The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-10-18

the road and sI6bber over each other.
My uncle wanted US to go in the wagon
with him and his family, but l was too
wise.
1T was two miles to the Drake cabin
| and four miles to town. I was to meet
Melvina at the turn in the road Just be-
low her fathers house. The sun was
about two hours high and cast long
shadows on the ground as I trudged
along to the trysting place.
81 remember l took out my barlow
and cut stout stick from hedge along
! the roadside in anticipation of posi-
BILE brush with the lion. The air was
heavy with the sweet smell of orchards,
ripening grain and new mown hay, and
l was the happiest youth in Missouri. l
made up my mind was going to spend
every cent l possessed on Melvina.
Directly 1 came to where she was.
She had on a dress that couldn t havo
cost more than quarter, but she looked
like queen in it, although, must con-
fess, it fit her like it was cut out with
pair of skates. A wide brimmed hat sat
jauntily on her brown curls and her face
looked like ripe peach to hungry
man. l noticed she had no shoes on, but
that cut no ice with me, for she had as
petty foot and ankle as anybody would
want to look at.
81 had calculated on making hit
with Melvina with my store clothes,
and did. paralyzed her. She just
stood and looked at me while wave aft
er wave of hot bushes chased up her
white neck and congregated in her face.
I stood simpering like prize idiot. She
began to cry and wouldn't tell me what
was the matter with her, and I, wise in
the ignorance of youth, didn't know
that, like all women, she was proud and
ashamed to be seen with me because Of
the splendor Of my raiment. l jollied
her along, told her how nice and sweet
she looked, swore she would be the belle
of the circus and was generally SO lavish
in my praise Of her that she consented
finally to go with me if I'd let her 60
home and fix up bit. Still I didn't
know what was the matter, but L let
her go.
~ lay down in the shade of tree
On the grass to wait for her. The sun
climbed higher, and wagons loaded
with country people ratified by on the
way to the circus. I had just figured
out that we would miss the parade and
grand free exhibition outside the big
tent if Melvina didn't hurry, when she
hove IN view. looked at her second
and then jumped i'll the air SO suddenly
I Jared myself. If my raiment had par
alyzed Melvina, she got even all right.
"She had placed cheap ribbon around
her neck and spoiled the beauty of it
and had covered her pretty feet with
pair Of shapeless, hard, heavy, cowhide
Shoes Between the tops of her shoes and
the bottom of her dress appeared occa
sional glimpses of pair of stockings of
the variety known as barber pole. They
were striped red and yellow, and the
stripes were wide. But she had some
thing else on that knocked me speech
less.
"Years and years had this browning
feature of Melvina's attire been in the
Drake family. 1t was an heirloom, I
guess, and the only piece of finery the
family possessed. Melvina, blushing
and simpering, hardly knowing whether
I would sufficiently admire it or not,
was wearing it regulation fashion. 1t
was an old fashioned muff, Of some
heavy black fur and as big as bass
drum.
Precipitation broke out of every pore
in my body. The idea of me, logged out
in store clothes and looking like dude,
going to circus on the Fourth of July
with girl carrying muff that must
have warmed an icehouse was madden
ing. But Melvina looked SO thoroughly
self satisfied that I hadn't the heart to
tell her that the sweet simplicity of
dress she wore when she first met me
was more becoming by far than the big
cowhide boots and the muff So made
the best Of it and let it 60
81 am all old man now, but the mem
ory of the attention 1 created in that lit
tie country town that day is as vivid in
my mind as is the fact that l just paid
for the last drink. The circus wasn't i'll
it. a number Of times l was tempted
to run away. miles and miles, but Mel
vin;t was having such good time that
l looked pleasant and stood it. Shenever
took her hands out of that muff all day,
cDIy to eat and drink, and several times
she asked me to hold it for her while
she fixed up her hair or tied her shoe or
samothiDG.
"Oro time, while l was holding the
muff, lost her for few minutes in
tie crowd, and l endured more agony
until | found her again than I did when
/ got shot through the leg IN the war.
We walked home in the moonlight all
right, but we didn' t hold hands, partly
because Nclvina had her hands in the
muff and partly because was so dod
blamed mad at her that could have
slapped her They made it so hot for
me when got home to my uncle's with
their remarks about Melvina's muff that
l started home the next day. don't
know whatever became of Melvina
Drake, but do know that I suffered
one day, for her sake, the keenest mar
tyrdom. st. Louis Republic.