The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-03-27

ped out of a band-box
 Sue never seemed to act as though she had any partic lar likin for Silas; but twas easy seen that the old folks set great store by him an was mighty pleas ant at the idea of his steppin up to their darter
 As for me. never see him sittin' by Sue, an smirkin' up into her face, but what felt as if wanted to fling him, head first, out of the windcr.
 So matters went on until Scptem- ber, when Mir Bean gave a huskin' party.
 We young fellers set to work with will, an atore sunset the corn was all husked, an piled away, an the barn floor swept clean for the dance an sup per we was to have in the eyenin'.
 Pretty soon the women folks began to flock in, all dressed in their best, an lookin' as fresh an bloomin' as a flower garden after d shower. But Sue was the prettiest of the hull lot dressed in her white frock, with the pink ribbon tied around her waist
 Silas Peterkin, he was there, of course an as soon as see him l went to the house.
 As l was standin' on the back steps, out of sorts with myself an' everybody else heard voice say:
 - David!
 An turning round saw Sue lookin as smilin' as d basket of chips.
 Ain't you comin' down to the barn?" says she
 "'I rather guess ain't wanted, says l.
 "Oh, yes, you are, says she want you
 She looked and spoke so sweet that was q enamost q mind to go. But jest then heard Sias callin' her; an nut terin' somethin about havin' some tools to grind walked off.
 was most sorry fort, though, when l caught Il sight of her face as she walked away with Silas, an saw how sober t was.
 Sitt!n Gown on the back steps, went to work; the raspin' of my file soundln a deal pleasanter to my ears , than the tiddliu' that doated up from the barn down in the medder Ut had been uncommonly hot for number of days past, but this had been the hottest one of all. Not leaf moved, an there was somethin tn- nat ral in the stiffness of evcrythin around. There was n strange look to the sky, too; it was streaked overhead with purple m vi'lct, with d sort of yellow glare iii the west
 "Old Bose, the dog, who had been wandcrin rcstlessly about for the last hour, now set up mourntul howl.
 When went to fodder the cattle l Ia LII, II gcther ill one corner of the yard, ut tcrin low bellows of terror and dismay, their instincts warning them, as all these signs did me of the tornado that was approachin.
 "Goin back to the house shut every door and windcr
 Then thinkin' of the folks in the harn-that was the most in danger of anythin'-I ran down through the gar den toward the mcdder where it stood
 But had hardly gone two rods be fore it camc-littin' me off my feet an hurlin' me against an opposite fence!
 "l picked myself up an hurried on As l come in sight of the barn-or, rlthcr, where 1t once stood-the air was filled with dust an Hyin shingles an timber!
 As soon as it cleared away bit, saw Sue standin in most perilous posi- ton right in the midst of tl
 shouted to her to come away; and 1 jest then the wind took her up as if she was but a feather, bcarin' her directly toward me l opened my arms, an she came right into them
 As she did so, one of the hyin' sticks hit one of my arms, makin' it useless but holdin' her tight with the other, took her to some low bushes in little hollow between two hills
 The tornado was as short as it was violent, and though good deal of dam age was done, luckily, no one was hurt much
 Sue escaped without scratch. My arm was broken; but considerin' who nursed me, you needn't waste any pity on me for that
 !" l heard atterward as soon as the alarm was given, Silas Peterkin took to his heels, an never stopped until he reached his fathers door,
 Whether he heard that the old man vowed that he'd set Bose on him if he ever came nigh Sue ag'n, can't say, but his visits ceased from that day
 " l sent him an invite to my weddin' which took place few months arter; but as he didn't come I'm sort of mis- trusttul that he was afraid of another tornado, -Ne3c York NcwS.