Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-08-08
sHEPHERDsTOWN W. VA, FRIDAY, AUGUST s, 1890.

tonight, and Susy was started home
blithely. Mrs. Haring looked at her
shrewdly.
Its muddy, Susy," she said. If
somebody should come along in a
market wagon and give you lift
well, remember, Susy, what I've al
ways said-that il you get married TO
suit me, I'll give you good parlor set
that very day"
The mud was bad, and puddles fire.
quent, and there was new cloud Wis
ible But Susy tripped along cheer
fully.
Now and then she looked back. Ii
must be nearly time for him. She
would be glad when he did come, be-
cause of the mud-only because of the
mud, of course. And the bridge,
further on, she had heard that the
water had crossed it, and what should
she do if he didn't come along? And
altogether she looked bright and hap
PLY expectant as she went.
That cloud would break in a min
ute, she was sure. 1t must be almost
time for him. Was that a rattle now?
Yes, and it was Jerry; it was his red
lettered wagon and his sleek horse,
and he was coming fast.
Susy walked on-she could not well
stop and wait-with risen color and
fluttering heart.
Alas and alas the butchers wagon
came on, and Jerry with it, and Susy
raised her beaming face, with her
frankest smile, and Jerry took off his
hat and lowered his head; but that
was all
He drove on-on past heron down
the muddy road, and left her stand
ing there; for, in her hurt astonish-
ment, she stood stock still, with a
candid stare.
Then she walked on briskly. Mrs
Haring's efficient young manager was
not the girl to be wholly subdued by
calamity such as this.
Pshaw it was plain enough. She
wasn't the only girl he sold meat to-
and he had seen somebody he liked
better. That was all, and he was
thinking that it was time she knew it.
Tum-tum-tetum.
She held her head up and hummed
tune. 1t was beginning to sprinkle
and she was glad of it. 1t would give
her something to think about She
raised her umbrella and logged along
along with emphatic step.
1t was more than sprinkling-it was
raining hard. Big drops cracked on
her umbrella and dripped from it.
But her chief interest lay in the
butchers wagon. 1t had ratified into
a yard and hadn't come out, and she
was anxious to get ahead of it. Then
she would march on stiffiy when he
repassed her, and not even look at
him again.
1t was pouring now. Her umbrel-
la was of small use; she was getting
wet from head to foot, and the mud
grew deeper with every step.
And, oh, dear there was the bridge.
and it was under-two good inches
lo. Sbo ,,,;obaI eha bo 4 ,ro;taJ
under the tree, dropped into house
-anything-because now Jerry would
see her splashing over the submerged
planks, as splash she would, for she
wouldn't ride now if he should beg
her on his knees
What time Her mother wasn't
expecting her, either. She knew in
her wounded heart that she had come
principally because OF certain expec-
tations, and she despised herself.
Was she going to cryH Not if she
knew it. Here was the bridge, and
behind came that dreadful rattle of
wheels, and she grasped her skirts,
and, almost shutting her eyes in her
shivering disaster, stepped on the wa
ter-covered bridge.
A plank in the middle was still visi-
BILE, and she made for it, splashing
along fast. What was cracking Mer-
cy, was the bridge giving away? Yes,
or one board Of it! Her cropping foot
went suddenly through, and she fell
forward.
She was so faint with fright that
nothing was clear to her for good
three minutes, and then she found
herself perched high, though not dry,
on the seat of Jerry's wagon, safe on
the other side Of the bridge, with Jer-
rvs handkerchief mopping her white
face, Jerry's arm tight around her
wet form, and Jerry was talking to
her
Don't look so You amt going to
die / hain't killed you. Oh, susy,
I'm sorry-I'm awful sorry don't
care who You like, or who likes you.
/ hadn't ought TO got mad enough to
LET you tramp along in the rain. Oh,
l want pounding I'm going toget
some fellow to give me one. oh, Susy,
don't You didn't get hurt, did you
Oh, Susy, how sweet you look Lord,
what wouldn't / give TO be him "
BE who e she demanded, sharply.
WHY, Gibbs" said Jerry. Its
Gibbs you like, amt itY''
Its Gibbs. like, is it = said Susy,
Indignantly; and now she broke down
in earnest, and fell to crying in Jer-
RVS handkerchief. Gibbs Why,
Just hate him ! He's going to marry
Sally Porter, up our way, and I'm
| sorry for her. that / am He over