The bee., 1913-02-04
STEvE'S LUCKY TUMBLE
BY OSCAR DAWSON.

CoIlard, and while there the CONVEX
satiou turned on courtship; and at my
request the old gentleman told me an
incident I'm his own love affairs which
4 give I'm his own words.
"Nal, seeing It's yor, ] don mind
telling YOU about o scrara tlat hap
peuOj 90 me when 4 was s0#.uE
Nancy here. That are is sou..a'aa
that | never tell any body BU, .a shall
have it!"
mo, don't Steve!" broke ia ,hc old
woman. Il should think you would
30 ashamed Of yourself telling your
love scrapes to everybody"
If you can't abcar to hear il" said
steve, you may go out of doors! Sc
here goes.
when l was nigh about twenty-one
l came up here alone and built me a
cabin.
Il hadn't naber nearer than five
miles, so ye sec l didn't quarrel much;
but as 1t grew to be near winter | got
kinder lonesome, and begun to think
ought to have a woman to keep me
company; 50 one morning | started
down to Lenway to take look at the
girls, to see II | could find one to suit
me-"
when l got down to the village |
asked a young chap if he knew OF a
girl that wanted to get married, and he
told me that he guessed that Nancy
Knox did, and if wanted a wife had
better try and hitch on with her; and
he said that if ! was agreeable he
would so to Old KuoN's and make me
acquainted with Nancy, and he was
as good as his word; and 'twasnt an
hour before Nancy and | were on the
best of terms.
"Afore night had hired out with old
Knox for two pounds a month with
board and lodgin', and l was to work
all winter.
Wall, for about two months | 'elt
as neat as a mouse in a new cheese.
| courted Nancy every Sunday night,
and l was determined before another
month to pop the question, and hadn't
a bit of doubt but what Nancy would
De overjoyed at becoming my bosom
companion.
Wall, about this time there came a
fellow from London to keep school,
and he hadn't been there more'n a
week afore / found that he had a nat.
ural hankering arter Nancy.
wall, one Sunday night, Bill Smith
fnr hot hn
In Jest at dusk, and when the clock
struck nine he didn't seem ready to
go. Old Mrs. Knox and the young
'uns all went off to bed, and there were
none left but old Knox, Bill, Nancy,
and I, and there we sat, round the fire,
without saying a word.
Always afore old Knox had gone
off to bed and left the coast clear for
Nancy and I, and kept 'specting ev.
cry minnit that he would tell Bill to
clear out, but he did no such a thing;
but Jest as the clock struck ten he
ris up.
Steve says he, let's go to bed.
for we must be up bright and airly.
Want that q hint, Ell? / looked
ut Nancy, but she turned away her
he'd, and at this I up and marched
out into the entry. and up the ladder
10 bed. was boiling over mad with
creation-Bfl, Nancy, and old Knox In
particular. got into bed and kivered
myself up. but I felt so bad that /
couldn't go 20 sleep Like as not, the
4 chnolrn al or xuoa ktuoirr Nnno,, ao.,,-
In the kitchen, and couldn't shet my
eyes for the life Of me.
Wall, all at once It occurred TO me
That there was some big cracks In the
door over the kitchen, and l could
watch and see all that was going on
below; 80 out of bed got. and crawled
along close to the chimney on all
tours. and finding q big crack looked
down through. BIN and Nancy we're
sitting about two feet apart, though
every now and then Bill would hitch
his chair little nearer to her. How
could have ,ohoked him then!
wall, L watched them for about a
quarter Of an hour. and by that time
was near about froze, as 1t was an aw.
'ul cold night. But / wouldn't go to
bed, for was bound to know IL
Nancy was true to rue. By-and-bye
Bill hitched w his chair little closer
and l could see that he had made up
MS mind and was Just going to kiss
ler.
How it riled me! But | was bound
% see 1t through, so l moved a little
% get a better view, and that minnit
he plank was on tipped up, and
iown | went right atween Bill and
Nancy.
"Bill thought for once that Old Nick
had come, and he bolted out O. doors.
Ind l started out of the kitchen as
lulck as you could say scoot,' and as
was going up the ladder heard old
Mrs. Knox boiler, Nance, scoot the cat
lown, or she will break every dish on
he dresser
I'M