Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-10-10
HE WAS LrTrLE TOO LArE.
a Tale ofeconjagal InEeIselsy IN the
Pennsylvsnta Backwoods.

horseback, with bundle in front of him.
He was evidently denizen of the lum-
Der woods. He pulled up his horse when
he met me, and exclaimed in anxious
tones:
Say, bossl v didn't meet a feller
drivin' mule to blackboard wagon any
whar on yer way up, did W"
Yes, did, replied, for had.
"Were he gettin' along at a torable
stiff gait?" asked the anxious woodsmau
Yes, he was, come to think of it, ]
replied.
~Seem ez If he were goin' to git thar,
did he?" said the lumberman.
@Get where?" asked.
@To Geetown.
There's no doubt about it, F" / said.
"Were tina woman with him, did v
notice p asked the man.
%Yes, there was, ! replied.
"Crosseyed9" questioned the woods.
man.
Il don't know about that"
"Mole on her nose2"
"That's more than can say"
"Were the mule lame in the off hind
leg?"
II think he was.
didn't notice whether the woman
were crosseyed, heyP"
"No."
"Did the man have yaller baird Pn
"Yes; long, yellow beard
"From wat little v see o. the woman,
dye think tina were room enough on her
nose for good sized mole2"
well, yes, think there was.
"Did the mule wheeze consid'able as he
spun by W"
"He acted to me as If he might have
touch of the heaves; yes"
"Couldn'tsw'ar the woman want cross
eyed, could W"
"No."
Blackboard kind O. rattly in the spokes,
on actin ez if a pint or two o grease
wouldn't hurt it2"
at seemed that way"
"Woman hev on blue dress n a green
hat with red feather in it?"
Il remember the green hat with red
feather.
Were tina gap in the buckboards
dash, sumpin' like ez if mules heels
mowt "a gone through it some time oil
other?"
@Yes, there was hole in the dash.
"But y hain't dead sartin th't tha were
a mole on the woman's nosef"
"No."
"Tha hain't no doubt, though, but wat
they was goin' to git thar"
"Not particle.
"Man in his shirt sleeves an one
gallus2"
"Yes. / remember that he was in his
shirt sleeves and wore but one suspen-
der"
The anxious woodsman paused as il
trying to think of something else to ask,
but at last said:
syn hef to 'scuse me stranger fer
bein' so kinder curious, but mebbe "
mowtn't know who them folks bc?"
Il haven't the least idea. "
"Wull, the mule n the woman n the
blackboard is mine. The man is Sim
Bilger. He's slopin' with the woman, m
it's jist my durn luck to be too late to
ketch 'em, fer they've took the keers at
Geetown afore thisl"
what! The woman your wifeI"
@Courselp
%Well, " said /, sit don't seem to mo
that would go to much trouble to fetch
such woman back"
Fetch her backl Great hoop pole! !
hain't arter her to fetch her backl"
What were you in such hot pursuitof
her for, them"
"Wull, it's this here way. Time she
sloped with Bill Balls, year ago last
spring, she kim back two or three weeks
afterwards n said she'd fergot some OF
her duds, n she'd kim back to git 'em.
toP her whar she'd find 'em, but she
jist settled down to hum ag'in, n were
bossin' the clearin' same ez afore in less'u
half an hour. She run things fer spell
n then sloped with Sam Fletcher, the
mule boss. 'Twa'nt long fore she diskiy-
cred th't she'd fergot to take sumpin' else
o. her'n, n she kim back to git it, N first
thing know'd were workin' fer her
ag'in. Las fall she cut sticks n dug out
with Joe Fassett.
@'Goshr says. hope Samanthy's
mem'ry hain't ben bad this timer
says. If she's fergot anythin' this trip
mownt as well move out. But sure as
sap she'd ben fergitful agi, n 'twa'n't
three weeks fore she kim pran-
Gin back hum arter sumpin' she'd
left ahind her, n me n her went to
workin' in harness ag'in. Now along
comes Sim Bilger, m Samanthy puts on
her bes' bib n tucker n slopes with him,
n I'm too durn late to ketch 'eml"
@Let 'em gol" I said. @What do you
want to waste your time chasing up such
cattle for?"
-Let 'em gol" exclaimed the anxious
husband. @Course I'll let 'em gol But
here's lot % things in this here bundle
th't Samanthy's fergotl Wat l wanted
were to overhaul her n give 'em to her
so she wouldn't hef to come back aIter
'em! Now she'll member 'em in a week
or two, n consarn it! she'll come home
q humminr It's just my durn luckl"
And the disappointed husband turned
his horse about and galloped discon-
solateIy away.-Ed Mott, in New York
Sun.