The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-05-19
AN OLD WOMAN'S STORY.

Many years ago a girl and her
great. grandmother sat together-the
girl in tears. Said great-grandmother
Hudson, sitting very straight. not
lolling, at her lightweight years,
as did her great grandchildren of
eighteen.
"Young folks think old folks are
fools, but old folks know that young
folks are"
THAT is because you're old, grand
ma,u s6bbed Linda.
"No; it is because L was once
young" said the old lady.
"But he is the only one that shall
eyer love-" sid Linda. "Papa is
cruel to me. Why does he think i'll
of Lewis? He knows nothing about
him. shall die if weare separated"
aRea aeing To- =, tsss' said
great grandmother, "bnt I didnT."
"Oh, tell me, please" cried Linda,
chad you lover; did they separate
your never knew you had a love
story-that is, that kind of one"
Eyes" said the old lady. 81 had
lover. You can have many lovers,
hut never more than one father and
mother. Folks think of that when
it's too late. When father said that
Cecil was Lord knows who, and he
should not come to see me, l remem-
Der | almost hated him for it. When
mother said she didn't like him
either, | almost hated her. Cruel
creatures that stood between me and
my young lover-that was what my
parents seemed to me then and |
was worse than you, my dear, ever so
much worse, for it seemed wicked to
me that any one should take it for
granted a man was not worthy of
love because he was stranger, and
/ made preparations to run away with
Cecil and marry him at Gretna Green.
Every hing was ready; ] had my
jeweIry in my bosom and my little
bundle on my arm, and was creeping
out of a side door that led into the
garden when hand came down on
my shoulder and voice cried out:
my girl, is this the way you use
us y and there was my father.
My fathers face was white as
ghost and his hand shook as he held
mine.
"'Oh, father, father!' 1 cried, IF
you would only let me have my will
in this one thing, You can't make
girl love OF hate by saying so.'
He stood. holding me firm and
fast.
"It is Emeine who has betrayed
me- | said and though they, would
meyer admit it. l knew the maid
proved false.
"Well. they locked me UP in my
room. How often cried out, i shall
die if I am separated rom Cecil
81 am very old, but when | think
of it the old pain comes back again.
His eyes were like black diamonds,
and he had an olive cheek and full
red lips, and your men with padded
shoulders and thin arms and legs and
hollow chests wouldn't look like men,
standing beside him.
at was a dreary time and my
health broke down under it. | mad
a fever. and when | was well again
the doctor said must have a change
so mother decided to take to the
seaside: but first we were to go by
stage-coach to London and visit an
aunt there.
"tt was The day of stage coaches
and the day Of highWaymen.
'"GOing over certain common on
our way coaches had more than once
been stopped. The men were armed
always and the women trembled
when they saw horsemen riding to-
wards them.
"'Your money or your life,' was
their word, and they kept it.
'''If we should meet the highway
men = said my mother but | was not
afraid. | didn't care whom we met
or what happened to me.
"We rode away from our home in
the bright daylight, and stopped for
dinner and to change horses at an inn;
then we rod on again, 1t would be
night long before we reached Lon
don. sat in the coach with my head
on my mothers shoulder, thinking of
just one thing-Ceci. Should l meyer
see him again-never, never, never?
Would he not follow me and carry
me off by force? Could | not some-
how let him know and escape from
my aunt's house in London and be