The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-15
CHAPTER xxx. (continued.) aridalbin Follows Gabriel.

Al stlpper. Gabrielis grandmother had informed him that three. of his friends had come to invite him to accompany them to a country dance on the further side of Murder 'creek-a dance following a neighboring barbecue. These friends, his grandmother said. were Francis Bethune. Paul Tomln and Jesse Tldwell. They had searched the town over for Gabriel, and were. disappointed at not finding him at home.
 ''lt is all very well to read and study, Gabriel. and l am sure l am glad to know that you are doing both" said his grand mother. ebut you must remember that there are social obligations which cannot be ignored. You will have to go out into the world after awhile. and you should begin to get in the habit of 1t now. You should not avoid your friends. You shouldn't make a hermit of yourself. I know how 1t was in my day. l was not fond of society myself, but my mother always insisted that I should sacrifice my own inclinations for the pleasures of others, and in this way earn the only kind of popularity that is really gratfy- ing. And I really believe that I was the most popular of all the girls The dear old lady tossed her head triumphantly.
 That's what Mir. Clopton says re- marked Gabriel. 1 am lazy. l know; l can loaf with q book all day long; but for the life of me, cant do as Bethune does. He doesn't read, and he doesn study he just dawdes around, and calls on the girls, and talks with them by the hour. He used to be in love with Nan (so Mir. Sanders says) and now he's in love with Margaret Bridalbin; hes just crazy about her. Now, I'm not in love with anybody" Gabrielf' protested a still. small voice in his bosom-''and if [ were, 1 wouldn't dawdle around, and go and sit for hours at a time with Sally, and Susy and Bessie and Molly" De- cidedly, Gabriel was coming out; here he was with strong views of his own.
 His grandmother laughed aloud at this, saying, You are very much like your grandfather Gabriel But Francis Be- thune is very foolish not to stick to Nan; she is such a delightful girl. It would be very unfortunate indeed if those two were not to marry
 If the dear old lady had not been so loyal to her sex she would have told Ga- ,briel that Nan had visited her that very udN, dIlu ndu dSkeu d lDOdSdild anu Oiic questions about her old-time comrade. Indeed, Nan, with that delightful spirit of unconventionality that became her so well, had made bold to rummage through Gabriefs books and papers. She found one sheet on which he had evidently be- gun letter It started out we'll, and then stopped suddenly: Dear Nan: l hardly know" Then the attempt was aban- doned In despair. and on the lower part of the sheet was scrawled: Dearest Nan: l hardly know in fact don't know, and you1l never know till Gabriel blows his horn.' This sheet the fair forager promptly appropriated saying to herself, Boys are such funny creatures
 The conversation between Gabriel and his grandmother. as has been said, took place while they were eating their sup per. The youngster was not sorry that he was al nbsent when his friends called for him. It was a long ride to the Sample s pantation where the dance was to be, and a long long ride back home, when the fiddles were in their bags, the dancers Jagged out and the fun and excitement all over and done with. The Bermuda hill was good enough for Gabriel, unless he could arrange his own dances, and have one partner-jst one-from early candle- light till the grey dawn of morning. It was late when Gabriel returned from the Bermuda hill, later than he thought. Once in his room, Gabriel looked about for the book he had been reading during the afternoon. But the book was not to be found. It suddenly dawned on his mind that he had left 1t at the foot of the big poplar The book was a borrowed one and very valuable-one of the early edi- tions of Frankn's autobiography, bound in leather, and after Horace and Virgil, ,Fs-H fo.r ,-f4 There was but one thing to be done. Gabriel went softly down stairs, so as not to disturb his grandmother, and made his way to the big poplar, where he was fortunate enough to find the book. Thanks to the sheltering arm of the tree, and the leaf-coyered ground, the volume had sustained no damage.
 As Gabriel recovered the book he heard chorus of whistlers coming along the road, mingled with the sounds made by wagon drawn by horses. The wagon contained the young men who had been to the dance. They were in double seated spring wagon, drawn by two horses. They drew up in response to Ga briefs holla, and he climbed into the wagon.
 Well, what In the name of the seven stars are you doing out here in the woods at this time of night?" cried Jesse Tid- well. and he laughed with humorous scorn, when Gabriel told him.
 You missed 1t tonight, Tolliver,' said Francis Bethune Feel Samples" his name was Felix-"was considerably put out because you didn't come. And the girls-Tollivcr, when did you get ac- quainted with them? They all know you. Tidwell, who was the red-headed girl that raved so about Tollivers eurls?'
 "Oh," exclaimed Jesse Tidwell, that was Amy Rowland It's no use for Ga briel to blow his horn, when he has all the girls in that part of the country to blow it for him.
 'There's another thing you missed, Tol- liver. But Feel Samples has COW that gives apple brandy. and old Burrel Bo- | harmon, the one-legged fiddler, must have milked her dry for along about half past | ten he kind of rolled his eyes, and l fetched gasp and wobbled out of his chair. and lay on the floor just as if he | was stone dead"
 | In a short time the young men had | reached the tavern, where the team and vehicle belonged As they drew up in front of the door Jesse Tidwell. continu- ing and completing his description of the