The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-10-24
How a Practical Joke Ended.

The picnic at Aliens Corners was
over. Rather prematurely over, per-
haps. on account of a tremendous
Thunderstorm, accompanied with a
a tornadolike gust of wind and Jagged
streaks of blue lightning that seemed
to bury themselves in the ground.
Horses and vehicles were brought hur-
riedly to the edge of the platform; the
young people dispersed like flock of
sheep in various directions.
i don't care" said Frank Warren,
speaking between his set teeth. Il
wasn't having such particularly
pleasant time. Matty Vail was behav-
inc very badly"
1T doesn't make much difference to
me. said Miss Vail, with a toss of her
curly head. I've danced all | wanted
to, and Frank Warren has been
garing at me like Bluebeard the whole
time Such impudence, indeed! And
me not regularly engaged to him,
after all! One thing is quite certain, l
never shall be now. And as for riding
all the way home to Daisyviile with
him tonight, | won't do it! There
that little girl from the city; I'll just
put her in my place. Her shoes are
dreadfully thin. and she has no UNI
brella She'll be glad of a chance to
ride And III go with Harry Dix or
Sam Pratt
"Oh Matr' cried Miss Dillon, Matty's
chief contidante and bosom friend,
''what will he say?'
What he pleases when he finds i
out
So when Mr. Warren's handsome
black horse was led up, shyly and rear
inc in the uncertain glimmer of the
lanterns and the flash of lightning,
Matilda Hewitt found herself, she
scarcely knew how, in the seat beside
the handsome young farmer. She sat
quite silent wondering if it was i'm
proper to ride home with gentleman
to whom she had never been formally
introduced, and trembling, ever and
anon. at the storm and her unwOnted
companionship and the wild speed of
Black Douglas as he flew along the
pitch-dark, dripping roads.
Are YOU frightened?" Mr. Warren
asked in low voice when they had
gone a little way.
..N-not much!' faltercd Matilda, and
then she trembled more than ever as an
arm crept slowly but surely around her
waist. But what was she to do? There
was no back TO the seat, and there was
danger of her being jerked out in one
of these sudden curves.
Don't be afraid" soothed Warren.
You know you are safe with me i'll
spite of everything. "
''Ye-e-es. murmured Matilda Hewitt.
..Matty!"
She was silent. This growing in
timacy was beginning to be APPALLING.
.'Matty" accompanied with a gentle
pressure of the encircling arm. Don't
be cross with me, Matty. You know
how much love you. my own onei''
"Oh, gracious mer thought Miss
Hewitt, what will he he saying next
You will promise to be my wife,
Matty? 1t may seem sudden, but
Whoa. YOU vilIainr'
For Black Douglas had given a ire
meudous sideways jump, and required
all his masters viii and energy to sub
due him; and by the time they reached
the Vail farmhouse Matilde Hewitt
found herself engaged, by implication,
To Young man she never had seen be-
fore in her life until that day.
She jumped out and ran quickly in
to the house. Mrs. Vail met her in the
hall
Where's Matty?" she cried. Who
are vou2"
I'm Matilda Howett," said the girl,
I'm here because he left me. IL
don't quite know why; but the horse
behaved 50 badly, and the place where
board is three miles beyond the swamp.
Please can't | stay all night?"
why, of course said Mrs. Vail.
YOU'RE the city school-ma' am. amt
you that boards to Widow Dunkley's?
Come in and sit down and dry your
clothes, Dreadful shower. amt it? |
do wish our Matty was safe at homer
All this was very unconventional.
But. then. thought little Miss Hewitt,
country life i unconventional. In New
York il would have taken a month, at
the very least, for 4 young man to
screw himself up TO the proposing
point. Did she love this man well
enough to marry him? Well, she was
not altogether certain of that. But he
was certainly very handsome, and her
heart gave not altogether unpleasant
Jump when she remembered that gen
tie pressure around her waist. Ii this
was love-
But here the current of her reiiec-
tians was interrupted by the arrival of
Matty Vail herself Martha Aida
was her christened name-in the COM
pany of Mr.. Sam Pratt, dashing-caya-
: e IL.