The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-02-17
STEvE'S LUCKY TUMBLE
BY OSCAR DAWSON.


Incident in his own love affairs, which
| give in his own words:
wall. seeing it's you, | don't mind
telling you about scrape that hap
pencd to me when was courtirs
Nancy here That are is something
that never tell anybody. But We shall
have it,"
mo. don't Steve!" broke In the old
woman. Il should think you would
be ashamed of yourself telling your
love scrapes to everybody"
If you can't abear to hear it." said
Steve, you may 60 out Of doors! So
aere goes.
when l was nigh about twenty-one
I came up here alone and built me
cabin.
81 hadn't a naber nearer than five
miles. so We see didn't quarrel much;
but as it grew to BE- near winter got
kinder lonesome and begun to think |
ought to have woman to keep me
company; SO one morning | started
DOWN to Lenway to take look at the
girls, to see If could find one to suit
Ae"
when | got down to the village
asked a young char if he knew of q
Girl that wanted to get married, and h
told me that he guessed that Nancy
Knox did. and if | wanted wife had
better try and hitch on with her; and
he said that if was agreeable he
would 90 to old Knox's and make me-
acquainted with Nancy, and he was
as good as his word; and 'twasn't an
hour before Nancy and | were on the
best Of terms
"Afore night had hired out with old
Knox for two pounds month with
board and lodgin', and was to work
all winter.
wall. for about two months felt
as neat as mouse in a new cheese
! courted Nancy every Sunday night
and | was determined before another
month to pop the question. and hadn't
u bit OF doubt but what Nancy would
be Overjoyed at becoming my bosom
companion.
Wall, about this time there came q
fellow from London to keep school.
and he hadn't been there more'n
week afore | found that he had nat
ural laundering arter Nancy
wall. one Sunday night, Bill Smith,
for that was the critters name, came
in jest at dusk, and when the clock
struck nine he didn't seem ready to
90. Old Mrs Knox and the young
'uns all went OF to bed, and there were
none left but old Knox, Rill, Nancy,
and |, and there we sat, round the fire,
without saying word.
Always afore old Knox had gone
off 10 bed and left the coast clear for
Nancy and !, and kept 'spccting ey.
cry minnit that he would tell Bill to
clear out. nut ne did no such a thing.
but jest as the clock struck ten he
us up.
Steve, says he, let's go to bed,
for We must be up bright and alrly.
Want that a hint. Ell? | locked
at Nancy, but she turned away her
he'd, and at this | up and marched
out into the entry. and up the ladder
to bed was boiling over mad with
crcation-Bill. Nancy, and old Knox in
particular. / got into bed and kivered
myself up. but | felt SO bad that I
couldn't go to sleep. Like as not, the
schoolmaster was kissing Nancy down
in the kitchen, and couldn't shet my
eyes for the life OF me.
Wall, all at once it occurred to mo
that there was some big cracks In the
Eoor over the kitchen, and could
watch and see all that was going on
below; so out OF bed GOT. and crawled
along close to the chimney on all
fours, and finding big crack looked
down through Bill and Nancy were
sitting about two feet apart. though
every now and then Bill would hitch
his chair a little nearer to her. How
could have choked him then,
Wall. | watched them for about a
quarter of an hour, and BY that time |
was near about froze. as it was an aw.
full cold night. But | wouldn't go to
bed, for l was bound to know II
Nancy was true to me. By-and bye
Bill hitched up his chair little closer
and l could see that he had made I'M
his mind and was just going to kiss
her.
How it riled me. But was bound
TO see it through. so | moved a little
to get a better view. and that minnit
the plank ! v. Oh .aDtL IN. and
down | went ,bht atween Sin and
Nancy.
"i.Il thought for orce tat C'd Nick
had come. md h. hc'tea cut q doors.
@ad s.-s7f a-t re tns kitchen rs
quiz As 80 e..' ny ;. aa.. aud as
l VA eoiig na:# It'Ga- ! ard old
MT. ..---. .-s-.. .e-s.. he cat
dow, or s7e ri. .Ic;.,. ere., ,;isa on
the ltesser'
The nc.t morning. wa.a we went