Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-02-02
JOHNS FOLKS"


JOHNS FOLKS"
II hope, my dear, you don't object
to Johns folks!" said the bride tim
idly.
"John's folks!" repeated the tall,
black-ey Led young man, who had just
been made happy, and was now sitting
beside Mrs. Frederic Fame, in the
railway train steaming toward Owl
Mountain. ''Not in the least, my
love. Why should object to them?"
"Oh, don't know" said Mrs.
Fame. "Some people do, you know.
But of course it seems hard to turn
them out, after all these years,
and
''Stop half minute, my DEAR"
said Mr. Fame. 81 am not quite sure
that l understand you. Who are
Johns folks? And who, if | may take
the liberty to ask, is John?''
Mrs. Fame turned pink, and looked
hesitatingly down at her lace -bordered
handkerchief, as if uncertain whether
tear or two would not be appropri-
ate.
"Oh, Fred" said she, "what a
question. Just think a minute. And
of course they always expected to
have home with me-
"Oh!" said Mr.. Fame, making up
his lips into whistling position, as
he remembered that Mrs. Fane's first
husband had been named John Quincy
Adams Larkins. "Yes, l compre-
hend. Are there many of 'em, my
dear!'
"W ell" hesitated Lillias, again
coloring, "there's Johns stepfather-
dear old gentleman, but little pc
cular. He is an escaped Mormon"
''A-what - said Mr.. Fame.
"a Mormon" explained the bride.
"He joined the community, and then
he didn't like them as we'll as he
thought he should, so he ran away
and married Johns mother. And
after she died, nothing could induce
him to leave the scenes cndcared by
her presence.
"Ah!" said Fame, "a sentimental
old party"
"lle's very agreeable" added Lii
lias, 'if you only let him have his
own way in everything.'
"Do you know, my dear, that is
a characteristic which have observed
in others:' gravely remarked MIR.
Fame
Then there's Aunt Grace" went
on Lillias. ''She is an excellent
housekeeper-in fact, she is cleaning
nearly all the time. 1t does get 8
little uncomfortable now and then,
but it is her ways l put up with it.
And Johns two sisters-Dorcas and
keturah-are water cure people
They like the place because there i;
cascade at the back, and river close
by
"Ah." said Mr. Fame.
And Cousin Ferdinand-that'
all - added Lilliss, with sigh o.
relief.
That's all, eh?" said the bride
groom.
"Cousin Ferdinand is very agreea
ble,' said Lillias. "He's waiting
Waitiug:'' echoed Mr.. Fame.
For the millennium explained
Lillas. "Hc's been waiting these
many years.
"Oh!' said Mr.. Fame. "He i.
crazy, eh?"
"Well," confessed Llllias, she is
a little peculiar. But VIC are used tt
it, and We don't pay no attention tt
it now."
"And are these people to live will
us = asked Mr.. Fame, little gloom
lily.
"If you don't Object said Lillias
timidy.
mot in the least, my darling
said the young husband. "Your vii
is law to me-
$50 kind of you, dear!" said Mrs
Fame, apparently much relieved.
And then the train stopped at Ow
Mountain Station-the young pal
got out.
But during the long drive to Lau
rel Farm-Larkins Farm it had bcel
when Lillias first came there, but sh,
had adopted the more euphoniou
name-Mr. Fame turned matters owe
in his mind.
His mother-a shrewd old prophet
ess of evil-had warned him that h.
: couldn't expect to marry rich youn.
widow, who was pretty and attrac
tive into the bargain, without som,
annoyance or trouble to balance hi
bliss.
! And here it was, the first thing
+ Not the ghost of the dear, departe
. Larkins-that, he thought, he coul
have endured-but five substautia
bequests, fastened to the old farr
q like limbets to rock, barnacles t
. the hull of a ship! And Lillias evi
Q IDENTIFY expected him to adopt ther
! into his affections, and tolerate thei
! various eccentricities, even as sll
had done. LiIlias was such a pretl
. . dove-eyed, confiding little thing
She should not be tormented, at .
; events, he resolved. If "John'
folks were to be met and conquere
n in single combat, he would do it a
- alone.
o And SO he looked down with
v smile on her innocent face, and re
piled pleasantly to timidly-hazsrde
observations, studiously yelling til
current of his thoughts; for, as the
neared the old home, Lillias was ev
u IDENTIFY growing nervous.
o 1t was a fine brick house, as M
i; Fame could see, in the cold Januar
p moonlight, surrounded with alterna'
u rows of leafless map.es and eve
t greens, with lights cleaning in O