ndness of her manner, now
determined to make his wishes known. Accordingly, he sent her numerous
little cakes of maple sugar, besides giving her many knowing winks, his
usual method of showing his preference.

As she was one day strolling in the woods she suddenly encountered Bill,
who thought this was as favorable an opportunity as he would probably
have. He was rather awkward and unaccustomed to love-making, but he
resolved to do his best. Planting his foot upon a log, he with one hand
drew from his head his old wool cap and thrust it under his arm, while
with the other he twirled a huge brass watchkey, which hung suspended from
his pocket. (He had the day before traded off an old jack knife, two
puppies, and a cracked fiddle, for a brass watch which would only go by
shaking.)

Tiger, who had accompanied Fanny, eyed Bill's movements uneasily. He was,
however, unnoticed by the young man, who had got his mouth open, and at
last found courage to say, "I always liked you, Fanny, 'cause you never
laughed at me, nor called me a fool, and now if you'll have me, you may
carry my watch, and I'll work for your father two seasons in the hemp
field." This last was wonderful, for Bill was notoriously lazy.

Involuntarily Fanny laughed, but Bill construed it into approval, and was
about to sit down by her, when Tiger, with an angry growl, sprang forward
and precipitated the wooing swain over the log into the dirt. Fanny called
off the dog, and Bill gathered himself up, carefully brushing the dirt
from his Sunday suit. Fearing he would repeat his offer, Fanny said, "I
appreciate your kindness, Billy, but you see Tiger doesn't seem to approve
of your proposal, and as I have great confidence in his judgment, I think
I, too, must follow his example, and though I shan't knock you down, I
shall have to tell you 'No.'"

She might as well have knocked him down, for he instantly sat down, and
covering his face with his hands, burst into such a fit of crying that
Fanny, half-laughing at and half-pitying him, said, "Poor Billy, I am
sorry for you, and though I cannot marry you, I will like you just as well
as you fancy I always have."

This failed to quiet Bill, who kept on crying until Tiger made so many
threatening demonstrations of anger, that Bill thought it was wise to
leave before he got another tumble.

He had hardly disappeared when a loud voice called out, "Bravo, Tiger! You
know how to fix 'em." Looking around, Fanny saw her f