Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-25
.he set his Iordship safely down upon his

sne SET MS lorusnlp saieiy uoWn upon ~
feet.
"By Jove, you have the strength and
bravery of an Amazon" cried Lord Lock
ham, his voice trembling and his legs shak-
ing so that he could hardly stand.
"Oh, did not think what 1 was doing, -
faltered Miss Clincher, blushing rosy red.
"It seemed to me you were about to be
killed. and L caught h6ld Of you without
stopping to reason. Maybe you would not
have been hurt at ALL"
"No, / wouldn't have been hurt. would
merely have broken nv neck. Miss
Clincher. it's no use to mince matters; I
have been thinking of it for long time. I
would have said il anyway if 1 could have
ever gathered enough courage. You have
saved my lie. 1t therefore belongs to you.
1t is hardly worth having, but will you take
it?'
There was silence for moment and then
Miss Clincher said: "Please don't say any
thing to the others about it'll mean my
dragging you from your saddle. They
would think you offered yourself to me
simply because OF fortunate accident; and,
moreover, I'd rather they wouldn't know
am so strong as to swing you about ike
that, she concluded, blushing anew.
With a gay laugh his lordship caught
Miss Clincher's haud and covered it with
kisses.
The other riders began to come up. and
the accident was explained, but the bushes
which yet sufiused the cheeks of Miss
Clincher were cause for many roguish and
suspicious glances. 1t was clear that all
would not accept the assertion that Lord
Lockham had been violently unhorsed, and
to this day it is quietly whispered in the
"best society" that his lordship's horse ran
n yyhi1o na stondipr hafnra Miss
Clincher and proposing to her.
However this may be, the season ended
with double marriage at the mansion of
the Clinchers. Count Liston could wait no
longer when he heard o. Lockham's engage
nent, and Miss Valeria, though she was
somewhat disappointed that his excellency's
estate did not include a medieval castle, ac-
cepted with charming grace. Mrs. Tabitha
Clincher treated the marriage of the two
raw county girls, her daug ghters, to members
of noble families, as the most natural thing
in the world, and the hon. Jehu Clincher,
having learned the condition of the estates
of his sons-in-law, vowed he would abandon
craftsmanship, go abroad and redeem these
heritages of ancient families from mort
cages and barrenness. restore Lord Lock
hams ruined manor house and Count Lis
toms chateau, and make the abandoned land
blossom like the rose.
1t was after the honeymoon. Lady Lock
ham and the Countess Liston had returned
with their husbands Tor a few days to the
rural mansion of the Clinchers previous to
the departure of the Honorables Jehu and
with their distinguished sous-In-
law and their brides .or the foreign estates
which were to be restored.
The young wives sat late at night in their
mothers chamber, whose windows looked
out over the sleeping village of Millville.
There was period of silence as all
thought of the wondrous change in their
lives that had been wrought since they we're
last together in that chamber.
Mamma" said Lady Lockham, at last
breaking in upon their musing, you have
never told us how YOU did il. %
did what, Lady Lockham," said Mrs.
Tabitha Clincher, with merriment shining
from her eyes.
"Why, you kow, mean how YOU got us
all into the swell society and married us all
to lords and counts. It's like fairy tale"
Yes, you must tell us, mamma, I'm sure
there's some secret about it," chimed in the
Countess Liston.
WELL" said Mrs. Tabitha Clincher,
81 suppose l may tell you now.
You know Mrs. Secretary Simpson. She
md 1 were really old acauaintances.
Though she had forgotten me had followed
her through all the years since we were little
girls. When sne was 16 her father was as
poor as your father was when you were little
children. She and / used to drop corn and
seeds and hoe potatoes together in
bare feet and bare legs, with our skirts never
reaching below the knees even when we
thought We were big girls. Her father sold
his farm, made one lucky speculation after
mother, came to be immensely rich, lived in
he big cities, gave. Sallie Brownlee, now
Mrs. Secretary Simpson, the benefit o the
pest masters. while remained ignorant and
Door even long alter married your father
t was 1 who induced your father to run for
congress, for knew ii he could ever get to
Washington with some official position to
ort of give us a send-off, L could manage
Sallie Brownlee for the rest. NV gracious!
vou ought to have seen her start aud blush
when 1 recalled our acquaintance in the
,orD and potato fields. 1 did that in the first
words spoke to her, and she would have
,ot down on her knees to prevent nv saving
lnything about it in her circle. am quite
ertain you will not mention it my dears.
Good night"