HER WEDDING OUTFIT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3692, 3 July 1906, Page 4

HER WEDDING OUTFIT.

What Old Man Bogjpi Thoaght SbaOvgM to Mare. I Was standing in front of the Pin* Mountain Lumber company’s store, situ* uf tton the upper waters of the Cumber* laud, when old man Boggs came up from the sawmill on tho bank of the river and approached me with some degree of doubt, I thought, from his manner. Seeing no CUO else around, ho became easier and greeted me pleasantly. “How arc you, Mr. Boggs?” 1 said in iv.tUrti for his salutation. “Fineday. Aliy hows Up the mountain?” “I’m tolliblo like, I reckon,” he re* sponded. “Nothin happeniu our way—* much. But that ain’t what I want to talk to you about, colonel,” ho added, relaps* lug into the manner of* doubt I thought I hud observed at first. “Well, What is it? Any shooting going t-n or liable to?” “Reckon not. Most uv the hoys has gone to Looisvillo for witnesses agin them moonshiners, and things is rcstin some.” “Then what troubles you? 1 ’ Ho came up quite close to me and looked over his shoulder to be sure there was no one in hearing distance, except myself. “Air you a married man, colonel?” he asked in a whisper. ■ “I am not eo fortunate,” I admitted, with as much gallantry of manner and aS pretty a candor as if a dozen women had boon there. “Then I reckon you ain’t much knowxn on dch things as bavin yor gals gettih married?” “Hardly,” I confessed, with a smile. “Anyhow,” ho said resignedly, “you c;r old enough to be, and I want you to gimme a lift.” “How do you mean?” I inquired in surprise. “Don’t git skeert,”lio grinned. “It’s only my gal Susan.” "Oh,” i said in a tone of relief. “She’s going to get married, is she?” “Kinder that away.' I want to git some wedding flxin’s and don’t, want to git ’em from tho young feller in tho store. Won’t you fix ’em up for me?” “Certainly,” and we went in. “By the way,” I inquired, “is. Susan your oldest daughter?” “No; she is tho youngest.” "Isn’t that rather cutting the others out?” ‘‘ I reckon not, ’’ ho laughed. “ sTou see, they take atterrae, and I didn't git spliced till I was past 40. Susan takes attorbet mammy. Sho got me afore she was 20.” He laughed again, and I laughed with Mm and threw out several pieces of dies* goods on the counter. “I suppose you want something white,” I said, spreading tho goods out so ho could sea tho effect. ’ * That will be very nice tot a bride.” "What’s the tax on it?” ho asked, without touching it, showing that heWMSoI versed in dry goods. "Two bits a yard.” “Geementiy gosh, colonel!” he*ii*hdnv ed, starting back, “I can’t afford no Such goods as that. Silks and eatings ain’t Ust wo uus. Hain’t you got some calloof” “Plenty of It,” I said, and 1 dumped an willful down on the counter. “What’s this wuthf” ho asked, picking nut a bright yellow piece with a tod vin* ■vailing through it. ‘ That’s 10 cents a yard, and It will mho ton yards for the pattern.” “ That's*!, ain’t it?” ho Inquired, after* moment’s mental calculation. “Exactly.” "Gimme that, colonel. Susan alius had a weakness for yaller. It kinder matches her freckles, she says.” I cut off tho amount called for and laid it asido. “Now,” ho said, “show me someshoos.” “What kind?” I asked, not caring to hazard my judgment again. “How do they run in price?” “From $1.60 up." “That’s pretty steep for a gal that’* been usotergohi bar’footed, I reckon,” he mused, “but a gal don’t git hitched every day, and I s’pose I kin stand it. Jim’il have to buy ’em for her anyhow utter this. Lemmo have one uv them pa’r at a dollar fifty.” “What size?”

“About sevens, I reckon,” he said. “Six is her size in summer lime, but gittin married is imikiu her kinder proud and she fti.vs slicks guin to wear stockin'*, Si) you sei!, colonel, we d bel ter git’em a size bigger to 'low fer (he oxiry.” 1 picked out a pair of No. 7’a, neat, but not gaud}', and laid thorn beside the calico. “Now,”] said, getting wady to show him a- few oilier articles for a trousseau, “what else?” “What else is thnr to git?” ho asked in guileless astonishment. “Ain't that enough weddln Asia's fer any gal'? Them cost 53.00, didn't they?” “Yes, but I thought siie might want sometihug else perhaps.” That remark didn’t begin to express all that was in my mind, hut it was the best 1 could do under the cireums; mices. “Likely sho does,” ho replied, “but It’s Jim's turn to do the buy in now. I’vo done my sheer." “When is the wedding?” 1 inquired as 1 wrapped up the trousseau I had sold him. “It’s done tuck,” he answered ns though surprised at my question. 1 was puzzled to the full extent. “ I don’t understand what you mean,” 1 said. ‘ ‘ The weddln’s over, 1 ’he explained ‘‘ I* tuck place ylstlddy.” “ But what are you getting those things for now?” 1 asked, more astonished than ever. “Gaze, now's the time,” ho said, with a short laugh. “You don’t reckon I was goln to git all these yer weddin flxln’s aforohand and run the rest uv havin the whole si motin match flash In the pan, do you f Jim's stlddy and-shore footed, but Susan gits to steppin mighty high and actin frisky when she’s got good clo’a on to her back. She takes alter her mother, Susan does.” I hadn’t a word to say, of course, but as Mr. Boggs started out I handed him a bolt of blue ribbon and told him to give it to the bride, with my compliment*, without knowing exactly whether blue ribbon matched yellow calico with a red _vine trailing through It or not. v

, A Strategic Hove. ••I was lu the theater when your play V,’ . s.r*iuyht- out- Cor the first time.” . ivr-'i. I ';;.’Toro you!'” \ vs, ;mu i tv yon there too. Everybtuly was yawning, and to niy astonish-' moot you yav.nted too, with the rest." “I I'.nl to yawn. If I hadn't, somebody would have suspected me of being the auli.or.’ • '• •- :.:ve a Hel:,jo< (- Anyway. 1,. ... ;in ehoi-i’.-j—-Wf'.i'ij after that aoiii. mid we're going to lynch him. .biller---. But he’s left fmm i'-io Mob--Weii, then give us some u'.'; , & ij» u $ t '-iiic'3 ■