The Forrest City times., 1899-05-19


 or gold sieve were ever in his clutch. Gran, on more than one occasion, had insinuated that Bill was mo beauty but to this and many similar aspersions Nance chose to be deaf.
 Dad ain't yet to home," she an- nounced, as Bill scraped his heavy boot sole on the spindle of the chair.
 "Oh, ain't he? Then l guess it's eucher with Gran"
 No, 1t ain't!" Gran replied with much crispness-"it's our Nance is after ask ing you riddle, Bill"
 "All-factory?" "queried Nance, "what's it mean, Bill?"
 Looking aimlessly up into the smoked rafters, Bill said it was fresh word to him.
 "Nance was speaking about yer all- factory nerves" put in Gran, land I said as how you'd got none. 'Spose Nance's head is full O rubbish? She picks it out O they books as you brings along."
 Most like" assented Bill. "They yarns is wrote, I've heered say, by folk as iz too lazy for proper hard graft. Never you worrit about the big words in they blessed books," he insisted to Nance; mot so long as they gives you a bit of amoozemint."
 II knows every word I read" Nance retorted, sharply.
 Well, ain't you got dick-shunary ?'' Bill queried, anxious to settle matter, and proceed to cards.
 "Of course!" cried Nance, stepping on | a stool and searching on the top shelf of the cupboard, land here it be-" Hurry up, Gran Vardon!" cried Bill. reaching across the table for the pack of cards, ''let's make start while Nance spots that funny word, eh?"
 "No," grumbled Gran, let's find whether or no you've got them sorter nerves-let's find that out, fust." So Bill cuddled his knees while Nance sought for the mystifying word. "O-l-fac-tory!" she exclaimed, event. ually, looking round with an air of tri- umph, there's just what it means-'per- taining to the scence of smell.'" "Smell!" Gran ejaculated, that's got | todo with the nose, sure enough. Sakes, | Bill, it ain't true when I sez to Nance | as you ain't got no smell. Stakes alive, | Dad sez as your nose is nigh enough the size of spade. My eyes, you've got some O they all-factory nerves, sure enough"
 Didn't I think as he had?" queried | Nance, maliciously rejoiced to find Gran was in the wrong-'who can help see. in as Bill has nose? We all guess he's got one."
 Poor Nance was in reality speaking in stout defense of her supposed lover so she crushed her cherry-colored apron between her trembling fingers when Bill rose to his feet and used even worse language than she had wondered at when presented in fiction. His conduct was quite unexpected Her hero in the flesh was possessed oi stronger feelings than she had ever given him credit for.
 | My nose was born with mel" hs yelled, "and it don't belong to none ex cept me. Folks as can't put up wi my nose don't want my comp'ny. It ain't a drinkin' nose, like Dad's-nor c snubby little affair, like yours, Nance nor dried-up old twig, like Grams I'm off."
 T sez nothin' spiteful as to yer nose, said Gran, starting up from the stove side. T did say it aint machine-madt and don't the shape O it bear us out It ain't," she protested, vigorously Articles what is turned out by fac tories comes in scores, like to each oth CT as two peas in pod-but yours, true enough, is the only one of it's sort al I've clapped my eyes on in my life" | Bill turned aside his head to hide tn, much-abused organ, and declared in [ gutteral voice that "deuced" lonf time would pass before he ever favored Doughboys' hollow with visit. Nanc, followed him out of the hut.
 Bill" she pleaded, 'I ain't clever, but I'd give all I've got to smooth it overv
 Ut don't want smoothing-it' fla enough, as anyone can see with half al eye. l thought as you'd got heart al warm as your red hair!" Nance was proof against offense though her heart thumped furiously l hue of her hair.
 ''See here, Bill" she entreated, draw ing him down beside her on the lot where Gran had partaken of onions il the earlier part of the evening, its lik, this, if you'll listen. Mebbe it's all m, fault. Gran was eatin' of TOT onions to day as if they was apples and told he she'd oughter be shot, doin' of it wheI company was comin'. Then I read il my book as you brought me that Lad, Clarissa got into trouble for crossing over a cattleyard just afore Sir Feveri her loyyer, you know, Bill-com' along with his 'all-factory nerves So you see, as I thought your nerves ud b' upset by the smell of onions. But, yol look here, Bill!-if you pinches you nose with two fingers you can't smel nothin'-can yer?"
 He shook his head in a sheepish ant unwilling manner.
 "So," continued Nance, "I guess all factory nerves don't signify the nose arter all. You ain't got none, or you, have smelled they onions, and might, | stron0 Don't worrit m more a ahout if