The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-09-13

his hair and whiskers showed some
gray hairs, and he had got in a set
of artificial teeth. Every one said
he was a good soul, and so he was.
He had as good hundred acre farm
as any in the county, with new
house and everything comfortable,
and if he wanted a wife, many a
girl would have jumped at the
chance like a rooster on a grasshOp-
per. But Bill was so bashful-al-
WAYS was-and when Susan Berry
bottle, who he was so sweet on,
though he never said ''boo" to her,
got married to old Watson, he just
drew in his head like an old mud
turtle into his shell, and there was
no getting him out again, though
it had been noticed that since Su-
san had become a widow, he had
paid rather more attention to his
personal appearance, and had been
regular in his visits to the church
the fair widow attended.
But here comes Ed Wilbur.
"Good morning, Mr.. Smiley"
"Good morning, Mr.. Wilbur.
What's the news?"
ooh, nothing particular that |
know Of" said Ed, "only Barnum's
show, that everybody is talking
about, and everybody and his girl
is going to. l was over to old Sock
riders last night, and l see his son
Gus has got a new buggy, and was
scrubbing up his harness, and he's
cot that white-faced colt of his as
slick as a seal. / understand he
thinks of taking widow Watson to
the show. He's been hanging
around there a great deal of late,
but I'd just cut HIM out, ! would.
Susan is a nice little woman and de-
serves a better man than that young
pup of fellow, though l would not
blame her much either if she takes
him, for she must be dreadful lone
some; and then she has to let her
farm out on shears, and it isn't half
worked, and no one seems to have
the spunk to speak up to her. By
lingo! if l were a single man I'd
show a thing or two"
So saying, Ed borrowed some
bags and started around the corner
of the barn, where he left Bill
sweeping, and put his ear to knot
hole and listened, knowing that the
bachelor had a habit of talking to
himself when anything worried him.
"Confound that young Sockrider, :"
said Bill, ''what business has he
there, I'd like to know? Got a
buggy, has he? Well, so have |,
and new harness; and his horse
can't get in sight of mine, and l de-
clare I've half a mind-yes, I'll go
this very night and ask her to go to
the show with me. I'll show Ed
Wilbur that l amt such calf as
he thinks l am, if | did let old Wat
son get the start in the first place. :"
Ed could scarcely help laughing
outright, but he hastily hitched the
bag on his shoulder, and with a low
chuckle at his success started
home to tell the news to Nellie, and
about O'Clock that evening they
saw Bill go by with his horse and
buggy on his way to the widows.
He logged along quietly, thinking
of the old-singing school days
and what pretty girl Susan was
then; and wondering inwardly if he
would have more courage to talk
up to her, until at distance
of about a mile of her house
he came to "a bridge over a
large creek, and it so happened that
Just as he came to the middle of the
bridge he gave a tremendous sneeze,
and blew his teeth out of his mouth
and clear over the dashboard and
striking a plank they rolled over
the side of the bridge and dropped
into four feet of water.
Words OF do justice to poor
Bill, or paint the expression of his
face as he sat there, completely
dumbfounded at this startling piece
of ill-luck. After a while he step
ped out of buggy, and getting down
on his hands and knees, looked into
the water eyes, there they were, b"
at the bottom with crowd of little
fishes rubbing their noses against
them, and Bill wished to the good
ness that his nose was as close for
one second. His beautiful teeth
that had cost him so much and the
show coming on and no time to get
another set-and the 'windOw-and
young SOckrider. Well, he must
try and get them somehow, and no
time to lose, for some one might
come along and ask him what he
was fooling around there for. He
had no notion of spelling his good
clothes by wading in with them on,
and besides if he did that he could
not 60 to the widows that night, so
he took look up and down the
road to see that no one was in
sight, and then quickly undressed
himself, laying his clothes in the
buggy to keep them clean. Then
he ran around to the bank and wa
ded into tie ice cold water, but his
teeth did not chatter in his head