dmirably adapted to
display the charms of her figure.

After a delicious repast of coffee and fruit the widow proposed that as
it was such a lovely morning they take a boat-ride on the river. Simon
willingly acquiesced, and the widow, after ordering a well filled
lunch-basket to be placed in the boat, not forgetting a "little brown
jug" for Simon, took his arm, and tripping gaily down to the river,
embarked. Simon pulled strongly at the oars until a bend of the river
hid them from view of the plantation, when, taking in the oars, he
seated himself by the widow, and placing an oar at the stern to steer
with, they glided down the river. Simon was married, but was a firm
believer in the theory advanced by Moore, that

--"when far from the lips we love,
We've but to make love to the lips we are near."

The persimmons hung in tempting bunches within easy reach overhead, and
Simon would pull them down and shower them into the widow's lap.
Occasionally he would steal his arm around her waist, when she, with a
coy laugh, would pronounce him an "impudent fellow." Occasionally he
would raise the little brown jug and take a hearty pull; finally he
stole a few kisses, the widow dropped her head resignedly on his
shoulder, and so they floated down the current, loving "not wisely, but
too well." On and on they floated, entirely oblivious of time, when they
were suddenly startled by a wild halloo. The widow started up with a
scream, and Simon grasped the oars as soon as possible. Just in front of
them, seated on his horse, and with his revolver ready cocked in his
hand, sat the deputy sheriff of Montgomery. "Simon Suggs," said he,
"jist you git out of that thar boat and come along with me; I've got a
warrant for your arrest!"

"Oh! hav yer?" said Simon, "that's all right; I'll jist take this yar
lady hum, git my critter, and come in to Montgomery."

"No," said the inexorable deputy, "that won't do, jist you git out of
that thar boat and come with me."

The widow now interposed, and in plaintive tone said, "But, sir, what
am I to do? It will never do for me to return without Mr. Suggs; what
will my niggers think of it? You, Mr. Deputy, can get into the boat with
us and go to my house; while you are eating dinner I will send one of my
niggers to fetch your horse."

The deputy was finally persuaded to take this course, and securing his
horse, he got into the boat.

It will now be necessary to relate