Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-08
Uphill Work
 By HAYDEN CARRUTH
Copyright, 1903. by Daily Story Pub. O.,

Copyright, lsOs by Daily Story Pub. Col
 < GAYS the feIler to the other fe1-, Ter: Gan you play the violin?" s1 dunno,'' says the other feller, T never tried.'' Which is the same with me. Can I write a story? I dunno; never tried. But I'm reasonably sure I can give a plain account of g recent happening right here near our town of Haw1eyburgh, the facts of the same being known to me in general and particular, partly from being there and partly from setting in Pickelson's grocery and using a pair of nat'ral gifts heaven be- slowed on me. I refer to my ears.
 We'll, you see, there is a mighty likely girl lives near here as I could name-in fact it won't do any harm If do name her, though her name is mighty likely to change-but that's another story, as third feller said.' Her name, then, is Matilda Chollop l-o1d Squire Chollop's daughter. Pretty fine figure of a girl. Good many fel1ers been sweet on her. Had my own inclinations that way. Don't go round talking bout 'em though Not word to say what she thinks of me. May know, but shan't tell. Will say this, however. that she thinks less of certain felIer named Hanks than she did. You see this here certain feller named Hanks came up here from the city for his health, he said. He got some fine outdoor exercise fore he got through that ought to have give his state of health a considerable h,ist.
 You see old man PopdaIe, who lives out four or five miles, give a. dance one night last fall to christen new barn. Fine man, old Popdale Is, and everybody knew they'd have h good time, with two f1ddlers and barrel of cider. So everybody lowed they'd go. Of course this here Hanks he had to up and plan to go too. Called it a sshop.'' Tar nationest fool you ever see, Hanks was-1itt1e slim fe1ler with red eyes Used to go round with his head up like a balky cow with board over her face. Course he thought he had to take somebody to his .pesly hop, and he asked Matilda Cho1lop. And somehow she said yes-out of pity for the feller, mebby. I went out to old Chollop's myself the next day, thinking I'd ask her to go with me, but she said she'd promised Hanks. Some folks might a-thought from her manner that she was sorry that she'd been so fast, but I won't say anything about what I thought. I'm { not saying everything think. Any how, I'll say that she wished so fore she got through.
 We'll, went out to old PopdaIe's on the night of the dance, even if Matilda had gone and made some rash promises, and lots of other folks were there too, all anxious to start the new barn right and, see that the cider didn't spile. And just as it was growing sort of dark up Hrove that there Hanks, who was up ln the country for his health, and Matilda Chollop, who wished, nebby. shat she'd come with me- Hanks had borrowed the Widder Gandef- foot's one-hoss phaeton-one of these here ve-hick-els which looks like big basket and with powerful big wheels behind and nightly lit tie wheels in front. Biggest wheels behind and smallest wheels for'ard you ever seen, that being the way with phaetons in gen'ral and this one specially particular. We'll Banks tied his hoss under shed, and him and Matilda went into the barn with the others and the two, fiddlers struck up and soon we was all danc- ing right lively-tripping the light bombastie toe, as Hanks said. It was enough to make you sick to hear that feller talk.
 Well, we kept it up 1ivelier and livelier till along about midnight, the fddlers saving away like all get out, and the cider Eo1ding out uncommon, It being an extra large barrel and extra full. I reckoned mebby Ma tilda would have got enough of Hanks riding out with him, but she didn't seem to of, and so she must keep dancing with him right along, bout every other time. But I didn't find any fault-not mite. As usual was a-hearing and a-seeing, but l wasn't saying a word.
 It was just about the darkest night you ever seen. No moon for six weeks, and the stars, behind 40 miles of solid cloud And it happened along about midnight, or some after, or whereabouts, that some blamed rapsca1lion, or ra2scallions, went out Df that barn and into the shed where the hosses was hitched. And this here feller, or fellers. they walked around while pre b'bly did--snd prob,ly they talked some, and they seem to have entered into an .unholy and lowdown conspiracy to maks