The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-10-27
Maude Henderson.
A STORY OF THE 1EHIGH VALLEY

/ ty three years OF age, Wnlle tnb latJeT
was nineteen. The farmer was a thrift.
| ty, well.tO.do man, though by no means
rich; but the family lived in excellent
style, and the daughters had received
| goUd educations.
Both of these girls were pretty, but
Maude was perhaps the handsomer
There was no lack of attentive young
gentlemen at the farm, though the
npighborhood was not very thickly set.
tied. But "beauty draws us with a
single hair" and tho young ladies were
the centre of gay little circle of
friends, mostly young gentlemen farm
ers' sons in the immediate neighbor-
hood, and some even from EastOn.
BY and by it came about that an earn.
est, handsome and sturdy young farmer
fell desperately in love with Maude, AMI
proposed to her. On her part, she loved
Harry Masters above all the young fel.
lows she knew, and told him frankly he
might speak to her father. In the mean
time she cOnfided the matter TO her
mother, kind hearted sympathetic pa
rent, who saw no objection to the choice
of her daughter, but all was left 10 the
father to decide.
Farmer Henderson was a straight
forward and open. mOuthed man That
is he said exactly what he meant, no
more or less, and that he uttered freely.
When Harry Masters called him Oh one
side and told his especial errand, as to
Maude, the father said, "Well, Mr..
Masters, Maude is young. l wanted
| Ellen to be married first she's oldest,
and have got marriage portion of
twelve hundred to give her; but l
haven't, laid by anything yet for
Maude"
" have got pretty well beforehand,
Mr.. Henderson, for a man but twenty
four years old, and we shall be able to
do very well, have no doubt"
You mean you II take Maude with.
oct any marriage portion ?" said the
father.
'' Yes, sir, very gladly"
" Well, its pleasant to hear You say
so because it shows your honest affec-
tiOn, !Mr. Masters but am too proud,
though a simple farmer, to let Maude
marry till can give her a thousand or
two toward housekeeping.
G." 1t is not worth. waiting for, sir, as
long 40 NO don't roolly mood 1t, aud
both are content"
" Then, again, I'd rather Maude
wouldn't marry until her sister Is mar
ried, because she's so much older, do
you see, it will actually make her an
old maid. 1t isn't fair, Mr.. Masters"
" Ellen is very popular with the gen.
tlemen, and will soon be married." said
the other.
" That's just what have said to my.
self, and then shall begin to pick up
a marriage portion for Maude."
" trust that Is the only objection,
Mr.. Henderson," said Harry Masters.
why yes, you are a promising and
respectable young maa, and come OF a
good family" said the farmer but l
cant let Maude go until get together
a respectable marriage portion to give
with her hand"
" Perhaps you will thlk more favor.
able about it" said the lover. "Ill
speak with you again"
" All right, MIR. Masters"
Harry and Maude were very fond of
each other, and now talked over the
matter very seriously. Maude could
not blame her father, and did not like
the idea of going to Harry without a
proper portion to contribute to their
joint partnership in domestic life.
" Never mind, Harry" said the
handsome young girl ELLEN will soon
be married. have pretty good reason
for knowing"
" Ah, but then your father says he
wants time TO pick up a marriage por-
tion for you, and that will take three
OF four years, perhaps"
That Is good while, is it not,
Harry ?" said Maude, just blushing a
little, for fear it sounded forward and
bold.
" It's ages !" said the young fellow.
Think of waiting three ypars-why
We shall be old folks by that time I"
Not quite so bad as that" said
Maude.
" I'm sure my hair will be gray by
that time |"
" Nonsense, Harry Now you are
joking"
" | was never more in earnest in my
life. " said he, as he stole a kiss from
her pretty lips, aud ran away, so as not
to hear her chide him for his boldness.
Maude," said her father, coming
into the house from the barn, ~ wish
you would ride the sOrrel mare into
Easton, ald get this hundred dollar bill
changed at the bank. The workmen
have got done with the roofing OF the
barn, and ! want to pay them of to-
night"
Very we'll, father. Let John put
the side saddle on, aud I'll be ready in
five minutes"
The sOTrel mare was brought up to
the door, and Maude was soon on her
way at an easy hand gallOp toward
EastOn. She had an excellent seat and
was good hOTseNomaH. As she knew
this very we'll, she would not have OBJ
lected to have Harry see her just now
but he had gone few minutes before
in an opposite direction,
When Maude got into EastOn she
rode directly to the bank, but was un-
fortunate enough to find 1t closed. Aft.
or lew minutes thought she resolved