The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1906-09-28

in pleasure Then she added artless
ly that she herself had never seen g
real circus; a menagerie of one ele
phant power was as near as she had
come. A pity! to be sure. No; she
had no scruples; 1t bad just somehow
never quite suited for her to go wher
circus day came round. Somebody
had been sick or the crop in grass
Mr.. Hicks had gone-men always
went-but that did not mean stopping
plow, as would have been the case
had she insisted; of course she would
have had to have the mules end rock
away. Now that she was a widow
she had not felt if was just the thing
to do; a circus seemed somehow tc
require a man. along. Maybe she
would 90 next time; her nephew
Freddie Drawne, was growing up sc
fast.
There Billy said boldly, with a
sheepisb glance toward Amelia, ooh
maybe you'll have son-in-law-and
if be don't take you-why, ask me to
thrash him for you"
eff you're willing to do that for me
maybe you went mlnd doing some
thing easer-letting me 60 long with
you and Amelia today. It's dreadful
lonely staying at home and watching
all the neighborhood 60 by Mrs.
Hicks said, with a plaintive smile.
Billy gasped, but could not re-
fuse.
Amelia stood thunderstruck. She
turned half about, meanil g to say she
would not go, but a glance at her
mothers face stopped her. Her moth.
er was counting on rebellion in her
daughter; if Billy saw her fly into a
tant1um be might we'll be scared off,
So she controlled herself and Chamber
ed up.into the buggy, outwardly smil.
ing, but inwardly gritting her teeth.
The buggy was high and the seat
so narrow it barely held two persons.
Billy had to kneel upon the floor
steadying himself with the reins as
best he might. 1t was more than ag.
gravating-he had the fastest horse
on the rosd and had counted on giving
dust to everything else there, no less
than or having the prettiest face in
the county at his side. Now he drove
at almost a foot pace. Partly be.
cause of the added weight, but much
more because he wanted to keep away
from sight of his acquaintances.
Naturally conversation languished.
For a while Mrs. Hicks kept up a
sprightly chatter, but after mile OF
twoSeven she tell silent. Amelia sat
with clinched hands, ready to cry be-
tween anger and modification. Oh
course Billy would be angry-he had
a right to be. Not with her, to be
sure-but then how could she expect
him to discriminate? Her mother
see knew we'll had the name Of being
proud and a schemer. There would
be plenty of folks to tell Billy, if he
did not think of it himself, that the
whole thing had been planned between
mother and daughter, on purpose to
make him ridiculous.
Being self-made he was keenly sen
sitive. Unless she could make him
understand her innocence she had
lost him. And she did not want to
lose him-she loved every fiber of bis
six-foot ruddy comeliness as she hated
the oily lankness Of Brother Gil
lam.
Her heart leaped when Gillian drew
up along side the buggy and said try
ing to speag jocularly: "Why, Batson
don't you know there are laws against
monopoly? Here I'm driving to town
without a soul to bear me company
Divide, man!-divide! I know its
hard to choose-but you must give
me passenger
II have to mind the preacher, don't
I, Mrs. Hicks?" Billy asked over his
shoulder, making way for her and
checking his horse as he spoke. He
of course, could not choose-how she
must understand that she was in the
way.
But Mrs. Hicks sat tight, giggling
and saying airi)y: Indeed you do
Mist Batson? Cut the wheels the
least mite more-then Amelia Car
step across-no need in the world o1
gettin' out to help her-and Brother
Gillian can meet US at Matthewses-
their yard is such a good place to see
the parade"
There must have been fate in it