The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-03-15
IN THE NICK OF TIME.
BY MARCO MORROW.


clipper, and I am afraid somewhat
oficious, uncle to his new town house.
At FIVE o'clock found myself in Aunt
Margaret's front parlor.
| Uncle William called up Tom by
| telephone, and after few minutes
chat with him felt somewhat reas-
sured. Dinner was announced very
early, and was soon over. As the
clock chimed six I went upstairs to
make hurried toilet. But where was
my bag? I hurried downstairs again
and put the question to Uncle Will
liam.
tBy Jove!" he exclaimed, eve must
have left it at the station!'
He hurried down town to fetch the
bag, promising to return ''before you
know I'm gone;" but the minutes
slipped away. and the carriage drove
up to the gate before he got back. He
finally came, however.
! ''Here YOU are,'' he said, as he
handed me tie bag. ':Now you want
to hurry, young man, or you'll be
late"
I fairly jumped into my clothes,
trusting to luck for appearance. As I
tied my cravat Uncle William tapped
on the door.
s'It's Eve minutes of sevenn' he ex-
claimed.
1 coN5n't say exactly what wanted
to say, so >contentedmyself by giving
the crayat~a vicious twist. Three
minutes later I dashed down the hail,
threw good-by at Aunt Margaret and
hurrie5 into the yard.
The coachman was driving away.
eli, thereH' shouted Uncle William
from the front steps. ''Hoas on there,
driver! Wilson, stop that haekr'
4 Wilson was evidently Unele VIII.
liain's next-door neighbor.. Hs was
-Aisn>A1zTss ss~eta-1sss-s .s-'sss' .s5ssEis
gate to his own domicile. He turned
around slowly and looked at the car
riage and then at Uncle William.
ssWhat for?' he asked. ''What's
| the matter with it?''
eli, there, driver!' shouted Uncle
William again, as I tore down the
path. -..a ....
The coachman drew in his horses
with an air ofimpatient expectancy.
"What in the world do you mean?"
cried Uncle William, putting in anger,
behind me.
eyes, what do you mean" I echoed,
'drivi1g off without me:''
''W4y, sir,' said the evidently
greatly puzzled coachman, with nod
Of his head toward Mr.. Wilson, she
said for
"Well, we'll, well!' cried 7Ir. Will
son, joining US on the sidewalk. 'sWhat
does all this mean, anyway? What
are you holding this carriage here
for?'
Uncle William began saying some
thing under his breath, but was
checked by feminine voice from the
carriage.
"Dri7er," it asked, ''what's the
matter"
"Oh!" exclaimed Uncle William, a
light breaking in upon him, '.you're
made a mistake here, Wilson. This
is carriage 1 ordered to take my
nephew to the wedding"
"Oh, I guess not," said Nj. Wilson,
bristling up more than ever. 'tThis
is carriage T ordered to take my
niece to the commencement"
The two men glarel at each other
like wild animals, and I turned from
one to the othe in hopeless perplex-
ity.
'.Drive on!' cried Mr.. Wilson, and
the driver drew up the reins.
Hold onr' cried Uncle William,
aud the driver loosened the reins. He
evidently enjoyed the situation.
The two men moved toward each
other, and then Aunt Margaret came
down the path, fastening to the un-
; tangling of Uncle Williams mistakes,
rs she had been doing throughout
their married life.
This is a muddle," she said to MI.
! Wilson in her sweetest tones. s'The
stablemen have probably got the two
| orders confused"
! IT don't know about that" said
Mr.. Wilson, ''but I've got the car
rage"
't5ut see here" put in Uncle Will
liam, "Dick's best man, and he mustn' t
be late at the wedding"
II can't help that" retortel Mr..
Wilson. "My niece mustn't be late at
the commencement, either"
'spll tell you," cried Aun. Margaret,
with sudden inspiration, ''why can't
they go together? The seminary is
only little ways beyond Christ
church. I know your niece won't
object if I explain
Aunt Margaret dashed out into the
street toward the carriage, and fol-
lowed, wiping my moist brow, bewall-
ing my willing linen aud consumed
with impatience.
In the next few seconds I heard
Aunt Margaret making hurried ex-
planation which concluded with cav
fully good Of you, I'm sure, but I
knew you'd consent under the cir
cunstances;" then the door was flung
open, Uncle William gave me a push
from behind, while Aunt Margaret
mnrmured introductions, and i found
myself stepping into carriage which
seemed filed with flowers and tuTy
white stuff, from the midst Of which
J I Z