The Virginia star., 1882-11-18
TUE MARRIAGE POKTIoN'

There lived, aDouI h'o - r. -, |
from Easton, Pennsylvania, lew ysa,s
since an honest farmer named relue
son son Who had two very pretty daugnsers;; dg;;
I'll, sy1sn and Maude. The first was ABOUT
,;~n 1T ~ yaars of age, while the letter was
,1nt .mH 1;neteen. The farmer was thrifty
,raIl- uai tod -to-do man, though by no means
r;oh. vi Init the family lived III excellent
I at~Is and the daughters had received
eo Roth of these girls were pretty. put
Manda was perhaps the handsomer.
TI'ore was no lack OF attentive young
aantleman at the farm, though tne
S9oinbhorhood was not very thlckly SET
tIaJ T Rut "beauty draws us with SIN
ole hair" and the young ladles "eiS
the centre of gay little cn'4e u
friends. ,4 +ho+ ON aar-
noot handsome and sturdy young farm
or fell desperately in love with Mauae
on6 1,ronosed to her. On her part sne
loved Harry Masters above all ti,e
-,o,,no fellows she knew and told hlm
frant1v that he might speak to her faith
~ IN the meantime she conhded the
n,o+ter to her mother. kind-hearted,
svmnathetic patent, who saw no oolec-
80 to tbe choice of her daughter, but
all was left with the father to decloe.
Henderson was avery straightforward
o,J onen-mouthed man. That Is, he
said exactly what he meant no more @ u
less. and that he uttered freely. :" he1
Henry Masters called HIM one siae anu
told his especial errand as 20 Maaue'
the % father said: ."Well, Mr.. Masters,
Mande is Young, I wanted Ellen to be
married first; she's the oldest, and L
have oct marriage portion OF 81 2OO 30
Give her: but haven't laid by anything
vet for Maude."
II have got pretty well beforehand
Mr.. Henderson, for man Dut twehts-
four wears old, and we shall be able 10
do very we'll, I have no doubt. -,
"You mean you'd take Maude WITH
ont anv marriage portion?" said the
| father.
"Yessir. very gladly"
= "WSsA it's pieasant to hear you say
: so. because it shows your honest a1ec
r ton, MIR. Masters; but l am too prou'
{ to let Maude marry until can give he
{ a thousand or two towards housekeep
8 ing" .
i :It is not worth waiting for, sir, q
n long as we really don't need 1t ana eotl
II are content.
: ssThen, again, I'd rather Maud
4 wouldn't marry until her sister Is mai
q ricd because she's so much older, S
|. YOU see it will actually make her a
+. old maid. 1t isn't fair Mr.. Masters.
u "ElIen is very popular with the gel
+ tlernen and will soon be married, sal
( the other.
to "That's just what have said to my
self. and then shall begin to PICK up
marriage portion for Maude.
a. 81 trust that is the only objection
Mr.. Henderson," said Harry Masters.
nt why, yes, you are promising al
!. respectable young man and come OF
- good family" SAID the farmer: "but
he n can't let Maude go until / have got t
o. oether q respectable marriage portion
a give with her hand.
of Perhaps you will think more favo
re ably about it," said the lover. Il
er speak with you again.
hit '.All right, Mr.. Masters.
so Harry and Maude were very fond
ry each other and now talked over the ma
Vi tel very seriously. Maude could L
he blame her father and did not herst
of like the idea of going to Harry witho
es, proper portion to contribute towar
n! thier Joint partnership in domestic lii
ge "Neyer mind, Harry" said the han
ng some young girl; ELLEN will soon
'ut married, have pretty good reason
:. knowing"
IN "Ah. but then your father says
be wants time to pick upa marriage porti
ess for YOU, and that will take three or TO
0!- years, perhaps,
is "That is good while, is it not, H'
nd ry?" said Maude, just blushing lit
ed, for lear it sounded forward and bold.
are "Its ages!" said the young fello
leY s'Think OF waiting three years-wl
'eh we shall be old folks by that time!"
,sI a,u "Not quite SO bad as that" 81
- -. Kaude.
era era s.Im sure my hair will be gray
~ - that tlme!"
ect Nonsense, Harry! Now you are j
II ing"
al II was never more in earnest in
ives life, /" said he, as he stole kiss from
1er preLty lips, auu ran away, 80 do Ao'
loes hear her chide him for his boldness.
ong sMaude," said her father, com
nee into the house from the barn, 81 "
,ger you would ride the sorrel mare j
rom Easton and get this hundred-dollar
don changed at the bank. The workr
his have got done with the roofing OF
i by barn and I want to pay them of
tito night"
be- "Very well, father Let John
linl- the side-saddle on and will be read
lted five minutes.
wing The sorrel mare was brought u
CON- the door, and Maude was soon on
ency way at an easy hand gallop toward
fect, ton. She had an excellent seat,
may was good horse-woman. AS she k
the this very well. she would not have
sun iected to have Harry see her just
but he had gone few moments b'
On Of IN an opposite direction.
When Maude got into Easton she