The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-10-26

each other. My uncle wanted us to 20 in
the wagon with him and his family, but |
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 below
her fathers house. The sun was about two
hours high and cast long shadows on the
ground as trudged along to the trysting
place.
81 remember took out my barlow and
cut stout stick from hedge along the
roadside in anticipation of possible 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. I made up my mind l
was going to spend every cent possessed
on Melvina.
Directly came to where she was. She
had on dress that couldn't have cost more
than quarter, but she looked like queen
in it, although, l must confess, 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. | noticed she had no
shoes on, but that made no difference to
me, for she had as pretty foot and ankle
as anybody would want to look at.
Il had calculated on making hit with
Melvina with my store clothes, and did.
paralyzed her. She just stood and looked
at me while wave after wave of hot bushes
chased up her white neck and congregated
in her face. stood simpering like prize
idiot She began to cry and wouldn't tell
me what was the matter with her, and |,
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. 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 go home and fix
up bit. Still l didn't know what was
the matter, but let her go.
81 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.
| had just figured out that we would miss
the parade and grand free exhibition out
side the big tent if Melvina didn't hurry,
when she hove in view. looked at her
second and then jumped in the air so
suddenly Jared myself. If my raiment
had paralyzed 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 occasional
glimpses of pair of the variety known as
the barber pole. They were striped and
yellow, and the stripes were wide. But
she had something else on that knocked me
speechless.
years and years had this browning fea-
ture OF Melvina's attire been in the Drake
family. 1t was an heirloom, guess, and
the only piece of tinery the family pos
sessed. Melvina, blushing and simpering,
hardly knowing whether 1 would suffi-
GENTLY admire it or not was wearing it
regulation fashion. 1t was old fashioned
muff of some heavy black fur and as big as
a bass drum.
''Perspiration broke out of every pore in
my body. The idea Of me, logged out in
store clothes and looking like q dude,
going to circus on the Fourth OF July
with girl carrying a muff that must have
warmed an ice house, was maddening
But Melvina looked so thoroughly self
satisfied that hadn't the heart to tell her
that the sweet simplicity of the dress she
wore when she first met me was more be-
coming by far than the big cowhide boots
and the muff. So 1 made the best of it
and let it go.
81 am an old man now, but the memory
of the attention l created in that little
country town is as vivid in my mind as is
the fact that just paid for the last drink.
The circus wasn't it. A number of times
| was tempted to run away, miles and
miles, but Melvina was having such good
time that looked pleasant and stood it.
She never took her hands out of that muff
all day only 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
something.
Gone time, while | was holding the
muff, | lost her for few minutes in the
crowd, and I endured more agony until
found her again than l 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
Melvna had her hands in the muff, and
partly because | was so dog blamed mad
at her that could have slapped her. They
made it so hot for me when l got home
to my uncle's with their remarks about
Melvina's muff that | started home the
next day. l don't know whatever be-
| come of AIelyina Drake Init I do tpoIy