The Caucasian., 1913-10-14
goats ypu reed about. Amy truth in

Tomorrow g echoed three fepiniUe
voices, and Rachel Terry added i'm
puIsively:
Sure enough-she's Just bought her
wedding vel.
Lem Roberts clapped mighty hand
on the counter.
let en- look out. then" he cried
iocularly, III get the callithumpiun
! band together. and We'll serenade EN- =
! Elm Bevis laughed harShly.
! You going to callithump the Widow
Rowc!l:" she asked incredulously.
Lem nodded his untidy head.
LAS sure as aigs is aigs," be assured
her as he went ont and slammed the
, door
! Nobody laughed The two girls stole
back to their work, and Em Revis rat
| tied the money in the cash drawer.
Her face was like a thunder cloud.
Il shall be the first to tell it, she
muttercd angrily. "Nobody's going to
! surprise me 10y telling ME TINT Ananias
Shines going to marry Hetty Rowell. :"
! The news spread like wildtirs In the
| village. and ny nightfnl there were
only two persons in Ounce Harhor
who had not heard Of the coming we'd
ding and the serenade that was tn fol
| low in accordance with Ounce Har-
| bor's time honored custom of welcom-
| ing bride with the diSc"rdant blare
Of horse tiddles. tin horns and broken
| wind Instruments These two persons
were the Widow Rowell. who was sew
ing busily away on yards Of white
stuff. and Ananias Slime. who was in
his own room practictng on the cello.
II wish to the land he'd quit playing
| Believe Me If All Those Endearing
| Young Charms. sighed Mrs. Rowell
as she threaded her needle. Makes
me feel real sentimental. and didn't
ought to get that way
However contrary to her desires, the
old sailor. who now occupied por-
ter's position in the bank. continued to
saw away ut his cello, holding fast to
the same old tune.
At breakfast the next morning Ana
Mas fixed his bulging blue eyes on his
| landlndy and asked in his reedy voice:
Il hope you didn't take any offense
at my playing that there tune over and
over last night"
Il don't see anything to get offended
at" rurred Mrs. Rowell. suddenly
looking very turtIe-like, Most likely
the lady was worked up over the way
you played it-playing off the key
makes most anybody fdgety."
Hem" said Ananias fercely at
tacking his egg. Then as n diversion
he added. This here eggs some scorc'l-
ed. Mrs Rowell."
"'Tis? Let ME take it away"'
Whereupon the widow caught up his
plate and in twinkling had shot the
egg into the fire. Its too bad that's S
the last egg I've got IN the house,
she added. smiling sweetly at his dis
mayed countenance.
"Drat the woman he muttered as
he drained his coffee cup and folded
up his red hordered napkin.
Ananias returned to his duties at
the bank. and Hetty Rowell resumed
her stitchery on pillows Of filmy white.
After supper that night Ananias re,
tired to his room. where he twanged
monotonously on his cello. Mrs Row
ell. feeling somewhat lonely. lighted
all the lamps in the house as was her
custom when depressed in mind. for
naturally she was a sociable SOUL and
once more she stitched at the white
lacy material such as brides wear"
| Leander Petty's furniture wagon and
stout sorrel horse bore the members
Of the callithumpian band around the
square Of business houses and up
Locust street to the Widow Rowells S
long white house During its progress
around the square the band had blared
discordantIy. as was its wont. glorytn2
in its own horrible medley Of sound.
Somebody's been getting married.
said one and another as the wagon
passed and. curiosity being rife. Ions
procession attached itself to the wagon
When the wagon paused outside the
gate of Mrs. Rowell's brilliantly light
ed abode there was murmur OF sur
prise mingled with stitied laughter
Many girls and women had joined the
procession. walking quietly in the shad
ows and finally pausinS on the opposit,
side of the street.
For few moments there was tense
silence as the members Of the serenad
ing band conferred together.
Ruby Allen. standing with Rache
Terry, giggled nervously.
Here comes Mrs. Bevis.' she whis
pered O.
"She's been up to her mothers.
declare | believe she came around
this way on purpose SO she could SET
what was going on. Don't let her Sex
you They shrank back against the
high stone wall.
Il wonder If Mrs. RoweH will invite
'em in for refreshments" said Ruby.
It's the right thing to do. Say. Ruby
7 her name must be Mrs Slime by this
time. She's had more than her shar,
, Of husbands How many?''
/, This is the fourth. / believe. Lister