Year: 1876

pheric changes made most of the Kings
boro people bilious; otherwise the bitter
ness with which the conversation finally
came to be characterized would have
been inexplicable. Squire Ripson so far
forgot his years and dignity of character
as to call Bill Burth, his temporary host,
a fool for holding that Joe could be moth
ing worse than "A well-to-do young man
enjoying himself, while the aggrieved
Bill, notwithstanding the kindliness of
spirit which was proper to 4 man who
was a Methodist class leader, called the
Squire liar. Both men were upon their
feet, inclining slightly forward toward
each other, and looking words which
should never be spoken, when suddenly
the mail-stase drew up with crash at
the dooi The Postmaster threw last
parting glare at the Squire, and hurried
out for his mail-bags, while the whole
party followed to see who might be in the
stage. The light streamed through the
open door into the stage, and the villagers
saw inside single passenger, whom they
|
through whom some of the Kingsboro
merchants occasionally purchased goods.
| They were about TO turn away in mingled
disappointment and resignation, when
suddenly Joe Madison, whe had just ar
rived at the office, sprang into the stage
and threw himself mon the passenger,
while the stage turned quickly, the driver
whipped up furiously and started for the
| hotel.


The stares which passed around the
party Of spectators were simply appalling
in their blankness. At last Squire Rip
son recovered brel til enough to gasp:


"Detective!'


"No such thing" shouted Bill Burth
through the delivery window. Its
probably the poor little fellows brother,
and he's been waiting for him weeks
longer than he expected to-"


\ derisive smile played over the hills
and valleys of the 'Squire's face, and he
was about to say something savage, when
the reader of the New York R0maRcer
abandoned his theory of the disguised
prince and suggested that 10 was high
wayman; that he knew travelling sales
men carried lots of money: that he was
robbng the salesman; the driver was in
league with him, and like enough they
were mile from town by this time
instead of going to the hotel. "Jack
Sheppard was a little fellow" said the
thcorist in evidence.


"I'm going to the hotel" said the
Squire, starting for the door and followed
by the whole party. A moment later the
door of the Postmaster's inner sanctum
was heard to slam, and Bill Burth came
running to join the crowd. Sol. Turner,
who carried crutchcs and was soon left
behind, shouted appealingly to them to do
nothing until he got there to see, but no
encouraging answer was waited back to
him.


The hotel was gained, ard the stage
stood before the door, but the consequent
failure Of the theory of the ROmancer's
reader could not stop the impctuous rush
Of the villagers. They crowded into the
public room of the hotel, but neither 10
nor the stranger was there. In mo-
ment, however, a door opened, and good
Mrs. Butler, the landiady, appeared with
a smile on her face and tear in each eye.


Il know what you men are after" she
said. Don't ever talk about wOman's
curiosity again. The whole story is this:
10 Madison is woman, and Mr.. Brown
was her lover. They had some sort of
lovers quarrel, and parted angry. She
made up her mind she was in the wrong,
but by that time he had started on another
trip. She once heard him say he never
missed gong to kingsboro, so she came
here in suit of her brothers clothes, and
has been waiting for him ever since, poor
girl. And they've made up, and are ever
so happy, and are going to be married to-
morrow. And I've known about it all the
time, and I'd have done just what she did
if I'd have been her"


The last clause of Mrs. Buffers speech
was enough to set 10 Madison right in
everyone's eyes, for Mrs. Butler was one
of those women who are trusted by every
one on questions of propriety. But it is
doubtful whether her hearers on this par
tiCular occasion remembered this portion
of Mrs. Buffers wonderful address until
it was recalled by some sighting remark
made by persons to whom the story was
told at secondhand. The men said moth
ing to each other for several moments; !;
then Bill Burth went meekly upto Squire
Ripson and whispered;


Il was a fool, Squire"


Il was another whispered the Squire
in return.


The interested parties had determined
TO have the wedding ceremony performed
with the greatest privacy, but some one
learned from Parson Fish the hour at
which the service was to be performed,
and the news spread rapidly, and the
Kingsboro people took the matter INTO
their own hands. They dressed in their
best and besieged the hotel, and when the
bride saw them through the stats of her
window-blinds, her sense Of fun moved
her to order that they should be admitted
so far as the capacity of the largest room
in the hotel would allow Then it was
discovered that the bride had discreetly
brought trunkful of her own proper ap-
parel with her, and that she looked Sim
ply charming in neat walking-suit and
bonnet. Parson Fish made man and wife
of Hubert L. Brown and Josephine M.
Allison, and then "Jo" kissed and was
kissed by all the Kingsboro girls, and by
many matrons who seem to grow younger
as they looked into her happy face. AS
for the men, they looked as sheepish as
they deserved to, but they had new sub
ject for conversation, and it lasted the
postoffice cotere for a full fortnight.-N
Y. Graphic.


The two lawfully fascinating and
alarming" young men in New York this
winter, according to Jennie June, are
Joaquin Miller and Col. Nicholas Smith,
the husband of Ida Greeley. Joaquin
would like to be married, they say, but he
is so very susceptible he can't help falling
in love too much. Col. Smith made up
his mind to marry Ida Greeley, if he
could get her, before he had even seen
rrb tl,o