Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-12-17

when his friend seized him in his
clammy hands and begged him with
hvsterical ardor not TO desert him in
his hour Of need. Mr.. Van klick con-
sidered moment and then, lighting'
cigar and peeling off mis- coat, he went
to work to induce the gulping +. Liv-
ingston Tidd to array himself In the
finery at hand.
At precisely eight o'clock wobegone
and piliful-looking man stood at the
door of the placid faced maiden with
his hat awry ard pair OF white over
CATERS on his feet that toed in.
.'Now mind what say" said Billy
Van Kick, clutching the lovers arm
with one hand aud the bell with the
other, and speaking 10 peremptory
voice. .Be sure and do the elegant;
pull down your cuffs and put on an
easy Smile, an toss off few jokes. Then
take a little flyer into poetry, and II she
shows a strong list 1 leeward jam her
up into the wind an keep her there.
Alter this take her hand in yours and
tell her the hull racket
With reassuring squeeze of the arm
the faithful friend gave the bell
mighty jerk, scudded down the steps,
and took up commanding position on
u fire plug across the street.
There WAS the hustle Of retreating
footsteps in the passage and the door
was thrown open by one Of the six sis
rers Of the beloved of p. Livingston
Tidd's soul. She smiled a cheerful well
come, and asked him IL he was well, and
said that Minnie would be down In a
minute. The mouth OF Tidd opened
and his head shook, but he could no.
utter word. He stood as though
rooted to the spot until a voice which
foated gently through the darkness
from across the street said
"Go in, you chump"
He started, took off the shining hat,
dropped it as he crossed the Threshold
stumbled against IL, and sent IL spin
ming down the passage.
"Merciful heavens said the voice,
plaiu,ively, "go light OIL that hat, will
youy'
Then the door closed and. Mr.. Tidd
wandered into the parlor aud wished
that he were dead. Shortly after thar
,he girl with the placid face, and she
had, too, plump figure, rretty hand,
and a kind heart, came iimidly In, and
the six sisters arranged themselves on
The stairs while the fat mother oil the
family sat OH the top step andcried with
the keenest enjoyment. There was an
awful hush. Mr.. Tidd stepped on HE
feet and found his hands Of mcasureless
size. He had r-uounced the hat for
ever. bu; he still carried the cane as
though it weighed thousand pounds,
and might rise if not watched aud smile
him at any moment. Minnie asked him
in trembling little voice, rs she sat on
the edge of her chair, with her eyes
very wide open and her little hands in-
terlocked, If the weather was warmer
or colder, and he answered something
that sounded like "Quite so," but II
might have been anything else. Wha'
the deuce was the matter with that
cane? 1t began to wobble, and the un'
happy Tidd became miserably conscious
that il would get away from him In spite
of his efforts. He clutcheG at 1t wildly,
but 1t eluded him and fell to the floor
With gasp he leaned down to pick II
I'D, and as he did so he glanced ut the
little maiden who sat so near him. Her
eyes shone with such gentle sympathy
and love that the poor fellow sank on
his knees, put his arms around heI
waist, and hid bis face in her neck
while she timorously stroked his hair
And 30 the deed was done.