Year: 1875

his startling piece of i'll luck. After O


while re stepped out of his buggy, and


getting down on his hands and knees,
looked over into the water. Yes, there


they were, at the bottom, with crowd


of little fishes rubbing their noses
against them, and Bill wished to good


ness that his nose was as close for one


second. His beautiful teeth that had


cost him so much, and the show com


ing on, and no time to get another set


and the widow and young Socl1rider.
Well, he must try and get them some


how-and no time to be lost, for some
one might come along and ask him what
he was fooling around there for. He
had no notion of spelling his clothes by
wading in with them on, and beside, if
he did he could not go to the widow
that night, so he took look up and
down the road to see that no one was in
sight, and then quickly undressed him
self, laying his clothes in the buggy to
keep them clean. Then he ran around
the bank and waded 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 to stir





right spot he dropped under the water,
and came out with his teeth in his hand,
and replaced them in his mouth. But
bark what noise is that A wagon and
a dog barking with all his might, and
his horse is starting. "Whoa whoa
Stop, you brute you, stop !" But stop
he would not, but went off at spank
ing pace, with the unfortunate bachelor
after him. Bill was certainly in capital
running costume, but, though lie
strained every nerve, he could not touch
the buggy or reach the lines that were
dragging on the ground.


After awhile his plug hat shook off the
seat, and the hind wheel went over it,
making it as flat as pancake. Bill
snatched it rs he ran, and, after jamming
fist into it, stuck it, all dirty and rum
pied, on his head. And now he saw the
widows house on top of the hill, and
what, oh, what will he do2 Then his
coat fell out and he slipped it on, and
then making a desperate squirt he
clutched the back of the seat and scram-
bled in, and pulling the buffalo robe over
his legs, stuffed the other things be-
meath. Now the horse happened to be
one he got of 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 was
too busy buttoning his coat up to his
chin to think of doing much else. The
widow heard the rafting of wheels, and
looked out and seeing that it was
Smiley, and that he didn't offer to get
out, she went to see what he wanted,
and there she stood chatting with her
white arms on the top of her gate, and
her face toward him, while the chills ran
down his shirtless back clear to his bare
feet beneath the buffalo robe, and the
water from his hair and the dust from
his hat had combined to make some nice
little streams of mud that came trickling
down his face.


She asked him to come in. No, he
was in a hurry, he said. Still he did
not offer to 60. He did not like to ask
her to pick up his reins for him because
he did not know what excuse to make
for not doing it himself. Then he looked
down the road behind him and saw
horse coming, and at once
it was that of Gus Sockrider
He resolved to do or die, and hrrriedly
told his errand. Tie widow would be
delighted to go, of course she would.
But wouldn't he come in. No, he was
in a hurry, he said; he had to go on to
Green's place.


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


"Thunder and lightning :" said Bill,
"what a scrape and he hastily clutched
his pants from between his feet, and was
to wiggle into them, when
light wagon drawn 10y the white-faced
horse, driven 10y boy, who held up a
pair of boots in one hand and a 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 when
you were i'll swimming.


You're mistaken" said Bill; they
are not mine"


Why" said the boy, "ain't you the
y lOlllS llidl blltb liitit ldCC dlIcl bllC
horse just now 2"


"No, sir, / am not You had better
go 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 always
switching them ont of my hands," The
widow complied, then he pulled one
corner of the robe cautiously down as
she got in.


"What lovely evening"" said she,
"and so warm / don't think we want the
robe over us, do we p


(You see she had on a nice new dress
and pair of new CATERS, and she want
ed to show them.)


"Oh, my" said Bill, earnestly,
4" you'll find it chilly riding, and 1
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world"


She seemed pleased at this tender
care for her health, and contented her
self with sticking one of her little feet
out with long silk necktie over the end
of it.


"what is that, Mr.. Smiley, neck
tie!"


Yes, " said he, Il bought it the other
dav and I must have left il In the buggy.