The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-10-20

"Some spruce gum that I got off
the logs this afternoon"
Sally accepted and began to chew.
She was knitting that evening. Mr..
Simms canted his shair back on its
hind legs against the vail and said
nothing further. He had killed a big
black snake in the mill yards that
day, but he didn't mention It. He
had heard at the postoffce that a
trolley car in Philadelphia had run
off the track and killed five passen.
gers, but he didn't repeat 1t. In fact,
he dozed and nodded and slept. and
1t was the clock striking 10 that
aroused him. Sally had knit and
chewed and had real good time.
Bring you some more gum some.
Time" said Mr.. Simms as he rose up
and yawned and took his departure.
Gums good" was Sally's reply as
she shut the door after him.
The fourth man came from village
ten miles away. He was lawyer,
about thirty years old. He was talk.
ative and up to date. He made an
afternoon call. He decided that Sally
was plain, but that the $4,000 was
good. He had travelled, and he set
out to arouse the girls interest and
curiosity. He told her of Niagara
Falls-the great cities-the fine hotels
ocean steamers - London--Paris.
She looked at him in amazement, and
he was flattering himself that he was
making great impression when she
opened her mouth and asked:
Did you ever see COW fall down
on the ice on the mill pond in win.
ter?"
He never had. He acknowledged
that he never had, and Miss Sally
Plum had no further use for him.
She went out into the garden to weed
the onion bed, and there was nothing
for the lawyer to do but take his de-
parture.
Then the fifth man came. He was
a clerk from store in another vii
lage. He was up on dress and eti.
quette. He was smooth of speech.
He brought a bouquet with him. He
raised his hat to Sally and again
to her mother. He found them on
the veranda, both sewing. He ex.
tracted scented handkerchief from
his pocket and did lot of small
talk. He alco flattered both women
He was getting along bravely. when
the mother withdrew. He began to
talk about the poets, to see If Sally's
approachable spot lay in that direc
tion, and after long hour she In.
terrupted him to ask:
Were you ever bit by a hyena?'
He never had been. and there was
no call for the girl to say more. Then
Deacon Johnson returned. He felt
that he had not been explicit enough.
He returned to say that In case of
marriage he should buy a gilt.framed
mirror for the parlor. and that the
bridal tour should include Niagara
falls. He had never been there him
self, but had talked with a man who
had, and he was going on to tell of
the awful majesty when Miss Sally
interrupted him to ask:
Deacon, do you believe that 'tater.
bugs burrow into cucumbers?"
Then back came Mr.. Simms. With
out any previous warning he drove
up in a one-horse wagon, handed
Sally another package of spruce gum
and said:
I'VE are going over to Scottsville
to the circus"
Sally got ready without a word.
On tho civ.Dnfla J,.fu h.,
was spoken. She chewed gum and he
whistled the air of a hymn. When
they arrived in the town he bought
gingerbread and root beer. In the
menagerie they walked from cage to
cage, and Mr.. Simms briefly ex.
plained
Lion here"
This is Bengal tiger"
Blamed hyena here"
Elephants over there"
While witnessing the circus per.
formance they had peanuts and lem
onade. The clown was funny, but
Mr.. Simms and Sally sat there as
solemn as owls. The riding and tumb
ling were good. but they made no
u,
Mr., Simms handed over some more
spruce to replace the "cud" thrown
away to eat the peanuts, and they
logged home. Two weeks passed,
and Mr.. Simms called at the house to
say:
sally. shall get the preacher next
week"
She didn't reply for minute. and
then said:
William. them hyenas was aw.
full"
Yep"
"But the peanut was fine"
Next week, Sally"
And Sally plum was wooed ana
won. Any one could have got her
and her $4,000 had they studied her.
She was different, you know"