The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-27

ment in the law class. The Farmer
was taking trip, AS the carriage
drew up to the hotel he appeared for
the first time in weeks in his farm
clothes. His pants were of a cerulean
! blue, his coat thin alpaca that dis
| closed the red cross of his galluses
his hat a characterization felt pulled
| far over his love-shining eyes. To
complete the picture-and why has
remained a myStery-he carried in his
hand blanket rolled in shawl strap.
He might have been a plough-boy
going to court week, yet the friends
| who had seen him the night before
| feared that his suit night yet go we'll
AS the Farmer climbed into the car
| riage, the Genius rushed from the no.
: tel and took the vacant seat He was
immaculate in the despised clothes. He
explained to the Farmer that he was
going to Baltimore. and would travel
with him as far as Weldon. Despite
/ his soreness at his treatment the Far
mer was glad of company, although by
mutual consent the chances of the trip
was fOrsWorn topic. While the
Farmer talked of many things and saw
that his blanket was tucked safely
away, the Genius was plotting against
| the wedding. BY the time the train
! had reached Raleigh he had found a
way. 1t had a desperate SAVIOR but
| it had a feasible look. The Genius
smiled when the Farmer, losing re-
straint spoke of that girl" at Weldon.
At Raleigh the Genius insisted on q
| Pullman, though the farmer demurred
! at the expense. And then ha ordered
champagne from the buffet. The Far
mer had never tasted champagne and,
after the first sip, he drank only be-
| cause the toast was to that girl. AT
! the conclusion of the bottle he ven
! tured the assertion that perfumery
water was fit only for dudes and that
/ he would order a drink to take the
taste out of his mouth. At this time
| the train was at Wake Forest and
| Genius left tho car to see a friend In
reality he went to the telegraph office.
There he filed this telegram:
Miss That Girl Weldon:
Only seventy EIGHT miles away from
| you. Coming"
(Signed) FARMER"
The stronger waters were consumed
| and before the next station had been
reached Genius had procured another
, bottle of "perfumery water" which
he left Farmer discussing with ac-
CURED interest at Frankllnton, where
a similar telegram was sent with the
! number of miles appropriately re-
| duced. At the next station and the
next the same telegram went in, al
ways in the same words except that the
miles grew less and less. In the
meantime The Farmer was telling all
/ who cared TO listen his name. his ped
igree the amount of his inheritance
and the object of his journey. Per-
i fumery water he shouted aloud, was
the only drink for a gentleman. AS
for himself he had never known be-
fore that he was a wit but the bubbles
had MADE him write a poem. 1t was
entitled THAT Girl and here it was
and while the car applauded, Genius,
sternly sober, slipped out again at
the station to send his fourteenth tele-
yram, only fifteen miles away
from you. Coming"
Now it must be remembered that
THAT Girl was not engaged to the
Farmer, but merely wanted to be. AT
the first telegram she bluShed and
deprecated the enthusiasm that never
theless touched her heart At the Sc
ccnd she was mystified, lamely ex
planning that he had forgotten the
first message. At the third she stamped
an angry foot and burst into tears at
l1he fourth. At the fifth ring OF the
bell, she rushed to her room, while
her mother, white 20 the lips, faced
the blue coated messenger with,
Don't you deliver another ole OF
those things!"
They're paid for shouted the boy
as he dropped the envelope and ran
from the house.
Weldon is a small place and things
leak from the wires as is well known.
The news spread that crazy man was
on his way to town to court Miss That
Girl. crowd gathered at the Of
lice. Railroad schedules were pro-
duced and bets laid as to the time the
next message would be received. Miss
That Girls father and two brothers
were summoned home. They stood at
the telegraph office receiving the mes
ges as they came, their hip pockets
bulging' suspiciously. VIXEN the last
message came-"only six miles away
from you," they took position OH the
platform. Presently the train came
IL: The father and brothers went
through from the smoker to the rear
sleeper, their eyes searching every
passenger, but in vain. Farmer was
present only in his kilograms.
outside on the platform an immacu-
late young man walked up and down
waiting for the train to start.
Whats that?" said he. "Know
Farmer? Oh, yes, very well. He got
off at GarYsburg, | believe
| ell Illl6S past w SIdOI llllS SOuIis5
man unlocked the door of :he drawing
room and sat down YEARLY while he
regarded Farmers sleeping form. His
face showed q mingled humor and re-
eret. TOO bad, too bad" he thought,
"but / did it for his good
week later, funds having been
sent by the third friend, the two wan
Gerers returned. They had been to
Baltimore and they were weary 60 the
death.
why didn't he kill me when he
found out?" said Genius. Il had saved
a stamp from the wreck to write home
with and 1 threatened to desert him
if he wouldn't cry quits
And the tanned Farmer never went
near Weldon again, though in due sea-
son he found wife elsewhere who
makes him bless the money spent on
the kilograms WHICH were sent.
Now, as was said in the beginning,
there is no moral in this tale, but only
49,.