Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-23

"Shucksl that Teller hain't a botherin'
me-" exclaimed John Wesley.
"Oh, 1 hope not" said Mrs. Pruett; "the
Lord knows 1 do. Fer eff he amt a-both-
erin you. know mighty well he amt a
botherin' Loorany. Eff you could "a seed
EN- a swingin' in the bullace vine as l
did yestiddy you wouldn't a thought Loo
rany was bothered much. Well, not muchv'
Mrs. Pruett added sarcasticaly.
Il seed en-" remarked John Wesley,
chuckling.
You did?' cried Mrs Pruett. She was
both surprised and Indignant
'Lor'. yassum! l thess sot up an laugh
ed. Says L. The Teller thinks bekaze he's
got his arm 'roun' 1Ioorany that she's done
his'n" l laughed so 1 was afeared they'd
hear me-.
Mrs Pruett said afterward that her heart
jumped into her throat when she heard
John Wesley talking in such strain, for
the idea flashed In her mind that he was
distrac ted-and it so impressed her that for
one brief moment she was overtaksn by
fear.
WELL" she said. trying to turn the mat
ter off lightly, when you see a Teller WI
his arm aroun' gal an she not dom
it's not so mighty long tell the weddin'."
"iassum.' responded John Wesley, still
chuckling. lit may be SO WI some folks.
but not when the gal Is Loorany Parmalee.
No, ma am! You theSs walt"
ooh. it hain't no trouble to me to wait.
said Mrs. Pruett: but whatd I do ef
was a-standin' in your shoes?"
=, You'd make yourself comfortable, thess
like I'm a-doin'," remarked John Wesley
Mrs. Pruett was so much disturbed that
she told her husband about it, and sug-
gested that he look into the matter to the
extent of making such inquiries as a man
can make. But Jerd shook his head and
snapped his big fingers.
"Oh, come now, MOTHER he said. ITS
luther too soon er It's too late An that
hain't all. mother-by the time 1 git done
in TO h,,S;
feel like drappin' off ter Sleep"
Matters went on in this way until lat.
in 1863. and then there came a time when
Hildreth Of Hall ceased to visit Hatch's
scripted into the war" as they called It
and some said he had been appointed to
another office that took up his time and
attention But, whatever the cause of his
absence was, Loorany seemed to be salts
fled. She went about as gay as a lark
and as spry as ground squirrel John
Wesley, too. continued to take things easy
He made no show of citation over the alb
sence of Hidreth Of Hall. and never in
qured about it. He had never ceased his
visits to the Parmalees, but he went No
oftener. now that his rival had disappear
ed from the field. than he had gone before.
AS Mrs. Pruett remarked he was the same
old John Wesley in fair weather as he was
in foul. Patient and willing, and good
humored, for all his seriousness, he went
along attending to his own business and
nelplnR eNEfyDO else VINO needed helm
Thus. in way he was very popular. but
somehow those who liked him least had
a pity for him that was almost contemnt
uous. John Wesley paid no attention to
such things. He just rocked along, as
Mrs. Pruett said.
1t was the same when, one day in the
spring of 1864. Hildreth of Hall came rid
ing up the mountain driving a pair of
a gray uniform, and the coat had a long
tail to tia sure sign he was an officer
Of some kind, for Jed Pruett had seen lust
such coats worn by the officers In the vii
lage below. TO be sure. there ought to
sleeves or shoulders: but no matter about
that; nobody but officers could wear long
tailed coats. That point was settled with
out much argument
And the buggy was new or had been
newly vanished, for the spokes shone
in the sun, and the sides of the body glis-
tened like glass. What Of that? Wei. q