Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-02-10

dTOuHu, anu SOU READY IOr bIt CiAOus0'
] might explain here that l had
brought suit of store clothes and
pair of shoes from the east with me,
but had never worn the clothes on
the farm and seldom wore the shoes.
Everybody down there went bare
footed, boys and men, and I did as
the Romans did. This Fourth of July
morning [ put on billed shirt,
my store clothes,' my shoes
and socks, and I brushed and cleaned
myself until I was positively uncom-
Portable.
CATER breakfast, followed by the
good natured but cutting 'joshing' of
my relatives, started down the road
to meet Melvina. I had arranged with
her to walk to town, figuring on the
walk back in the moonlight, when we
could hold hands as we strolled
along the road and slobber over each
other. My uncle wanted US to go in
the wagon with him and his family,
but was too wise.
cit was two miles to the Drake ca
bin 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 I
trudged along to the trysting place.
''I remember took out my barlow
and cut stout stick from a 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 I was the happiest
youth in Missouri. I made up my
mind I was going to spend every cent
I 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 a queen in it, although, I
must confess, it fit her like it was cut
out with a pair of skates. A wide
brimmed hat sat jauntily on her
brown curls and her face looked like
ripe peach to a hungry man. She
had no shoes on, but that cut no ice
with me, for she had as pretty foot
and ankle as anybody would want to
look at.
81 had calculated on making hit
with Melvina with my store clothes,
and I did. I 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. I stood simpering like a
prize idiot. She began to cry and
wouldn't tell me what was the matter
with her, and 1, 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. I jollied
her along, told her how nice and sweet
she looked, swore she would be the
belle of the circus and was so lavish
with my praise of her that she con-
sented finally to go with me if I'd let
her go home and fix up bit. Still I
didn't know what was the matter and
I let her go.
81 lay down in the shade of a 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
tent if Melvina didn't hurry, when
she hove in view. looked at her a
second and then jumped in the air SO
suddenly I Jared myself. If my
raiment had paralyzed Melvina, she
got even all right.
"She had placed a cheap ribbon
around her neck and spoiled the
beauty Of it and had covered her 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 a
pair of stockings of the variety known
as barber pole. They were striped
red and yellow, and the stripes were
wide. But she had something else on
that knocked me speeches..
years and years had this crown
ing feature of Melvina's attire been
in the Drake family. It was an heir
loom, guess, and the only piece of
finery the family possessed. Melvina
blushing and simpering, hardly know
ing whether [ would sufficiently ad-
mire it or not, was wearing it regula-
ton fashion. 1t was an old fashioned
muff, of some heavy black fur and as
big as bass drum.
sPerspiration broke out of every
pore in my body. The idea of me
logged out in store clothes and look
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