Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-10-30
COURTING In KENTUCKY.

speedily get up a pool to help him win
the object Of his affections They may
not help him any, but there viii be ap-
parent enough good intentions to pave the
bottom Of the other place and to recon-
struct all the sidewalks on Broadway.
Sometimes girl viii live in a riverside
hamlet mile from the nearest railroad
station. If the quiet of the place be of an
exceptionally high order only three
strangers per week viii stop there, but
light wagon will be run out to meet every
train to keep the horse in exercise and to
enable the inn-keeper to remember from
day to day what his occupation is.
One day the wagon will take up young
man passing through the State who re-
members that somewhere near is bright
eyed, mschievous girl whom he hirted
with once in the moonlight while she was
away at boarding-school. She was charm
ing then, she must be more so now, and he
has heard casually of late that she is still
unmarried. The young man travels with
an accident insurance policy, and he will
dare even to stop here and see this minis
ter's daughter There is to be moonlight
this evening, too.
"Be you a drummer the grinning
darby calls out from the drivers seat
"No"
"Got any kin-folks bout here ?7
mo"
Pomp does not need to ask any more
questions He only falls to musing upon
what girl in town IS without steady adj
mirer at home
"Pomp, run ont with this note and
bring an answer and the grinning darky
knows in advance Of the directions to
whom it is addressed. Before many min
utes he is at the travellers room door,
It's all right, ooss."
What's all right, you impudent dog ~
"Oh, axes yo' pahdon, but see i! in
her eyes. Yes, sab, Miss Hates to home
all this before he can deliver the written
message from the parsonage.
The grinning African is soon forgotten
under the influence of moonbeams, ham,
mocks and Titan locks. But Pomp's
memory has served him better. The
stranger who arrived in the afternoon is
soon a stranger no longer. " Miss Hates
new beau is subject of wide specula-
ton before the hamlet is asleep More
than one villager next day makes over
lures towards an acquaintance. And the
overture always leads UP to
81 believe I saw you walking out with
Miss Kate this morning"
Yes, sir. The walk up to your ceme-
terry is delightful Really, I had no idea
of the fine view to be had from the river"
Yes, it's pretty fine, but Miss Kate
there amt many girls like her now" And
one is told OF her good qualities as if he
had never yet beheld her.
AT the inn dinner is table d'hote, of
course. There is but one table. The pro-
prietor's wife and all the ladies beneath
the roof are ranged in line opposite the
man who came a-wooing. Pomp has done
such good service Doesn't everybody
know the strangers mission now? and
doesn't the register tell his name?
It's nice weather, Mr.. Dash" the land
lady observes.
Very fine, madam"
And good weather to be out with so
fine girl as Miss Kate. | declare it amt
every town where there's such fine girl
lives. Why, She"
There's her good looks for soup, her
amiability with the entree, her wit for the
roast and her popularity for desert. And
when the ladies leave the table they "guess
you'll be going to see her again this after
noon"
as there livery stable in town? All,
yes, thanks"
"How long will you he out?" asks the
livery man.
''Oh, an hour or so"
"Goin' to Just drive about town, reck-
on?"
"Well, not very far out"
"Just going to take Miss Kate out for a
drive I reckon?" This honest man of
business, in the democratic community
that this is, seems substantial citizen and
pillar in society, and one cannot be rude to
him.
81 am anticipating that pleasure, sir"
"Ah, thought so. And l may say that
you'll find mighty fine young lady when
you get her. I've known her folks"
On the following day one really must
resume his travel. Not only is there bust
ness ahead, but if one remains in town he
will be married out of hand by the good
people, regardless Of the engagement which
the minister's daughter has already en-
tered upon, but with which it is not deemed
wise to acquaint the villagers. The belle
of the town is gracious enough to drive out
to the train next morning for an airing,
and it prevents the stranger from spend
ing lonesome hour while awaiting the
delayed train. But it does make him the
observed of half the village, who have
somehow been attracted out to the sta
ton.
Why it was that the stranger never re-
turned, and that another stranger appeared
suddenly at the parsonage one day and
carried off its especial prize to great city
is, of course, plain enough to the villagers,
but the information never came from either
"Miss Kate" or from the beau" whom
Pomp drove into town. The explanation
was made in part by the innkeeper's boy
himself and in part by the village post
mistress.
There are some oficeholders to whom a
change of Presidents and Cabinets sinks
into insignifeance when compared with
the strange handwriting on a letter. Their
terms of office are so secured by their small
compensation that they find time to devote
themselves to weaving romances out of the
initials signed to postal card. The Post
master of New York might well learn
points from the village PostmistreSs.
g / could have told you so all the time"
said this worthy functionary, as the vii
lage watched young Dash drive out with
the golden-haired maiden. ~ knew some
thing was up when see letter or two
coming to Miss Kate in strange hand
write. There wasn't nothing to say who
they might befrom, but one day see let
ter in Miss Kate's handwrite go through
my Office directed to this same gentle
man-and then he sent her newspapers
and things"-and the oracle in all matters.
"mental and communicate" regarding the
tender passion in this riverside hamlet
magni6ed into tender correspondence the
exchange Of two or three formal letters
which had passed between the ex-school-
girl and her friend, chiefly about some new
music or novels he had some time prom
ised to find for her. The postmistress had