Year: 1875




might come along and ask him what
had no notion of spelling his good
and besides, if he did that he could
not go to the widows that night; so
Bill took look up and down the
road to see that no one was in sight.
and then quickly undressed himself,
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 chat
ter in his head-he only wished they
could. Quickly he waded on so as
not to stir up the mud, and when he
got to the right spot he dropped un-
teeth in his hand, and replaced them
in his mouth. But bark! What
noise is that? A wagon, and little
dog barking with all his might. and
his horse is just starting. Whoa /!
whoai Stop, you brute you-stop 7,
But stop he would not, but went of
at spanking pace with the untortu-
nate bachelor after him. and the little
dog yelping after the bachelor. Bill
was certainly In capital running cos
tune, but thought he strained every
nerve, he could not touch the buggy
or reach the lines that were dragging
on the ground.


After while his plug hat shook off
the seat and the hind wheel went over
it, making it as fat as a 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, oh, what will he do Then
his coat fell out, he slipped it on, and
then making a desperate squirt, he
clutched the back of the seat and
scrambled in, and pulling the buffalo
robe over his legs, stuffed the other
things beneath. Now the horse hap
pened to be one that he got from
Squire Moore, and he got it from the
widow. and he took it into HE head
to stop at her gate, which Bill had no
power to prevent, as he had not possess
sion of the reins, besides be 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
looked out, and seeing that 1T was
Smiley, and that he didn't offer to get
out, she went to the gate to see what
he wanted, and there she stood chat
ting with her white arms ON the top
of the gate, and her face right toward
him, while the cold clliils 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
hurry, he said Still he did not go.
He didn't 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 a
white-fa horse coming, and at
once surmised II was that of Gus
Sockrider! He resolved to do or die,
and hurriedly told his errand. The
widow would be delighted to go, of
course she would. But wouldn't he
come in? No he was in a hurry he
said; had to 60 to Mr. Green's place.


oh" said the widow; you're GO
ing to Green's are you? Why, [ was
just going there myself to get one of
the girls to help me quilt more. 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 scrape! and he hastily
clutched his pants from between his
feet, and was preparing to wriggle into
them, when light wagon, drawn b.
the white-faced horse, driven by a
boy, came along and stopped beside
him. The boy held up 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:


Heres your boots and socks, Mr..
Smiley, that you left on the bridge
when you was in 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 p


mo, sir, am not! You had bet
ter go 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" 3"


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


What a lovely evening said she,
''and so warm [ don't think we need
the robe over US, do we?"


(You see she had nice dress and q
pair of new CATERS, and she wanted
to show them.)


"Oh, MY said Bill, earnestly,
you'll find it chilly riding. and l
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world.


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


What is that, Mr.. Smiley, a neck
tie p


Yes" said he, II bought it the
the buggy. Never mind it,


less" and making a dive after it, he
clutched it in her hand and held it
hard and fast


Then they went on quite distance,
he still holding her hand in his, and
wondering what he would do when
they got to Green's, and she wonder
ing, why he did not say something nice
to her as we'll as squeeze her hand,
and why his coat was buttoned up so
tightly on such a warm evening, and
what made his hat and face dirty, un-
til they were going down a little hill
one of the traces came unhitched, and
they had to stop.


"Oh, murder T. exclaimed Bill,
what next?"


"What is the matter, Mr.. Smiley ?"
said the widow, with start which
came near jerking the robe off his