Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-25

was just going to Colonel Greene's myself
to ask the girls to go to Galveston with
me next week. Just wait till get my
hat and light shawl and will go with
you and she ran off without waiting fol-
Smollett to say word.
Great Cesar, what a scrapep was all
poor Smollett could say to himself Any
other time he would have been in the
seventh heaven of bliss at the way things
had turned out, but now he wished he was
in the other direction. 4 wouldn't let
that Anticipated Ed Wilder see me in this
fix for two farms he said. And then he
grabbed up his trousers and was prepar-
ing to wriggle into them when a wagon
drove up and little dog barked and a
boy held a pair of new boots in one
hand and pair of socks in the other just
as the widow came out.
"'Here's your boots and socks, Mr.. Smol-
lett, what you left on the bridge when you
was in swimming just now said the boy.
"'You're mistaken, sir; they are not
mine, said the Major.
Why, amt you the man that had the
race after the horse down at the creek !?
asked the boy.
"'No, sir, Pm not, and you had better
attend to your own business 1t nearly
broke his heart TO lose those new boots,
but it could not be helped. Then he said
to Annie as she was getting in the buggy ::
Pick up those lines, please. This
fdgety colt is forever switching them out
of my hands, She did so, and he pulled
one corner of the robe carefully down SO
she could get in, and she settled herself
contented and said:
"'What lovely October afternoon We
don't need the robe over us, do we? She
had on new dress and pair of shoes and
wanted to show them.
"'Oh, you'll feel cool enough riding, and
I wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world This care for her health pleased
her, and she contented herself by sticking
one little foot out. There was neck.ie
on the end of il.
"'Why, major, there's a necktie, isn't
it% He said it was one he bought few
days before in town, and he guessed he'd
left it in the buggy.
"'That's very careless said she, reach
ing down for it and trying to stuff it under
the robe under the seat. Smollett felt her
soft little hand going there and he made
a desperate grab for it and clutched it in
his and held it hard and fast Then they
went on in silence, he still holding her
hand and she wondering why he didn't
say something nice to her as well as
squeeze her hand. He was wondering
what he should do when he got to Colonel
Greene's. She wondered why he had his
coat buttoned up to his chin on such
warm day, while the perspiration was boil
ing out of him, and why his face was so
dirty, and what smashed his hat, when
the meditations of both were cut short by
one of the traces coming off the lug as
they went down gully.
"'Oh Lordyr exclaimed Smollett.
"'What's the matter, majorg asked
Annie, with jerk that came near pulling
the robe off of them.
"'Matter? Why, one of the traces has
come off,
"Well,' said she, with a smile, why
don't you get out and put it on :?
because I've got-I mean l haven't
yot-I mean-O Lordy, Lordy, what shall
| do?"
"'Why, George said she, tenderly, call
ng him by his name in a way that would
have made him get over all of his troubles
n moment at any other time, what is the
natter, dear? Do tell me?' and she gave
lis hand little squeeze and looked up
INTO his face. She saw his awful look and
hought he was going to faint, so she got
,ut her smelling bottle and stuck it under
lis nose just as he was going to heaye a
Ugh. He got full Whit just as he was
aking deep breath and the shock made
lin lose his balance, as it knocked his |
lead back, and he went tumbling a flying |
omersault backward out of the buggy.
'The pretty little widow screamed when
he saw his bare feet and legs go flying |
,ast her head, and she covered her face |
With her hands to hide her blushes-or
aughter, Smollett never did know which
But he was right side up in a moment and
vas apologizing and trying to explain,
when Maggie and l drove up, on our way to
he Postoffice.
"Smollett said he'd rather been shot
han have me and my wife come up and
,atch him in such scrape, but he could
lot help himself then, and SO he called me
o him and soon explained enough for me
o see how things were. | drove a little
head of the buggy and got Annie in with
ny wife, and they went on to the Post
,fice.
'Smollett and 1 drove back to my house, !
md we fixed him up by the time the
women returned, but we had tough time
getting him where Annie and Maggie
we're. We all had supper together, and as
We laughed heartily over it, we managed
10 worm the whole story out Of the Major.
He drove the widow home that night and
look her to the show when it came, and he
was never afraid of Ed. Wilder any more.
1t was three years after their marriage be-
lore the story got out, and he didn't care
then. Chicago Times.