Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-03-13

her blue eyes melllus anu - hA'p''-''
and her voice so caressing that every
body's heart went out to her at once. -.
At first all went well, the girls took II
,n +urn to sit next to her and hold her
hand: the men stood by and looked on.
Gradually, however, this order of things
became reversed, and then, OF course, To-
cal nolitics grew complicated. it really
wasn't Floras fault-at least, she told us
4 wasn't. She always felt the need of
affection. and IL people did love her how
could she preyent them from telling her
40? 1t was not very long, as may be
imagined. before her attention was turned
IN our hero. She was very gentle win
him and took him so seriously that he
took her seriously too. And one night at
a dance when be had torn her train and
broken her fan, he was just going TO tel
her all his worries when Drayton WsN
eams up and claimed the next dance.
Drayton West was well bred and good
looking and left poor Meek or Nothing
as fairly routed on the field as he was on
the parquet. For the rest of the evening
he sat alone in a corner Of the gallery,
looking down at the dancers-he never
took his eyes off Flora, and l think she
was quite aware Of the fact. Neck OF
Nothing" did not go to bed that night.
He tramped twenty miles through brake
and brier, and when next morning he pre-
sented himself before his enchantress he
was wild eyed and determined. The in
tsrview was short and stormy.
"Will you marry me? Yes or nor was
the thunderbolt he launched at her grace
full head Flora sank down on the settee
with a contented sigh, and, in her tender
hearted way, tried to temporize. But he
would have none Of it. He refused to
come here and sit down, he refused TO
have nice comfortable talk, he refused
to be a good, sensible boy. Yes or no."
and Eyes or no" only, was the refrain.
or course this did not suit Flora at all.
She didn't want to marry him, but she
did want to be nice to him, but at length,
finding him monotonously obdurate, she
admitted regretfully enough:
"Well if you will, of course it's no."
'Neck or Nothing" laughed loudly and
rudely.
"Of course it isl" he cried and walked
out Of the room and out of the house, and,
to Floras evident disappointment, he
never came back.
For three whole months he detached
himself from frivolous society, and If his
friends missed him so did his tailor, for
when first stricken, the need Of Flora and
new suits had been simultaneous symp-
toms. 1t was calculated that when the
fever was at its height he changed his at
tire every twenty-five minutes, and what
attentions he could spare from his divin-
ity were bestowed on color schemes IN
socks and ties But the answer was no,
and our hero went home to find consOla-
ton in a pipe, an old jacket and boots
that were big enough.
One day in autumn we all rode to Ken
nythorpe. Flora was anything but an
intrepid horsewoman, but she looked very
beautiful in her habit, and Drayton West
rode by her side 1t was surely the finger
of fate that drew Neck or Nothing to
Kennythorpe that day, for as we cantered
down the High street we saw him riding
toward us. Neck or Nothing" rides that
sort Of horse you can hit with stump
and il doesn't mind. He called it Welsh
pony. and people said it was hollow, for
its sides rcverberatcd like drum as he
Clattered along the road and belabored
them. At the sound of his approach our
horses laid back their ears and began to
fdget, and there seemed some possibility
OF a stampede, when all Of sudden
fresh incident occurred which engaged
everybody's attention. We happened to
be on the bridge which crosses the slug
gish little river Kenny when there rose
sudden clamor, and we saw child strug-
Cling in the water.
Flora went very white.
"Oh, do save it"' she cried.
Drayton West dismounted Immediately
and as he did so he glanced at his late
rival and could scarcely repress laugh,
for, quick as thought, "Neck or Nothing"
had dashed from his horse and leaped
upon the parapet of the bridge. The next
instant we saw him throw his arms above
his head and dive elaborately into cou-
ple of feet of water and half foot Of
mud. Scared before, the child screamed
with redoublcd vigor at this fresh calam-
ity, and Drayton West ran down the
bank ut the side of the bridge and drew
her into safety with the handle of his
hunting crop. When Meek or Nothing
had got some Of the mud out Of his eyes
and found, after n great deal Of founder
ing, that he was standing in about two
feet OF water, he discovered that the res
cue had been gracefully accomplished and
the assembled company was incapable with
laughter. But there were two exceptions
the wet child still shrank from him in
terror, and l noticed that F,lora's blue
eyes were full of tears. Meek or Moth
Ing" saw them, too, and he at least had
no doubt as to the emotion which brought
| them there.
Alas for the schemes of mice and men,
that ride to Kennythorpe hardly turned
out as Drayton West had intended. We
waited while Meek or Nothing" got a
change, and, on the return journey,
FIora's horse had rather more Of the
Welsh pony's company than 1t cared
| about.
"Elora," said the next day, "'Neck or
Nothing seemed to find a great deal to
say to you last night"
Flora smiled little ruefully.
"Yes," she said with sigh, Il expect
| shall have to marry him"
And she did.-King.