Year: 1878

" Oi6en pace


Obi! said the widow, you are
going to Green's are your Why,
| am going there myself to get one
of the girls to help me quilt tomor.
row. just wait second while
get my bonnet and shawl and I'll
ride with you.' And away she
skipped.


What a scrape,' said Bill and he
hastily ciutched his pants from be-
tween bis feet and wriggled into
them, wher light wagon drawn
by white-faced horse, driven by
a boy, came along and stopped be-
side him. The boy held up pair
of boots in one hand and a pair OF
socks in the other, and jost as the
widow reached the gate, he said j;


Here's your boots and socks,
Mr.. Smiley that you left On the
ridge when you were swimming


You're mistaken said Bill, they
are not mine


Why said the boy, 'ain't you
the man that had the race after
the horse just now !?


No sir, l am not. You had bet
ter go about your business


Bill sighed at the loss of his Sun
day boots and, turning to the wild
ow. he sa1d


Just pick up those lines will
you? This brute of horse is al
ways switching them out of my
bands.


The widow complied he pulled
one corner of the rote cautiously
| down as she got in.


What a lovely evening she said,
and it is so warm that we don't
need the robe over us.


You see she had on a nice new
dress ard a pair of new CATERS,
and she wanted to show them.


'Ot t!my, said Bill, you will find
it chilly riding aud I would not
have you catch cold for the world


She seemed pleased at this ten
der solicltude for her health and
contented herself with merely stick.
ing out one of her little feet. AS she
did SO lorg silk neck-iie showed
itself over the end of the boot.


What is that Mr.. Smiley-a
neck tie?'


Yes said he: I bought it the
other day and must have left it in
the buggy never mind that


They went on quite distance,
he holding her hand in his, and
wondering what they should do
when they got to Green's and she
wondered why he did not say some
thing nice to her as well as squeeze
her hand, why his coat was but
toned up so tightly on such a warm
evening, and what made his face
and hat SO dirty, until they were
going down a little hill and one of
the traces came unhltched and they
came TO stop.


'Ohl MURDER exclaimed Bill
what next?


what is the matter exclaimed
the widow, with start that came
very near jerking the robe off Bills
| knees.


Que of the traces is off, he an
swereI.


We'll, why don't you get ont and
put it Oh again ?


I can't. I've gotA'hat is l have
not got-oh dear, I'm sick. What
shall | do2'


why, Willie,' SAID she tenderly
what is the matterl Do, please
tell me-


She gave his hand little squeeze,
and looked tenderly into his pale
face she thought he was going to
faint, 80 she got out her smelling
bottle with her left hand, and pull
ing the stopper out with her teeth
stuck the bottle to bis nose.


Bill was just taking in breath fol
d mighty sigh, and the pungent
odor made him throw back bis
head so far that he lost his balance
and went over the low backed
buggy.


The little woman gave low
scream as his bare feet few pas
her head, and covering her face
with her hands, she gave way to
tears or sniles-it is hard to tel
which. Bill was up in a moment
aud was humbly apologizing and
explaining, when I'd. Wilbur and
his wife and baby drove up behint
them and stopped.


Poor Bill thought that he wou1c
rather anybody had seen him thar
Ed. Wilbur, but there was no hell
, for 1t now aud he called Ed. Ed
was about to burst with suppressed
laughter, but he beckoned his wifi
to pull up, and after saying some
> thing to his wife be helped th
widow out of Bills buggy and int
r his, and the two women went ol
t leaving the men behind.
} Bill lost no time in arranging hi
3 toilet and then with great persua
+. sion, Ed. got him to go home wit
9 him, and hunting up slippers an
: socks and getting him washed an
!, combed, had hitn Quite presentabi