The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-25
THE SOCIABLE
AT DUDLEY'S.
copyright, 1892, BY Hsmlin Garland. ]

Copyright 1892, BY Hsmlin Garland.l
John Jennings was not one Of those men
who 60 to . donation party with SO cents
worth OF potatoes and eat and carry away
50 worth Of turkey and jelly cake. When he
drove his team around to the front door
for Mrs. Jennings, he had a sack of -four
and quarter of fine fat beef in his sleigh
and IS bill in his pocketbook, a contribu-
ton to Elder Wheat's support.
Milton, his 20-year-old son, was just driv.
ing out of the yard, seated in fine new
cutter and drawn by a magnificent gray f.
year-old colt. He drew up as Mr.. Jen-
nings spoke.
"Now be sure and don't never leave him
. minute united. And see that the har-
ness is all right--do you hear, Miiton?"
Eyes, hear!" answered the young fell.
low rather impatiently. for he thought
himself old enough and big enough to look
out for himself
Don't race, will ", Milton 2" was his
mothers anxious question from the depth
Of her shawls.
'Not if l can help it," was his equivocal
response, as he chirruped to Mark An
tony. The grand brute made rearing
leap that brought cry from the mother
and a laugh from the young driver, and
swung into the road at flying pace. The
night was clear and cold, the sleighing ex-
cellent, and the boys heart was full of
exaltation.
1t was n Joy just to control such horse
as he drew rein over that night. Large,
with the long 1.-THE body of tiger and the
broad clean limbs of an elk. the gray colt
strobe away up the road, his hoofs fling
ing shower of snow over the dasher.
The lines were like steel rods. the sleigh
literally swung by them, the traces hung
slack inside the thills. The bells clashed
out swift ciamor, the runners seemed to
hiss over the snow, as the ck-breasted
cutter swung round tine curves, and softly
rose and fell along the undulating road
On either hand the snow stood billowed
against the fences and amid the wide fields
of cornstalKs bleached in the wind. Over
in the east, above the line of timber, skirt.
ing Cedar creek. the vast, slightly gibbous
moon was rising. sending along the crusted
snow a broad path of light. Other sleighs
could be heard through the still, cold air,
far away party of four or five was sing
ing a chorus as they spun along the road.
Something sweet and unnamable was
stirring in the young fellows brain as he
spun along in the marvelously still and
radiant night. He wished ELLEN were
with him. The vast and cloudless blue
vault of sky glittered with stars which
even the radiant moon could not dim.
Not breath of air was stirring save that
made by the swift, strong stride OF the
horse.
It was a night for youth and love and
BELLS and Milton felt this consciously and
felt it by singing:
O silver moon. o silver moon
You set you set too SOON,
For the morrow day
II far away,
The night II but begun.
He was on his way to get Bette Moss,
one Of his old sweethearts. who had be-
come more deeply concerned with the life
of Edwin Blackler. He took the matter
with sunny philosophy even before meet
ing ELLEN Deering at the seminary, and
he was now on his way to bring about
peace between Ed and Bette, who had
lately quarreled-incidentally he expected
to enjoy the sleigh ride.
'Stiddy, boy! Ho, boy; stiddy. old
fellow" he called soothingly to Mark. as
he neared the gate and whiried up to the
door. A girl came TO the door as he drove
up, her head wrapped in white hood, a
shawl on her arms; she had been waiting
for him.
''Hullo, Milt. That yon2"
Its me. Been waiting?"
~ should say l had. Begun & think
you'd gone back on me. Every body elses
gone"
"Welll Hop in here before you freeze;
we'll not be the last ones there. Yes.