Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-11-21
How a Practical Joke Ended.

haps, on account OF tremendous
thunderstorm, accompanied with a
toronadollke 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.
Il don't care said Frank Warren,
speaxlng between his set teeth. Il
wasn't having such q particularly
pleasant time. Matty Vail was behav-
ing 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 glar.
ing 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 Daisyville with
him tonight, l won't do It'll There's
that little girl from the city; I'll just
put her in my place. Her shoes are
dreadfuIly thin, and she has no um-
brella. She'll be glad of a chance to
ride. And I'll go with Harry Dix or
Sam Pratt!
1Oh, Matt cried Miss Dillon, Matty's
chief conidante and bosom friend,
what will he sayr
What he pleases-when he finds it
out
So when Mr.. Warren's handsome
black horse was led up, shyly and rear
ing 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 silently 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 little way.
sN-not much!' faltered Matilda, and
then she trembled more than ever as
an arm crept slowly but surely around
her waist. But what was she to dof
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 in
spite of everything
'Y-e-e S, murmured Matilda How.
lit.
'Matty!'
She was silent. This growing in
timacy was beginning to be appalling
'Mattyl accompanied with gentle
pressure of the encircling arm. DOM
be cross with me, Matty. You know
how much love you, my own one!'
ooh, gracious me!' thought Miss
Hewitt, what will he be saying next.
you will promise to be my wife
Matty? 1t may seem sudden, but
Whoa, you villain!'
For Black Douglas had given tre
mendous. sideways jump, and required
all his masters will and enegry to sub
due him; and by the time they reached
the Vail farm house 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 il
the hall
where's Matty?' she cried. 'Wht
are you?
pm Matilda Hewitt, said the girl
I'm here because he left me. Il
don't quite know why; but the hors'
behaved SO badly, and the place where
| board is three miles beyond the
swamp. Please can't l stay all night?
why, Of course said Mrs. Vail
You're the city school.ma'am, ain
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 home!
All this was very unconventional
But, then, thought little Miss Hewitt
country life is unconventional II
New York it would have taken
month, at the very least, for a young
man to screw himself up to the pro
posing point. Did she love this mai
we'll enough to marry him? Well, she
was not altogether certain of that. Blu
he was certainly very handsome, an(
her heart gave not altogether unpleaa
ant Jump when she remembered tina
gentle pressure around her waist. l
this was love-
But here the current of her reaec.
tions was interrupted by the arrival o
Matty Vail herself-'Martha Aida
was her christened name-in'the com
pany of Mr.. Sam Pratt, dashlng-cav
alier Of another village.
'It's not late, said Sam. Cant
come in? Just for little while.
Nonsense, Sam, said the belle.
tOh, now, Mattyp