Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-07-21

when a splinter from the "pung" hit
him in the forehead and left a great
bruise. There was a bad mix-up for
five minutes.
It's wonderful how girl can gee
whiz down Hill and knock men and
horses into the middle of next week
and yet do very little damage. When
things were Strengthened out, it was
found that the girl had a cut on the
wrist and a twisted ankle: old Adam 8
knock-kneed steed had his knees
barked; old Adam himself had a shout
der wrenched; the old "pung" could
be patched up. AS for the young man.
he had bruise, but he was smiling
as he helped to extricate the cause of
the smash-up and deposit her in his
cutter, where she INDUCED IN few
Mysteries to prove that she still lived.
1t was old Adam who did most Of the
talking, and he didn't talk In whis-
per. He talked to the seven winds of
earth, and he tried to gesticulate with
his injured arm as he GRATED:
Now by jiminy-cracky, but some
body shall pay for this!" he piped.
Who's this gal? I'll bet a cent she's
been riding down my hill. If she has.
then it's trespass and a lawsuit, Then
she banged into my hossi That's
another lawsuit Then she's banged
into mel That's a third Then the
pung has been smashed, and the law
has got to assess the damages. Then
I've got to have pay for being skeered
half to death All them lawsuits, and
then this young Teller is to be settled
with. Young woman, | wouldn't want
to be in your shoes!"
Miss Hyde began to cry. 1t was the
first time in her life she had been
threatened with ten or fifteen lawsuits
| Her father was a prosperous merchant
| in the city, but so many verd1cts must
| drive him into bankruptcy. The young
man called old Adam for his threats
and said he would see him later about
| damages.
| Miss Bessie was driven up the hill
/ and turned over to the care OF heT
aunt. She was still nervous, but she
! could see that bruise, and she insisted
| that it be attended to at once. 1t was
| attended to. The young man intro
! duced himself as Mr.. Howard Kyle
and it was a long hour before he con
tinued his drive. OF course he returned
next day. That was only good form
! He was visiting a brother only two
miles away and it was no great trouble
! to come over.
The bruise was still there, but bet
! ter. Miss Bessie's wrist was also still
| there, and also much better. What she
was worrying about was those law
suits. Would the damage altogether
| amount to a hundred thousand dollars
Would she have to go out as servant
girl for the rest of her life to help
make up the sum? Mr.. Kyle had been
very kind, but did that mean he would
/ not seek to collect damages? 1t was
| only after the adventure had been
! talked over at length that she heaved
a sigh of relief. He informed her that
he had settled all damages with old
| Adam for ready cash. The sigh of re
lief still fingered in the air when q
horrible thought came to the sigheI
and she cried out:
But I've got to pay you, and maybe
papa hasn't money enough! Please
tell me how much it is, and l viii
write him at once"
But he didn't tell her-not then. He
waited a whole year, and then, one
evening as they were sitting together
! he suddenly said:
Il paid old Adam five dollars to set
tie damages. It's been a year now
and l want settlement with you"
She reached out her hand, and he
took it and seemed to think he haG
got the best of the bargain.