Middletown transcript., 1893-06-24
MARRIED ACCIDENTALLY.

MARRIED ACCIDENTALLY.
..Be sure you ride with Pottsl"
shouted Carrie, after the boat was
fairly under way, whereat little smile
rippled across the neighboring passen-
gers faces.
1t vas an odd speech, but May and |
understood it. We we're going to a
lovely nook, discovered by Carrie the
year before, in the heart Of the Cat
skills.
We had to ride many and many
long mile to reach the'aforesaid center,
and the line of stages that led to our
little nook was owned and run by two
stalwart, steadfast men named Potts
and Kramer.
Potts was lively fellow, as round
and as rosy and as shiny as a fresh,
red-cheeked apple. Kramer was taller,
darker, more tactiturn.
Potts entertained his passengers with
series of jokes, squibs, anecdotes,
, mysteries, legends and tales. Kramer
attended strictly and solely to the
business Of driving his four horses.
So it was no wonder Carrie screamed
out to us: "Be sure you ride with
Pottsl''
On the Catskill landing we asked for
the Potts and Kramer line.
.'Here, ladies'" said tall man, who
we knew must be Mr.. Karmer, motion
ing us to a half. filled stage.
I'VE don't want to ride with you,"
said May, with charming candor; 1--WE
want to ride with Mr.. Potts. because
he talks the most'
''Hal ha! hal" shouted Mr.. Potts.
swell, ladies, appreciate the COM
pliment, l really do; but it's impossible
for me to add another fare. You'll
have to ride with Mr.. Kramer"
We meekly got into the half filed
stage and wound our way up over the
long hills, with Mr.. Kramer sitting
bolt upright in front Of US. looking
neither to the right nor to the left, and |
oblivions of all remarks that might be
made behind him.
At last Mr.. Kramer suddenly stopped
before little wayside inn. and landed
all our dusty and tired fellowIravelers
at their destination.
Theh we went on our way again.
sole, occupants Of the capacious vebi-
Gle. May yawned again and again.
At last she gave heart. breaking sigh
and exclaimed:
"What dreadfully dreary ride this
is, to be sure!n
Mr.. Kramer turned his head ever so
slightly, and looked back at her.
"Do you see that house over therep"
asked he, pointing to a pretty cottage
half hidden by clambering vines and
surrounded by mass Of brilliant 1ow-
ers; ''that is where 1 live"
"Ah," said May, adjusting her blue
glasses firmly upon her nose, "what a
dear, cosy little place-the prettiest
one we've seen for miles"
'sAre you married?" she continued,
fearful that the generous impetus to
speech would dry w. for ever.
"Yes," Mr.. Kramer replied, looking
back at us with curious twinkle in bis
eve: ssI was married sort of acciden-
tally"
s.I was born in the little village we
passed through, back yonder, as SO was
Fanny Davis. We went to school to
gether, sat in the same seat at church
rode in the same hay wagon, skated on
the same ice ponds, went to the same
husking bees; but we didn't love each
other much after all that. I
"I'll skip the history of the war, and
only say that after more than three loug
years spent in marching snd counter
n. arcl,ing from battlefield to battle
field, came back to the village down
there different man from the one
who went away.
'sSach time as they made over the
little fragment of our regiment, when
we came home all ragged and weary
and worn. The folks got up big re-
ception down in the old church.
81 had often dreamed of this home
comming, down under those southern
stars, and thought of the old familiar
faces that would brighten when they
saw me. and the friends whose hands
would like to take first but in all my
dreams | had never once thought OF 6
Fanny.
ssBy and by there was little pause
I looked up and there, not more than
three yards off, with cheeks like rose
and eyes like stars, she stood looking
at me with such look as | never
thought she could have for any one,
much less for me.
"tSam, you are brave man. l am
not worthy to unite your shoe,. but l {
want to take your hand and tell you {
how honor you and how sorry am