Hutchinson gazette., 1902-01-23

lNHuNl-hVhIV'u way lTlgu 10 lelnpOflEe
But he would have none Of It. lie fe.
fused 10 como here and sit dOWn--hl
refused % have nice, comfortable tall
he refused 10 be a good, sensible boy
YES or no." and "Yes or no" ouly, wat
thj refrain, OF course this did not SUI
Flora at all; she didn't want to MARI.
himi but at length, finding hin
monotonously obduratc, she ADMITTED
regretfu!ly enough;
"Well, II you will, OF course, It's no,
"Neck or Nothing laughed loudl,
and rudely.
"of course II Isl" he cried and walk
cd out Of the room and out Of thu house
and, to Flora's evident disappointment
he never came back,
Fod three whole months he detached
himself from frivolous society, aud /
his friends missed him, so did his tail
or, for when first stricken, the need o
Flora ami new suits had been sImultan
oous symptoms, II was calcula, I'D thu
when this fever was at Its height ~
changed his attire every twenty-five
minutes, and what attentions he coull
spare from his divinity were bestowed
on color schemes In socks and ties. Bu
the answer was no, ana ouh hero wen
home to find consolation In a pipe, NJ
old Jacket and boots that We're BIZ
enough.
One day in autumn We all rode /,
Kennythrope, Flora was anything bu
an intrepid horsewoman, but sh5 looked
very beautiful In her habit, and Drayto.
West rode by hcN side, 1t was surel!
the finger Of fatd that drew meek o.
Nothing" to Kennythrope that day, TO
as we canterCd down the High street W,
Naw him riding towards us. Now, "Necl
or Nothing rides thai sort OF horG
you can hit with q slump and 1t doesn'
mind He called 1t ~ Welsh pony, ant
people said II was hollow, for Its side
reverberated like a drum rs he clattere,
along the road and belabOred them A
the sound OF his approach our horse
laid back their ears AID aefan 70 idget
and there seemed sou, possibility Of
stampede, when ali u sndnen fires!
incident occurred ~H.cl .ng,.ged every
body's attention. W. a,.ppened 10 be- ol
the bridge which GrDRsat the sluggish
little river Kenny, whc' there rose
sudden clamor and We ~sy child strug
Cling in the water.
Flora went very white
"oh, do save IL" she cried,
Drayton West dsmouoted immediate
ly, and as he did so hr glanced at hi
late rival, and could jGarcely repress
laugh; for quick as thJught, "Ncck o
Nothing had dashed uom hi, horse AM
had lcapt upon tho yara?et of tn
bridge. The next nOmea We Jaw hin
throw his arms abov' ,s lead and div
elaborately into a coupr Of feet Of wale
and a half foot of mud, Scared he
fore, the child screamed with redoubl,
vlgor at this fresh calamity, aad Dray
ton West ran down the bank at he sid
of the bridge and drew ner into salei.
with the handle Of his hunting croI
When "Neck or Nothing" Ead got SOM
of the mud out Of his eyes, and tound
after a great deal OF flounderng that h
was standing in about Two feet Of water
NE discovered that the rescue mad beef
gracefully accomplished and the assem-
bled company was incapable with laugh
ter. But there were two exceptions
the wet child still shrank from him u
terror, and | noticed that Flora's BIN
eyes were full OF tears, Meek or Nolh
ing" saw them too, and he at least ha'
no doubt as to the emotion whlci
brought them there.
Alas for the schemes OF mice ah'
men-that ride to Kennythrope Lardl!
turned out as Drayton West had lnlend
ed. We waited while meek or Moth
ing" got chance, and on the return
Journey Floras horse had rather mor'
OF the Welsh pony's company Than
cared about
Flora" said the next day Nec'
or Nothing seemed 10 find a great dea
to say to you last night
Flora smiled little ruefuIly'
Eyes" she said, with a sigh, i eN
pect shall have to marry him.
And she did.
Ap,b ,asad0r's SsIRTie' Ample