Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-04-13
Meeting His Match.


of Uncle Bill Perkins.
He was a respectable, we'll to do
farmer, of such an eccentric turn
that nobody was surprised at any
thing he did.
Uncle Bill had handsome farm
and handsome house, and last, but
by no means least, he had hand
some daughter, whose Hame was
Carrie.
Now, pretty Carrie, like pretty
girls in general, had a lover.
His name was Sam Cook, and he was
steady and Industrious, but they
reckoned without Uncle Bill, for
when Sam came to ask for Carrie, he
met with fiat refusal.
At the last interview Sam got his
temper up a little, and, as he rose to
go he said:
"Very well, Uncle Bill, I love Car
RE, and she loves me, and I mean to
have her yet"
"Well, now, young man, you'll
have to get up pretty early in the
day if you do. You can't fool I'm
Gle Bill, SAM"
"Will you give me Carrie if 1 do
fool you?" asked Sam.
"Well, now, young man I don't
know but 1 will. Yes, come to think
ont, I will, sartln, for the chap that
can fool Uncle Bill is sharp enough
to deserve Carrie"
Very well, then its bargain, said
Sam. SIN less than q month | agree
to fool you, or, at least to try, and
if I succeed you give me Carrie"
After this the cute old fellow kept
sharp eye on Sans motions, but
saw nothing suspicious, in the course
of couple of weeks Uncle Bill an
nounced his intention ct going over
to neighboring city for day or
two.
A day or so before he started word
came to him, in mysterious way,
that Sam and Carrie meant to elope
while he was gone.
"Aha! that's their plants it? Well
now, I reckon, I'll contrive to match
that little gamep' he chuckled.
But he said not a word of what he
had heard, and on the appointed day
brought out his old white horse, and
set off as innocently as could be.
But before he went, TO make as
surance doubly sure he sent Carrie
upstairs to her room, locked her in
and gaze the key to her mother,
charging her to keep it till his re-
turn.
Carrie went smllingly to her i'm
prisonment, and told her father she
was quite willing to stay there until
his return.
Carrie ran straight to her window
put out her head and saw Sam Cook
standing under the easement. Quick
as thought she dropped bundle out
saying:
Here, Sam! Take it quick, and
slip into the milkhouse until he's
gone
The old fellow had no notion of
going to the city just now. He rode
to little town about three miles off,
put up his horse at an inn, and
quietly walked back to his own
home.
Keeping in the shadow, with
sharp lookout for observers, Uncle
Bill got inside the barn and climbed
up in the haymow, where he could
have full view of the house.
Patiently he watched, but up to
the middle OF the afternoon he saw
no developments, except that Sam
Cook walked by the house two or
three times.
The last time Sam waved pocket
handkerchief in the direction Of Car
rie's window.
$50, no! there's a signal" thought
Uncle Bill. snow we'll keep our
eyes Open"
Pretty soon, just as it began to
grow dusk, he saw strange car
riage coming slowly up the road,
stopping now and then. At last
white handkerchief was waved IRON
Carries window.
"Hallo! this gets interesting,"
cried Uncle Bill.
He turned his eyes to the strange
carriage, which now drove furiously
down the road, and stopped at the
gate.
A female figure, wearing Carries
waterproof, dress and cloak, came
out of the house, Sam Cook hastily
! jumped cut of the vehicle, and as
sisted the figure in, and the carriage
drove away again.
"Ha, ma hal This is TO much!'
yelled Uncle Bill, rolling over on
the hay with laughter. ssThls is the