Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-08-18

not better nave pFe3kIaSf al instead
Of Z, for the hour Is rather carly, snd
am afraid Cousin Helen won't set
over in time. she whispered still. My
heart went clap-a- tc-clap, for here was
the nugget of gold coming unasked
Perhaps, y whispered back. oh,
Nell, how can ] wait for the dayi"
"Pshaw, Jon silly boyr' And then
she pratt1ed on about the linen her
grandma was making for her and Ter
dress that was quite done, but no ct
time had she yet mentioned.
s'And to think, don't believe any
one outside Of my own family mistlusts
one word. 2 She looked up in my face.
No, nor in mine, smiled back.
"But they will before long. Iventured
rs / unattached her gate, hoping against
hope she would give me what / was
after, and she sweetly put up her lips
and said, Just one more day, my Ze-
kiel. How could l kiss that sweet
mouth? / would have given my gray
colt just then to have been ZelSe and be
me. had not bargained for kiss; but,
then. was sho not as good as sister?
So / kissed her and held her in my arms
moment and whispered Good night"
as she went in.
My cheeks burned, my fingers tin
gled, my heart fiuttered, so broke into
rapid run and fed homeward
Meantime Bob left Zese, and the 9TH
er boys came back round them and ask
cd questions and laid plans A ringing
laugh now and then from the entry al
layed Zeke's fears concerning Nell for
awhile. As the plan was laid one of the
girls said as be came ont:
s'Zeke, Nell couldn't wait so long
But she doesn't want you to feel bad
about it. y
"Why, nc" Zeko replied pleasantly.
| 81 couldn't get away sooner" But his
face showed his disappointment
We had found out tho secret at least.
And now our luck hung upon the chance
of Zeke and Nell not speaking of that
nights work Slim thread it was, but
anyway we could serenade them just
the same.
We were busy. Masks TO make, drums
to find and horns and bells and old tin
pans and-well, You young boys know
how it is told by your fathers, and you
old l.oys have all been there.
knew Zel1e had rented rooms in an
L of Farmer Judson's house, and by
peering into the windows we saw every
thing was in readiness, even to fuel in
tho woodbox.
They were married a few minutes be-
fore S.(since learned it,, had breakfast
at s and repaired to their new home to
look it over. Father and mother said
they were going to town and did. but
stopped there on their way hither.
None of my brothers ard sisters mis-
trusted ono word, and some of Nelly's
cousins were as ignorant us we. She
was the only child, SO had no one to
keep it from at home.
Zeke since has told me the boys had
made their brags about no one ever es-
Gaping ''belling" where they were,
and for this reason and this alone had
he kept it secret.
As soon as night had spread her wings
over the earth we gathered our trappings
together for our grand serenade. We
were not quite sure whether the bride
and groom would Immediately settle
down in their new home or tarry a day
or so at the old home. We knew well
that the minister from Glendale had re-
turned home, for ! myself had met him
with his wife III closed carriage that
afternoon. But as twilight approached
cheerful light from Zeke's new home
told very plainly to us where they were.
We marshaled our forces and took our
places in line. Not drum was heard,
not bugle note, not the clap of q
broken bell, though have often Won
dered how we all kept from shouting
aloud as we peared into each others
faces.
Tramp. tramp, along the slippery
roadl Forward in an irregular triangle
we stood before the lighted rooms and
commenced our bombardment. Louder
and louder grew our frenzied music, as
no one opened the door. Finally the door
was opened, and we were invited in.
Just behind me was Bob, enormously
padded and painted, and in disguised
voice he said, pushing me little ahead
= was .neir 1'p'ainj' oaiu'e siie piioes
II i,ttie aiIose s'ooo 'wo iol,Ds WIN
soine'hing Wni'e 'hrowh osei 'nein, l
SUPPOSED Neiis 'au ooiie .,iis 10 mus
nei pi,sniiis iace. % 'iii,iA,ns u 'ii''
o1her KISS OUT ~ .he nooniign. strode
up 70 .neia' picAeu ou' ven W ,he
shil,s 'isipie uencasii ,.e cover puiie',
Oh 'ne Same Win quicA n'ovion ana
pian,eu MSS upon 'no .osy inou'n u
.l,e piusnihs pfiueor 81 supposeu'
0.ou' upoi, SMUT ca,ne 'roin .hose Dc
.iiIu iiie "niio iuopeu NY cses W see
Il was ihieou awahe
ror 'iere pelore hie s,oou loe Seiiie
anu DeAe' u. mr. hI,ney anu nis
wiii'e .aiIeu niue wi,e VIM WIN 'ne
uc'eiipina'ion " ieuesii inysci anu
PUNISH .nose Mno nau causeI nie W
iili'Ae .iiis niis'aAe' : faiisacAeu 'ne
MOUSE lor tnc ones | mos. wisheu 70
,ilu. O'hers he,peu me- pu' ~ was iinai-
y .oiu us " Ncny ia'ner .,ia' .ne
priue ''iiu sIooii, iia., sone WIN liiu liiii-
lStcT TO tIl6QQdie, there 10 take u COu-