The Republican journal., 1898-06-02
''Going to get old Tommys top buggy
for the Fourth .Iack2'


membered in a flash the queer, uneasy
thrill he had felt upon entering the
churchyard. Why should Andy think of
the Fourth and of old T ommy's buggy
before the middle of April even?
Don't know" he responded coolly,
with little rising reflection.
There was no more said, for the clerk
, raised the tune within the church just
then, and the crowd trooped into the
house, but Jack was thenceforth uneasy
in his mind and did deal of hard think
ing during the sermon. His thinking did
not ally his uneasiness in the least.
Next morning that uneasiness had be-
come SO strong that it induced him to
hitch his team to the line fence before he
had plowed a dozen rounds, and drive
him, half reluctant, over the ridge to old
Tommys clearing. He returned in short
order and went on with his blowing.
He gave the team remarkably hot time
of it for about two hours and half, and
more than once during the forenoon old
Dobbin turned his eyes upon him in solemn
reproach for such unwonted pressure.
Jack was out of humor, very much so.
Every time he thought of the merry twinkle
in old Tommy's eyes while he told of how
| Hank had been the "fust conner, more
week ago. and already had secured the
buggy, he swore softly to himself. His
air castles tumbled about his ears and he
almost gave up to despair. He had put
such great faith in his plans for the Fourth
that their premature collapse completely
1 demoraliZed him for the time being. To
be sure, there were other top buggies in
| the world-he could resort to the UMPIRE
cedented expedient of hiring livery rig
in the county capital if needs be, but it
was the sense of being forestalled that
overcame him. If Hank had secured the
| buggy at this early date, of course, he
had secured the girl as well. He swore
again and urged old Dobbin the more.
His despair possessed him for three
weeks. Then came a revulsion. He was
buoyed up by the strength of Great Re-
solve. First, be argued to himself that if
a girl cared more for top buggy than for
him she was not worth having, anyway.
Then it dawned upon him that as yet he
had no positive base for the supposition
that she did care for the buggy more than
for him. If-he grabbed his hat and gun
and fastened to the woods. When he re-
tnrned two hours later without any game,
by the way the Great Resolve had been
formed.
I He met Nell next morning at the turn
in the pasture lane where he mad waited
! for her -four hours it seemed to him. She
came along the narrow cow path, with
her pink sun bonnet. thrown back upon
her shoulders blithely humming and tap
| ping a rata plan on the bottom of her
milking pail. Jack called upon the Great
Resolve ana stepped out into the path.
''Why, Jack Dean
There was good deal of joyous sur
prise and some forced reserve in those
three words. Jack had neglected her en-
tirely for full three weeks, remember
| He could not wait for commonplace;
the Great Resolve would not stand it.
Nell, I've waited here since day break
| to see you. Y GU can laugh and think me
fool, but Pm in dead earnest. VIII you
promise me now to 90 with me on the
Fourth, Nell? Will you?'
There was suspicion of laughter in
over month ago.
Jack kicked the sod viciously II knew
it. It's no use, then?-I might have
known
81 didn't promise" she ventured de-
murely.
He turned like tiash-'Honest? Then
will you promise me? Now? If you care
more foI Hank and top buggy than you
do for me, tell me So. If you don t
/ promise, nown'
There was a merry CLEAN in her eyes as
she turned to him. I'm tell you what
I'll do, Jack. Tll-rn do the same with
you as with Hank. l promised to let him
know on the sunday before the Fourth of
July. I'll let you know then, too"
Jack tried 10 CLEAN something from her
face, but she was inscrutable. He was
nonplussed. fWell?" he said at last.
II Il let you know then" she repeated.
And this is the way. If | wear a sun
! bonnet-this pink one-to church that
day, it's yes, and FL 90 with you on the
Fourth
you'll have to ride in my old buck
! board, - he Interrupted gloomily, deter
mined to present the whole affair without
any false coloring.
Yes Yes, l understand Remember
If it is this sun bonnet-yes-if not, why
it's no. Then there needn't be any more
I talk about it.
81 want it to be for once and all, re-
member" he persisted. IF you don't
care for me. Nell-why, then's the time
to show it.
''For once and all, Jack, - she repeated
solemnly. Good bye, l must get to the
milking nown'
80, Lordn' he groaned. as he crossed
the woods on his homeward way, THAT
settles it, | suppose If she'd made it her
new spring hat, now-why then it would
look different. But sun bonnet! A pink
sun bonnet Why, Nell Blanchard never
wore sun bonnet to church in all her
life! Never-upon my soul-and | ought
to know
And he sighed sigh of dismal fore
boding.
Sunday, the third of july Jack array
ed himself in his best at ridculously
early hour and sailed forth. He vowed
to himself that he would not go to church
at any rate not until he was assured as
to whether or not Nell wore the sun bon
net. He stationed himself at place of
vantage, overlooking the road by which
Nell would walk to church, and waited for
her coming. He told himself that if she
did not wear the pink sun bonnet he could
easily make sure of the fact as she passed
below, in which case he would not go to
church. He also ventured some vague
thoughts respecting course of action to
be pursued in case the pink sun bonnet
should appear, but he sternly refused him
self the pleasure of building air castles on
that possibility. SO he sat on the hill side
and whitfield for an hour and a half.
IT was almost church time Hark Tho