The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-11-15
MATTY's OOURTsHIP.
THINGS WERE MIXED AT FIRST, BUT ALL
TURNED OUT WELL.

THINGS WERE MIXED AT FIRST, BUT ALL
TURNED OUT WELL.
The picnic at Aliens Corners was
over. Rather prematurely over, per-
haps, on acccun of a tremendous
thunderstorm, accompanied by to-
nado-like gust of wind and jagged
stresks 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.
81 don't care,' said Frank Warren,
speaking between his set teeth. 81
wasn't having such particularly pleas
ant time. Matty Vail was behaving
very badly
at doesn't make much difference to
me-" said Miss Vail, with toss of her
curly head. '1've danced all l wanted
to, and Frank Warren has been glar-
ing at me like Bluebeard the whole
time. Such impudence, indeedl And
me not regularly engaged to him, after
all! One thing is quite certain, never
shall bp, now! Aud as for riding all
the way home to Daisyville with him
,o-night, won't do it. There's that
little girl from the city; I'll just put
her In my place. Her shoes are dread
full ythin, and 81 has noun brella- She'll
be glad of a chance to ride. And I'll
90 with Harry Dix or Sam Pratt y
"Oh. Natl" cried Miss Dillon,
Matty's chief con6dante and bosom
friend, "what will he say''
"What he pleases-when he finds
it out"
So, when Mr.. Warrens handsome
black horse was led up, shying and
rearing in the uncertain glimmer of
the lanterns and the flash of lightning,
Matilda Hewitt found herself, she
scarcelr knew how, in the seat beside
the handsome,,young farmer. She sat
| q lite silent, wondering if it was i'm
proper to ride home with a 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.. Warrer
asked, in low voice, when they hao
gone little way.
Mot much!' faltered Matilda; ant
then she trembled more than ever, a
an arm crept, slowly but surely, arount
her waist. But what was she to do
There was no back to the seat-au'
there was danger of her being jerke'
out, in one of these sudden curves.
"Don't be afraid soothed Warren
3"You know you are safe with mel
spite of everything
"Y-e-es," murmured Matilda Hewitt
"Mattyl"
She was silent. This growing init
macy was beginning to be appalling
Il "Matty!" accompanied with gent
pressure of the encircling arm. "Don
be cross with me, Matty. You kno'
how much love you, my own one!
"Oh, gracious mel" thought Mil
Hewitt, "what will he be sayin
next?"
"You will promise TO be my wifi
Matty, 1t may seem sudden, but
Whoa, you villain!"
For BLANK Douglass had given
tremendous sideways jump, and requi
ed all his masters will and energy
subdue him; and by the time they ha
reached the Vail farm house, Matilc
Hewitt found herself engaged, by IL
plicalion, to a young man she new
had seen before in her life until tn
day. :, .
She iu ped out, and ran quickly i
to the house. Mrs. Vail met her
the hall.
"Where's Matty'" she cried ''Wl
are you'" =.
"Im Matilda Hewitt said the gi
"Tm here because he left me. l.
don't quite know; but the horse beha
= ed so badly, and the place where
board is three miles beyond Il
swamp. Please, can't | stay
nights'
"Why of course" said Mrs. Va
"You're the city school-ma'am all
v you, that boards to Widow Dunkley
2, Come in, aud sit down and dry yo
clothes Dreadful shower, amt it?
ey do wish our Matty was safe at home
All this was very unconvenuon
'y But, then, thought little Miss Howl
4, country life is unconventional. In Ne
lie York it would have taken month,
the very Least, for young man
60 Cd screw himself up to the proposll
n. point. Did she love this man W
enough to marry him' Well, she W
It. not altogether certain of that. But
4 was certainly very handsome, and
heart gave not an altogether unple
- ant jump when she remembered IL
gentle pressure around her waist.
!. this was love-
But there the current of her reti
tions was interrupted by the arrival
Mstty Vail herself-'Martha Alid
was her christened name-in the co
pany of Mr.. Sam Pratt, a DASH
- cavalier of another village.
3. "It's not late said Sam. "Can
n come in' Just for little while"
b "Nonsense, Sam,' said the belle.
"Oh, now. Mattyl'
= Nonsense, l say" And Miss '
shut the door in Mr.. Pratts face "
N laugh.
"He's not half so pleasant as Fra
after all" said Matty to herself;
3 then followed an interview with
unexpected guest
~ slow nice !" cried Matty. 60
can sleep together, and talk everyth
/ over, cant wet Oh, no, ma, I'm
wet much, and you needn't have sa
= tea for US. We had lovely sup
in the woods.
"Oh!" cried Matilda Hewitt, clt
ing Miss Wallis hand" I've 30 mucl
: tell you !"
Co Matty's eyes sparkled.
"What did he say T.