Year: 1874

N'"N hoN NNet nun ~ muciii iihu tnt BLOW |
coming on aud no time to get another set
and the widow and young Sackrider.
Well, he must try and get them somehow
and no time 10 lose for some one might
come along and ask him what he was fool
ing around there for He had no notion
of spelling his good clothes by wading in
with them on, and besides, if he did that
he could not go to the widows that night,
so he took a look up and down the road to
see that no one was in sight, and quickly
undressed himself, laying his clothes in
the buggy to keep them clean. Then he
ran around to the bank and wadcd into
the almost icy cold water; but his teeth
did not chatter in his head, he only wished
they could. Quietly he waded along so
as not stir up the mud, and when he got
to the right spot he dropped under water
aud came up with the teeth in his hand,
and replaced them in his mouth.


But hark What noise is that? A
wagon aud little dog barking with all
his might, and his horse is starting
"Whoa whoa!' said Bill, as he FLASHED
and foundered out through mud and
water. "Confound the horse. Whoa
Whoa Stop, you brute, stop" But stop
he would not, but went off at spanking
pace with the unfortunate bachelor after him
and the little dog yelping after the bach
elor. Bill was certainly in capital running
costume, but though he strained every
nerve he could not touch the buggy or
reach the lines that were dragging OH the
ground. After while his plug hat shook
of the scat and the hind wheel went over
it making it as fat as pancake. Bill
snatched it as he ran, and after jamming his
fist into it, stuck it, all dusty and dimpled,
on his head. And now he saw the widows
house on the hill, and what, oh what would
he do Then his coat fell out and he
slipped it on, and then making desperate
squirt he clutched the back of the seat and
scrambled in, and pulling the buffalo robe
over his legs, stuffed the other things be-
meath. Now, the horse happened to be
one that he got from Squire Moore, and
he got it from the widow, and he took it
into his head to stop at her gate, which
Bill had no power to prevent, as he had
not the possession of the reins besides he
was too busy buttoning his coat up to his
chin to think of doing much else. The
widow heard the rattle of the wheels and
looking out and seeing that 1t was Mr..
Smiley, and that he did not offer to get
out, she went to the gate to see what he
wanted, and there she stood chatting, with
her white arms on the top of the gate, and
her smiling face turned right toward him,
while the cold chils ran down his shirtlcss
back clear to his bare feet beneath the
buffalo robe, and the water from his hat
had combined to make some nice little
streams Of mud that came trickling down
his face.


She asked him TO come 10. No, he was
in hurry, he said Still he did not
offer to 60 He did not like to ask her to
pick up his reins for bin because he did
not know what excuse to make for not
doing il himself Then he looked down
the road behind him and saw white faced
horse coming, and, at once surmising that
it was that Gus Sackrider coming, he
resolved to do or die, and hurriedly told
his GRAND. The widow would be delight
ed to go, of course she would. But
wouldn't he come in. No, he was in a
hurry, he said had to go on to Mr..
Green's place.


"Oh, said the widow, "you're going to
Mr., Green's are you? Why, | was just
going there myself to get one of the girls
to help me quilt some. Just wait second
while get my bonnet and shawl, and I'll
ride with you" And away she skipped.


"Thundcr and lightningl' said Bill,
"what scrape r. and he hastily clutched
his pants between his feet, and was prepar-
ing to wiggle into them, when a light
wagon, drawn by ligh. faced horse driven
by boy, came along aud stopped beside
him. The boy held up pair of boots in
one hand pair of socks in the other, and
just as the widow reached the gate again,
he said


"Here's your boots and socks, Mr..
Smiley, that you left on the bridge whea
you were swimming"


"You're mistaken said Bill, "they're
not mine"


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


"No, sir, am not You had better 90
on about your business" Bill sighed at |
the loss of his Sunday boots, and turning
to the widow, said:


"Just pick up the lines, will you, please;
this brute of horse is forever switching
them out Of my hands.


The widow complied, aud then he pulled
one corner of the robe cautiously down,
and she got in.


"What lovely evening" " said she, "aud
so warm, | don't think we need the robe
over us, do we ?"


You see she had on n nice dress and a
pair Of new gaiters, and she wanted to
show them.


"0h, my said Bill, earnestly, you'll
ind II chilly riding, and | wouldn't have
you catch cold for ths world"


She seemed pleased at his tender care
r., L. I..I.I .uJ u..x..4.l iii