The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-10
g Y OP."
BY HENRY WEBB KOLSUN.

had she dreamed what my thoughts were
upon she would have been as meek and ST.
lent as the modest little dAffodi at sunrise
as he nestles meekly underneath the flaming
brillisucy OF the other flowers in the gar
den.
As for the pony, am moro convinced
each passing day that she has infused into
his mischievous flesh some Of her delicious
humor, and he takes a pony's delight in
forcing the belief upon me. lie has never
been the same pony since that memorable
afternoon in June.
A pleasant drive Of several miles brought
US 10 the orchard of delicious fruit, and
surely the fair goddess never smiled more
benignaDtly upon field and vineyard, but
with Estelle talking at a more frightful
rate, if possible, than ever, and pony shiv-
ing with vengeance that completely sur
passed all his former efforts land he had
made some good ones. was still far from
the subject near my heart
The old silver-hairei owner of the wide
orchard in his open-hearted, good-natured
country hospitality was only too proud 20
extend to us every courtesy that was in his
power. In fact, he felt il a high honor in-
deed TO be the slave and wait upon the
wishes of this winsome city girl, who gave
him a smile at every turn, nicK-named him
"Uncle Ben,n which pleased him wonder
fully, and his 90 years hung lightly upon
sprang over the high potato ridges with the
agility of inspired youth. A sharp rivalry
at once sprung up between US to do this
mischievous little queen favors, and soon
had cause TO be jealous Of my old rivals
progress in the winning Of her heart and
smiles. He thought 1t the funniest thing in
all the world to see her catch the luscious
fruit in her outsprsad skirts as it came tum.
bling down, and he could not be induced to
leave her side for moment even, until the
little tyrant espied a particularly sauoy,
red-cheeked fellow perched securely far UP
in a tall tree.
She had but to lift finger to command,
and he obeyed, the dear old slave The
ladder must be had. This was enough. In
a moment this old fellow who had not run
a race for a score or more Of years, was off
across the high ridges to the barnyard like
u boy of 10.
Now is my chance, thought, trembling
with excitement. and must make good use
of his absence, for if l should defer until
our homeward trip, tnat mischievous pony
would keep me with my hands full until the
last.
The copperas-colored trousers of this
good, hospitable old soul had hardly disap-
peared in the distance with his wide, white
summer sombrero in hand and one Of the
emitted suspenders hanging from his
shoulder, than 1t reappeared again like a
dreaded nightmare that disturbs a sweet
dream.
"Confound it," | muttered between my
teeth and in my rage | grasped one of the
innocent trees at my side and shook it with
such vehemence that the luscious fruit
poured down like hailstones upon her dear
head as she sat underneath arranging some
Of the choicest fruit in basket at her feet
She sprang up with little scream, looked
around at me and said, with Just half an
amused smile playing about her face:
"Oh, how you frightened me. What is
The matter" she continued, in surprise, as
she beheld my face pale with sudden an
ger.
"Oh. nothing. Estelle. Nothing" re-
piled, advancing toward her with out
stretched arms. 81 simply wanted to say
something to you, and"
Pm back already" chimed in this old
son Of Agricola at my back, painting and
out of breath. I'm fecth him now in a
mint. jist watch me- If DON'T" and ere he had
spoken the words ne had planted the ladder
beneath the tree and was skurrying to the
top and stretching out his hands for the
luscious fruit.
Estelle only turned from me with that
provokngly mischievous smile of hers, and
with CHEEKY "Hurrah for you" looked up
at the old man, who now held the prize
tondly between his fingers, swinging it in the
air preparatory to dropping 1t into her out
spread lap, leaving me TO beat my breast
and make the best of my discontinue.
How groaned in my agony, and frowned
ard scowled, but to what account. But had
[ proposed, | thought, and secured her
promise. could l have sealed it with kiss 2
| am sure | would have kissed the half of
big luscious peach instead Of the bewitchIng
lips that each moment had more charms for
me.
The last one was always the best, Just as
we hope each succeeding moment In our
lives will bring US something unlocked for,
and 80 1t went on until our romp brought
us back to the orchard gate, where she stood
almost exhausted, head bare and golden
ringlets floating in the evening winds, her
big nat filled with the iuicy fruit claspad
fondly to her bosom, refusing to allow me
to relieve her of the burden. How beauti-
full and charming indeed she was, as she
stood there with flushed cheeks, pulsing
with the blood OF happy youth, her eyes
sparkling with childish pleasure, the tall
dark-green meadow grass bending low and
kissing her feet. Her Is years took none of
the plQuancy of innocent childhood from
her heart and soul and how blessed indeed
she was that it did not Could woman but
always retain the suave innocence of child
hood days and girlhood's happy hours, their
beauty and magnetism would possess the
perennial freshness of the tabled waters that
bring back youth and fires old love into
new. All men admire a woman, but love a
child.
Lifting her into a seat again, she thrust
out one after the other, her little feet aud
commanded me with the nonchalance of a
queen commanding her slave, to whisk the
dust from off her dainty slippers, which |
was glad enough to have the honor to do.
while she leaned back with the tired dream
mess Of a languid senorita in a Spanish
hacienda upon sultry mconlit August
night.
ward, she kissing her hand to "Uncle Ben :"
and thanking him with a thousand words
for courtesies, one of which from her gra-
cous lips would be all that any man could
deserve. He stood bowling and smiling un-
til lost to view in the distance, the day the
happiest know that he had ever spent and
the memory of which he would take to his
honest grave, for he was a good and true
old soul
On we raced, the mischievous pony shy
ing at every shadow across the broad road,
insplrited with his respite of an hour, with
EStelle more brimful Of chat than ever be-
fore. L was growing ugly and was seriously
contemplating stopping short and unhar-
Messing the restless brute and propose there
upon the highway despite the conspiracy OF
all the gods against me. l was desperate
and would shake my cherished idea of ro-
mantle proposal and acceptance from my
mind and know my fate, no matter how
prosaic the method.
Fortune suddenly came nobly to my res
cue, and out from among the dense ferns
and tall grass along the roadside bounded a