The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-07-31

feather buster as a cane. sometnlhS
about the harness broke and the morse !
walking half way out of the shafts, stop
ped as a quarter centurys hardening 10
mishaps had taught him to do
With a little scream the occupant OF
the buggy essaycd to jump from the
birh box and tripping. fell to the ground.
Rut if was not Nelson Harding. but
n~,ercifrl heaven. Miss Crayson. She lay
where she had fallen, as If stunned out
when T~ruemanSran toward her she sat
uD. glanced at him, and screamed again
Are YOU hurt?' asked he, and she
after her second scream, acted as il Il
we're quite the ordinary thing for Hama
ford men to take nocturnal rambleS IN
cotton robes. She rose to her feet and
answered him calmly, NO, / am not a
bit hurt but l don't in the least know
what to do
Trueman stepped over to the wagon
and saw that the whiffle tree had broken
and had released one Of the traces.
rs there a rope in the wagon" said
yes. the tie line she answered.
.sTbat will do. III fix you up so you can
get the wagon home, and as you don't
care to ride in it III drive it and you
can walk. It's such a little distance
O how pretty she did look, So fresh.
That little wave of hair that had loosed
itself from it's fellow-locks was SO raw
ishing.. What an inspiring thought
that he could be of real service to such
a beautiful. girl. If he could be sure that
she was fond of flowers.
He took the rope and with the help
of his now truly valuable feather duster,
- eanl;o~o1 n rom orH tn tho yrHifHp-
| tree and slipped the traces end over the
handle. While he worked at it and she
watched him with an admiring interest,
for he was %singularly deft with his hands,
he suddenly said:
Miss Grayson, I meant to ask you
the other night if you were fond of flow
| ers."
Il adore them" she replied with fer
vor.
Have you ever seen my %garden?'
"Not near to. I noticed it as was
driving by on Friday. 1t is beautiful.
And Mrs. Harding says you laid it out
Yourself"
4 always do. I'd like you to come and
see it-nOt now-with Mrs. Harding"
Then he remembered that the oxen
had done for his garden, and he SIAM
mered, 90, | forgot. It's ruined. The
oxen ate it up"
THE oxen ate it up?" said she after
him. 1t now struck her fer the first
time that perhaps he was crazy. He
certainly had on a very crazy costume.
If he had not been the AdOniS that he
certainly was, this cotton robe and the
lonely looking carpet slipper Of Vene-
tian red would not have been becoming
to him. But even his touseled hair be
came him and he would have looked
handsome in anything. But why was he
out so late on so cool a night with such
inadequate clothing?
There, that1l last until you get home"
said he. He took the reins and climbed
into the wagon. He stubbcd his bare toe
en- tie step and the pain was eXcrusiat-
ing for a moment but his face did not
show it.
III drive slowly and you can walk.
I don't suppose you care to ride said
he.
Mold rather walk said she.
How kind he was but how peculiar.
She did hope that no one would be look
ing out. 1t would seem so queer.
He gazed at her fondly from the seat
as the old horse began to walk slowly
along. He drew the lap robe. over his
knees. He was getting cool.
Miss GraysOn, have you-have you
ever though seriously about marriage?'
mot since ! was a child" said she,
laughing, she knew not why.
Then you haven't ceased to think Of
it." he said. and realized that it wasn't
exactly what he had meant to express.
4 mean-why, Miss Grayson, we have
SO much in cOmmOn-you love old furni-
ture and so do / and you love flowers
and ] do, too, and II adore you, and
you
Really, Mr.. Newberry, don't know
how to take YOU"
Take me as I am-that Mis-
Grayson-what is your first nance"
Ruth" said Miss Grayson almost be-
fore she knew it.
He clasped the reins in his hands and
he now raised reins and hands to his
heart and said:
Ruth, l am not a man to shilly-shally.
| knew I'd marry when the right woman
came along, and here-here you are.
Don't say no. I have a comfortable
house and | can restore my garden in
spite of the oxen that are cursed or
blessed, according as you answer me.
Come, we are almost at your house. I
will leave the horse and wagon here and
hallOo for Mr., Harding if you will but
say the one little word that l want. Isn't
ruling me better than ruling q lot of
unruly children? | know what that school
is. l went there myself and no teachers
lot is an easy one
He stopped the horse and Miss Gray
son stopped mechanically. He wound the
reins around the whipstock and Chamber
ed out of the wagon on the side opposite
the school teacher. This time his ex-
posed toe escaped injury.
"Why are you here in your-in white?'
81 ohocnI Good WIN > oyo. f~, -,