Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-09-26

After destroying another sheet OF
paper and commencing and going all
over again, Seth was ready for the 2. S.
"Why not put in piece of poetry,
something like this, for instance? THE
rose is red, the violet's blue; Honey is
sweet, an so are you
"The very thing!" exclaimed Seth,
enthusiastically. Bert your trump
and shan't furgit this right away" he
said, fervently.
After writing down this dainty little
stanza, Seth, very complacently, read
over his letter, aud said he: "That
sounds as if purity school-marms had
writ it; she can't find any fault with
that air."
But in searching for an envelope to
enclose his precious missive in, he in
advertently overturned half the con-
tents of the ink bottle over it.
by gee! what cussed luck I'm havin' !
Now, I'll have to go all over her agin,
an I'd ruther give five dollars then do
it," he groaned.
Wall. do you suppose she'll bite ?"
asked Bert, after the letter had been
completed again, and was at last ready
to mail.
"Yes, s'pose she will, Bert Jones,
she'll go fast enough. I've got to see
the girl that 'ud refuse to ride in my
carriage, behind my blacks"
wall, [ guess there hain't no danger
but she'll go quick enough, but gin us
that dollar. I've earnt it fair enough
by the looks of the paper around.
burned if it don't look as if you'd been
writin' up sermonl"
"Wall, here's your dollar, and don't
begrudge it mite. l say, Bert, don't
you wish you was q goin' to marry such
II darn little handsome high-fier as [
be?" smirked Seth.
"Why, hello, 1 didn't know as you
was goin' to git married; it generally
takes two to make bargin."
"Oh, wall, she won't refuse. Money
is king. She'd be darn fool to; there
hain't everybody as rich as be that ud
take up with poor school-marm not
wuth a cent, an don't know livin'
thing about dairy work. But don't
care, she jest suits me, an the ole lady
can learn her"
"Why, 1 used to think you an Mol
JACKSON WoulQ step OH.
"He, he, Mol 'ud be only too glad to
git me, but / never meant to marry her.
/ shouldn't if Nora hadn't never come
here. l was only havin' a little fun,
you understand, nothin' more on my
part. 1t used to tickle me nigh to death
to hear the ole lady tell what rusher
Mol was at maxim butter, an how she'd
play on the wash-board. Jest said
to myself, mot, you don't all hoss,'
haint catched so easy. How mad Mol
II be when she sees me round with the
little daisy; an all you fellers IL be
lookin' glum enough, he, he"
Bert in the road, and drawing a letter
from his pocket, he showed it to Bert
with the following remark; Read that
there, an see if you can make head or
tail of it, an tell me what it means, any
how"
Bert took it and read
MR.. SQUmEs:-Your kind invitation is re-
ccived, for which please accept my thanks.
and also my regrets, for, owing to Il former
| engagement, am constrained to decline
Respectfully,
MORA WITHER SPOON"
"Wall, don't be so 'tarnel slow, what
the ole Harry does she mean, any
how?"
"Mean? Why, she's engaged to go
with some other feller?"
Sure? she says accept her thanks,' >"
said Seth, anxiously.
"Yes, yes" replied Bert, impatiently,
"but that's only polite way Of tellin'
you, you've got the mittenp
ster, and foolish enough to sink into
the earth, and could find nothing to
say to Bert's rude reals of laughter,
finally, however, he recovered enough
to say, very sheepishly: wall, you
give me your word you wouldn't tell a
livin' soul, so l reckon no one'll be the
wiser. Bert, here's another dollar for
you, jest as n present, you know, an
mark my words, rushing into violent
rage, "it won't be healthy fur the feller
that takes her. I'll fight him rs true
as I'm alive, an cut him out, an bring
her hum, | swar it !" he cried, emphasize
ing his remarks with many an oath.
And as Seth was a powerful fellow,
and chad the money" as he said, Bert
didn't doubt that he would do all he
said
wall, Seth, TIL be darned if should
wanter stand in his boots, if you git him
once"
"I'll bet you wouldn't" returned
Seth, smelling around like an en-
ranged turkey gobbler which has
sighted red rag,
Seth drove to the corners early ON the
Fourth and kept an eye out far Nora
and her "feller"-but in vain. He saw
her not and to all his anxious inquiries
when he met Bert he received the same
answer: "Ain't seen hide ner hair of
her." What could it mean, anyhow?
He couldn't tell, and so concluded to
take Mol Jackson, who, by the way, was
very willing to be taken, and drive
around by old Calkins, where she
boarded, and just let her see that he
didn't ask any darn odds" of her any
way. SO he did, Mollie, resplendent in
a pink gown, and brass necklace, look
ing like full-blown peony. He drove
by and saw Nora, as he told
Bert mot dressed up a burned
bit, but with some common light thing
on with lot of weeds an stuff in her
belt, but lookin' durn handsome-the
jade out under the trees with an awful
dandified lookin' feller with black
mustache. We come on 'em so ALFRED
quick that l seed him take his arm
away from round her waist-durn him
an guess he'd been a kissin' of her,
r,,, I, Il, - l.