to Green's, and she
wondering why he did not say some
thing nice to her as well as squeeze her
hand, and why his coat was buttoned
up so tight on such a warm evening,
and what made his hat and face so
dirty, until, as they were going down a
little hill, one of the traces came un-
hitched, and they had to stop.
80 murder!"' said Bill what
next?"
"What is the matter, Mr.. Smiley ?''
said the widow, with a start that came
near jerking the robe off his knees.
Zone of the traces is off" said he.
N Well, why don't you get out and
put it On?"
81 can't" said. Billy, "pve got
that is, l haven't-oh dear, I'm so sick
what shall do"
Why, Willie" said she, tcnderly,
what is the matter? DO tell me !''
and she gave his hand little squeeze
and, looking into his pale face, she
thought he was going to faint, so she
got out her smelling bottle with her
left hand, and, pulling the stopper ont
with her teeth she stuck il to his nose.
Bill was just taking in breath for a
mighty sigh, and the pnngeut odor
made him throw back his head so far
that he lost his balance, and went over
the lOw-backed buggy. The little wo-
man gave q little scream rs his bare
feet flew past her head, and, covering
her face with her hands, gave way to
tears or smiles--it is hard to tell
which.
Bill was fright side up" in "A mo-
ment, and was leaning over the back
of the seat humbly apologizing and
explaining, when Ed Wilbur, with his
wife and baby, drove up behind, and
stopped. Poor Bill felt that he would
have rather been shot than have Ed
Wilbur catch him in such a scrape,
but there was no help for it now, so he
called Ed to him and whispered in his
ear.
Ed was like to bnrst with sup
pressed laughter, but he beckoned to
his wife to draw up, and, after saying
something to her, he slipped the wild
ow out of Bill's buggy into his, and
the two women went on, leaving the
men behind.