The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-08-06
WHICH KNEW BEST?

Dear old Grandma Wellington looked W
over her gold trimmed glasses at Jack, with
a world of loving anxiety in her blue eyes
sweet, tranquil old eyes, that were as blue
as when she was girl OF sixteen.
Are you sure that you have considered
the matter well-thoroughly, my boy ?"
Her voice was sweet and quiet, and she
herself was the daintiest imaginable ideal OIL
a darling old grandma slim, trim, alway:
dressed in black silk and white Spanish
lace halfhandkerchief in winter time and O
queen's-gray silk and dotted Swiss half
handkerchief in summer, with puffs of gray
hair, on which lay tiny cap, and string
OF solid gold beads around her neck.
And Jack, lounging on the gay cretonne.
covered sofa on the opposite side of the
room, was her special pet and idol of all
her score of grandchildren handsome .har-
ny Jack, who never failed to make grand
ma do exactly what he wantad her to do.
And just at the. present moment the
highest object of his ambition was to recon-
cile Grandma Wellington to his engagement
with viva Morris, and in return for his
loyer-like enthusiasm on the subject grand.
ma had laid down the blue silk sack she
was knitting for little Florie, the latest
grand-baby, and looked over her glasses and
put the question;
Are you sure You have considered the
matter weil-thoroughly, my boy ?"
Jack laughed.
al have never considered it atall when it
comes to that" he said. al have a firm
conviction that such things are settled by a
destiny too high for poor mortality to con
slider"
" But poor mortality is expected to suf.
fer if experience proves that destiny made
a mistake" she said with little laughing
twinkle in her eye.
Then grave, troubled look spread all
over her face. She shook her head.
" 1t would break my heart, Jack, if you
didn't marry wife every way worthy of
you."
And you mean you think my little
Viva is unworthy. What do you call a
good wife, grandma? | mean one good
enough for me, you know-a first.class, A
|, no mistake"
His splendid blonde head lay lazily on
his folded arms, and he looked with mis-.
chieYous glance at the old lady who resum-
ed her knitting serenely.
" mean sweet, pretty, happy -natured,
good-tempered girl, who will be content in
her husbands love, when there is no pros
pect of a new dress, or a sealskin sack, and
who can settle down restiully 10 a quiet
country life, and not pine herself away,
and torment her husband for the follies of
city dissipation a cir; who is sensible,
economical, not ashamed to do her own
work, If needs be-who will save what you
earn, and think herself a queen among
women because she is crowned with your
love and honored with your name"
And you do not believe Viva possesses
those qualifications"
GLOW could she, unless you take excep-
tions to the first essentials? She is sweet
and pretty, but what is that in itselfg She
Is her mothers own child, and Grace
Moore, the girl, and Grace Morris. the wo-
man, was vain, extravagant, idle and a
spendthrill. She ruined her husband f
nancally, and solemnly believe drove him
to drink and to death. Like parent, like
child, il they look alike and act alike as
much as Viva and her mother. If you
must get married why don't you marry
Retta2 She's the stay and support Of the
Morrises, and as gooA as gold"
Jack could not restrain little nod of dis.
gust.
Marry Retta Storms Not if she was
an angel / don't like her for cent,
grandma-only know you detest slang.
No, ma'ami love goes where it is sent, and
it's little blaek-eyed VIVA or nobody-and
don't think irll be nobody"
Grandma laid her knitting down again,
and looked, anxiously, thoughtfully, out of
the window at the gorgeous snow.white
wisteria blooms twining around the piazza
trellis.
am sorry, Jaek-sorry even IL the
Morrises are your poor, dear grandpa's rela-
tives."
81 am afraid you are pFejudieed, Jack said /
gently, in his irresistible, pleading way.
' Viva is a, industrious as little bee,
grandma. She gives music lessons aud
teaches in the night schools aud does fancy
work for the stores At odd moments."
And spends every cent she earns on
irsss, and makes poor Retta sweat over the
ironing table to Laundry her Swiss suits
and lawn wrappers. I've no Pstisnee with
her," /