The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-03-04

esting characters adrift for all time TO
come. And so ended Bens and Mary
James great dance.
We oil went our several ways to oul
homes, and cross eyed Ben, with Becky
Jane pressed close up against his lacerated
and bleeding heart, wendell his lonely way
to his home at the ruined village on thu
hill, where he hibernated, and came our
no more until the peewee proclaimed The
advent OF glorious spring from the topmos
branch of hickory tree at the fording Of
old hickory run at the foot Of the northern
slope at the Bull Frog.
We must drop another whole year, whicl
will fetch US up to she middle of the
golden autumn Of 1866
We met i'll Elkton and soon got wind
to the effecs that there was to be dance
party three miles north, on the Blue BAL
road. When | say we, | mean crooked
eyed Ben, Becky Jane--we would like to
include cross eyed Mary, but for she sax,
of veIacty we dare not-Jesse, Jake, Ben
| Il. and the now grizzly old scribe and
several others. Ben and Beck were to fur.
nish the music up the Little Elk. After
we had laid in supply OF the ardent we
started up the Blue Bali road as joyous as
boys just let loose from school. Ben II. g
big shepherd dog was following close at his
masters heels, and he was as risky as q
kitten, but he was great coward, Gs will
be shown further on in this narrative
1t was about o'clock when we reached
the road gate that led us into the drive
way which led to the Little Elk fordng
just at the old farm house where the dance
was to be. We had left the damp foggy
swamps OF COW run behind us, and tht
night was fairly fine. A warm wind blew
! from the westward, and heavy clouds
moved slowly across the sky, with half a
moon peeping occasionally through the
riffs. 1t was clear enough to see for some
distance ahead. Ben H. g purp began to
ruff and buff and then ran between his
masters legs. What's the matter with
that fool dog, said old crooked eyes, he
nearly tripped me up? Why said Ben H.,
he sees them cattle lying down yonder al
the foot log. The foot log, which spanned
the creek at the ford just below the old
grange, had been tall poplar tree, one
side of which had been hewed, a pen OF
short logs had been built on either side OF
| ba straap, he nnnIar ,l,oo1 .h..a..,
which raised the footway to the height of
twelve feet from the center of the stream
below. Next to our approach the crystal
like water lies still and its depth was about
Eve feet, but at the other approach it WIS
eddying and babbling by as sweetly and
joyously as any other brook in the uni
verse.
Ben, said Jesse, play Bonapsrse's Retrea,
Across the Alps, for the door is open and
the porch is full Of youth and beauty
Ben pulled Beck from her little bed and
got her in shape.
Ruff, wuif, buff said shep. Stop that
BANKED dogs mouth, said crooked eyes,
for can't hear Becky Jane myself, let
alone them gals up yonder. Shops owner
mounted the foot log first, with Jake COM
ing next and between the two Ben's the
rest Of us were still on the pasture field
side. The moonlight was streaming into
the stream between two huge beeches, and
it was bright with vague and shifty
radiance. We were close upon each others
heels, with our long black shadows stream
ing backward up the path leading TO the
bridge. Shops boss was about to step off
the end, Jake had about one-thrd OF the
way to traverse, Ben, with old Beck singing
her very sweetest, was in the center. The
bridge was springing by the tread OF Bona
parties Retreat Across the Alps. The little
heifers and steers had long since stopped
their oud chewing and had arisen to their
feet and were completely aroused by the
strains from old Beck aud the ruff, wuff
buff OF shep. Three or four OF the bodest
OF the steers broke out after the frightened
canine. Wuff, ruff ruff, said shep, and he
mounted the foot log and started to tear
across to his loved master, but he met an
obstruction about midway, when the
music came to a sudden standstill, and the
pale silvery moonheams were broken on
either side OF the deep water by man and
dog. The plunges in the chilly waters
below were simultaneous, but the cuss
words all came from the crooked eyed
fiddler.
TO BE CONTINUED.