The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-19

move hand nor foot. Two or three
loads must have been thrown on top Of
me, trod down, aud cInched, 50 to
speak.
"Wcll, I tumblcd around a bit ana
got my hands free and poked the grain
away from my face little. I was il
corner, as told you, under brace, and
this gave me a chance for my life-that
and the crack which gave me breath
Of air in the hot, sitting place. l was
just as cffectually emer5ed as were the
monks in olden times when they were
walled up in their living tombs, for no
amount of strength served to lift the
burden particle.
"By and by something futtered at
my feet and rose up and cackled.
'It was the white hen.
Il knew her and she knew me, but
bless you, she didn't want anything of
me nor my company. l could sec that.
But she couldn't get out1 OH but
couldn't shea She cooked her head i'm
pudontly to one side, stepped daintily
to tiny aperture about half as big as
her head, and l saw at glance that she
meant business. The less sense tho
moro instincts; saw that the creature
would get out somewhere.
'Why not use her for carrier pigeon
and thus establish communication with
the outside world2 1 couldn't dare to
die here and be pitched out to the cat
tie by forkfuIs, or put through
threshing machine, although l might
deserve such treatment, and I couldn't
get out myself.
II tore a leaf from my vote book and
wrote something like this:
Come to my rescue. am buried fathOms
deep in oats, northwest corner of the barn
just opposite the house. My blue necktie is
thrust through the crack. Perhaps you can
see it, l am moved in. Your relative,
FRED INGERSOLL.
az tied the note to the hen securely
with portion of the necktie, the rest
fiuttered from the barn, and Biddy
stepped forth, 'one foot up, the other
foot down. carefully, conscientiously,
as hen does, and by and by faint
rustliag spoke hopefully of her progress
to my waiting heart. Meanwhile I was
prey to anxious thoughts.
'Suppose she should never reach the
light, but perish IN her periIous jour
ney, become hemmed in and unable to
go any further; suppose she should
lose the lettor in her passage-but
triumphant cackle assured me that tho
white hen had reached the barn floor,
and blessed sightl a little later I saw
her through the crack walking proudly
away from tho door with the letter
plainly in view.
"Just then two young ladies drove
into the yard Pretty7 Well, I guess
so. You don't often sec handsomer
girls than Janet Harding's. One was
dressed in seal brown, the other in navy
blue.
"'Do look at that henr cried Seal
Brown. 4 do believe it's billctdoux
from your William. If it is, now, I'll
clap my hands hard, just so, and I'll
say, Billy; do send me one, too
Zone, two; and will it take two to
satisfy you? said Navy Blue, laughing
at her sisters saucy face. 1 laughed,
too, and fell in love with her then and
there
'They lurcd the hen toward them
with handful of corn. Seal Brown
swooped down and loosencd the letter
and read it.
81 saw all this'through a crack in the
barn and heard them make merry over
the distress of their city cousin.
"WclI, to make long story short,
the girls dug me out. for the men were
in the meadow after more oats. 1t
seems that they were IN a great hurry to
get at the oats, and the hired man
moved away. Probably the first fork
full covered me and that was doubtless
put on without looking. Nobody knew
just how it came about. When l came
to view I did tho best and the only thing
I could dol laughed and the girls
laughed. 1t was ludicrous introduce
ton to the family but 1t served its turn.
found the girls no less charming than
pretty; Harry, fine lad home from
college; Mrs. Harding, a lady in every
sense of the word, and Mr.. Harding,
shrewd, corpulont and good -natured,
and that is ALL"
"Auv' they echoed. "There ought to
be a wedding"
"There is to be wedding," said the
other, coolly.
(Which, Navy Blue or Seal BROWNE"
''Navy Blue"
"When are you to be marricd2"
''Nvver, perhaps"
'Why, thought you said there was
to be a wcdding"
$50 I did. Navy Blue is to marry
her William"
''Aud you are in Brown study still, ;"
said one slyiy.
Fred actually blushed.
EGNo, no ~,