The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-03-31


mo, no, sir" said the man, hasten
ing to relieve him of the bag he car
RED. 81 amt 'ad no thoughts of re-
firing, sir, nor yet of taking wife,
aud as to poetry"
William" broke in Bob, suddenly,
with deep earnestness, 'if you ever
write poetry I've done with you.
know fellow who writes poetry or
tries to; it's all the same and well,
| thirst for his gore"
lie paused for moment, while the
man gazed at him in establishment.
and then suddenly threw back his head
ana burst into his customary roar of
laughter.
Get me something to eat, William :;
I'll have it in here" he said, rs he
settled down in one of the old-fnsh-
loned boxes near the fire. Left alone
he glanced round the room, smiled
contentedly and rubbed his hands.
You've done well, Bobby--very well,
indeed; it's quite tho best possible
thing you could have done, under the
circumstances you'll stop here week
at least, and get over your little af-
fair. my boy"
William presently returned with the
necessary refreshment, and set it be-
lore Bob, and then stood aside look
ing on with the air OF an artist.
"Well, William" said Mr.. Griffin,
MS he carved industriously at the Joint,
any news in this part of the globe
-eh2"
Nothing much, --leastwise, not
with our own people, sir. They gets
married, and they gets buried, aud
they gets born, nll proper and respect
able. Now aud then they fights each
other, and now and then they calls
each other names, but, take 'em in the
lump, sir, they behave themselves very
well. It's only the visitors, sir, wot
makes the life, as You may say"
"Oh !-visitors -eh? Many OF 'em ?"
inquired Bob, glancing up for a mo-
ment.
"Not many so far, SIR" replied
William, slowly. ''But we've got
some coming down tomorrow, 1 be-
lieve."
''Oh !" sail Bob. testify, rufling his
hair, 'why the deuce can't they 60
somewhere else? What do they want
to come down to my place for? Who
are they, William?"
81 don't rightly know, sir. think
missid 'ad telegram to say that thoy
was a-coming down tomorrow morn
ing. Pm afraid, sir''-shaking his
grny old head solemuly-"that it's
runaway match, sir"
ga what ?" said Bob. starinp
"a runaway match, sir-a we'd
ding"
"Bah Idiotsr" calculated Bob,
and then Immediately threw back his
head and laughed heartily.
81 wonder why it is" he said to
himself, as he settled down comforta-
bly, before the colfco room fire, "that
these blessed weddings must pursue
me wherever / go. Why couldn't
they go somewhere elseP / suppose
we shall have them spooning and hug
gin8 each other all over the house to-
morrow, upsetting natures vale, aud
all the rest of it. l think I'll try and
find desert island in the Pacific;
even then L suppose it would be my
luck to have a couple of 'em washed
ashore, with convenient parson
floating in on cnsk, with n PRAYER
book in his pocket All! Gracie,
Oracle, perhaps [ should have looked
at the matter in n different light. if
you had but smiled on me, and LEFT
the ideal chap alone. Put l don't
suppose you thought me capable of
any such feeling; nobody does take
me seriously"
He stared at the fire, smoking
thoughtfully, and so continued to
ruminate until the sounds in the streets
Of the quiet old market town died
away and he heard William fastening
the big outer doors and wishing the
last customers "gooi night" Then
he went slowly and thoughtfully to
bed.
The bright spring sunlight was
shining into his window when he
awoke in the morning and looked
about him.
"Ah? dear old place, he muttered.
Lattice windows and heavy beams.
and all that kind of thing. shall
stop here n month.
He got mp and dressed and came
down to breakfast William was put
ting the finishing touches TO the coffee
room tables -nicling his napkin here
and there, in chase Of wholly imaqin-
airy specks of dust
OTIS near II, SIR" he said, with
something of on air Of rcproach. "And
they've arrOye, sir"
"Who have" asked Bob
'The Apply pair, -leastwise, I
takes 'em to be that. Aud Of all tho
sweet and pretty little creeturs MS
ever you see, sir, that there lady is. "
"Ahl well, don't bother me about
them. And don't let them como in
here. What's the chap like?"
"Oh | didn't think much of 'cm,
sir. Tall gent, seemed bit out Of
temper Speaks as If he'd got some
thing in his throat, sir"
Bob laughed aud went on with his
breakfast. He stood at the coffee
room window for some time, putting
at his pipe, and then strolled out
through tho town.
But, for the first time, the place
seemed TO pail upon him; everything
was dull and miserable, and in every
thing the lonely little man saw sweet.
childish face and mouth that had
kissed him; face that was TO be
nothing to him through all tho voars