The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-01-28

said Sam BleJlock; seems e II til
amt no harm I him"
He's very God-fearin' man." said
Eliza, softly, AN powerful reader O.
the Bible
Of you'll take my say so, you'll git
quit Of him. said Dick Oscar.
He's got such beautiful taste!" said
Mother Bleylock. Its as good S goin'
to tn city to look al his things"
II see he's a-dressin' you up" said
| Oscar, with a sheer at the new ribbons
the girls wore round their necks.
Janey sprang up. Her face Redeemed.
In an instant she had torn off the rib
bon and stamped her foot on it.
That's how much | care for him an
his ribbons!" she cried.
Don't fly quite off the handle" said
Mr. Oscar, coolly.
Poor Janey. She had hoped to please
her lover by her scorn of the peddler's
gift, but she was coming to the conclu-
sion that he was hard man to please
She was a passionate young animal
and she had thrown herself into his
arms with readiness that robbed her
self of her graces. He liked to sting
and stroke her alternately, and was
about as unsatisfactory lover as
Janey could have found on the Cumber-
land. But she liked him, saw with his
eyes, thought with his thoughts. Nat
urally she turned against the peddler,
and from this time set herself to watch
him.
Chance favored Miss Janey. She was
bathing, one warm day, in the creek
that ran out from the spring. when she
saw Eliza and the peddler coming, like
Jack and Jill, to fetch pail of water.
Being naked, Janey could not get
away; but she slid along to cool inlet
overhung with tree branches, and, so
hidden, waited for them to do their
errand. Of course they stopped to talk.
THAT pink ribbon becomes your
black hair nightly" said the peddler.
Eliza blushed. "We're just country
girls, you know, Mr. Pond; we don't
have many pretty things. Seems IS if
the boys don't have any money left
after buyin' the sugar, an flour an mo-
lasses, an things"
''Meat, l s'pose," said the practical
peddler.
mo; we raise our own meat. Pa has
a powerful lot O. hogs"
"So!"
"But I expect you don't take much in
terest in country life, Mr.. Pond?"
why, my dear"-and Mr.. Pond
slipped his arm around EliZa-'I'd like
the best in the world to settle down in
a country just like this. A fellow gets
tired trampin' around. But I'd want
two things to make me happy"
Eliza looked at him with happy conf
dence.
"First little wife at was gentle in
her ways, and good religious girl, an
one with black hair to set off the pink
ribbins I'd buy for her, an fleet foot,
an red mouth"
Here Mr.. Pond came to full stop
with kiss.
"And the other thing?" with a bright
blush.
The peddler grew practical again.
"Well, it's nothin' more'n some way to
make Twin. Now, say l married a
sweet girl up the Cumberland, and
made little crop. It's too far to get 1t
to market. might turn it into whisky,
but lately gov'ment's turned meddler,
ar is breakin' stills right an left
through the country"
"They do hide 'em sometimes" said
Eliza, in half-whisper, "so't blood
hound could hardly scent 'em. An a
very good business it is, an the hogs
live on the mash"
"Do you know of any such stills, my
little darlin'?"
But she drew back a little. EFF do
know of any" she said, "I've promised
not to tell Of EN-"
Not to the man as is goin' to be your
husband?"
"Not 10 him until ne is my husband"
And blushing, but resolute, Eliza filled
her pail and started for the house.
Under the water Janey clinched her
hands. "Dick was right" she thought;
"and l see his game. He's spy, and
Eliza's fool"
She knew that she had heard enough
to Justify her lover in his suspicious,
enough to put them all on their guard.
A passionate exultation fired her blood
as she thought of the service she should
render Dick Oscar his praise, the re-
ward of his rude kisses.
But, alas for Janey! Something had
rutfled her sweetheart's temper when
they next met. Before she could APP
proach the subject of which she was
full, singing words had passed be-
tween them.
"Dick," said fancy, hoarsely, "d'ye
mean that you're going back from your
word, that you amt a-goin' to marry
me?"
MARRY, mol" said Mr.. Oscar, and he
walked off.
81 want to speak t YOU" said Janey
that night to the peddler. Can you git
up in tn mornin befo' tn folks is STIR
rin'?"
"Of course l can, when it's to meet a
gal like you"