Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1885-09-12
THE MAJORS ESCAPE.
BY HELEN WHITNEY CLARK.


TIE MAJORS ESCAPE.
BY HELEN WHITNEY CLARK.
Major Anthony Hartletop was
very good match indeed, as Miss An
corona Dilworth and the gossips knew
very we'll.
TO be sure, he was rather bald and
had wart on his nose but, then, he
was The owner Of many acres of rich
land he possessed herds of fat, short
horned cattle and focks of longwooled
Merino sheep; he raised untold guam
titles of amber cane, to be made up
into sugar; and was, all told, the
richest farmer in the neighborhood Of
Sugar Maple village.
AS for Miss Angora, she was not
very yopngs} but neither was she old.
She - not remarkably plain, nor
asa be called pretty For the
as rather sharp-featured and
shaap tongued, so the neighbors
declared, though the Major had not
discovered this fact.
Miss Dilworth was not benevolent
person, yet she had taken her orphan
niece, Avis, to raise,
Avis Dilworth was hearty, merry
girl in spite of her aunt's grabbed
temper, with a round face, deep dim
piles in her cheeks, a pair Of laughing,
blue-gray eyes, and plenty of vim and
life about her, though demure and
quit as nun under Miss Angerona's
sharp eyes.
Indeed, many people asserted that
flaws were only decently dressed,
and allowed the advantages she de-
served, she would be quite belle.
But Miss Dilworth's old garments,
however neatly made over, were not
sufficient to set off even good figure
to much advantage.
They were all poor Avis was allowed,
however, and she sighed in vain over
the crisp new lawns, the sheer white
muslins, the huted ruflles and fresh,
plumed hats of her, more fortunate
acquaintance.
At last Major Hartletop had pro-
posed to MissAngerona, in good, sub
stantial, plainly expressed letter: and
Miss Angerona had determined to
accept the proposal.
eff he is bald and ugly she re.
marked to herself. "he's rich, and
money covers multitude of bad looks.
Besides, it'll spite that stuck-up Wild
der Flukes, that's been a-setting her
cap at him this month or more an as
long as she wants him I'd have him, if
he was as bald as an egg an ten times
as ugly as he is +
But, in spite of his defects, Major
Hartletop was good hearted, and as
romantic as many a man with glossy
head of hair and no wart on his nose.
He was really i'll love with Miss An
corona, and after sending his proposal,
the moments seemed weighted with
lead until he could receive, her answer.
At last his impaticnce grewunbearable.
81 won't wait no longer" he declar-
ed. "Ili just call around and get her
answer right away, or ! shan't sleep a
wink tonight, | know"
And popping his hat on his head, he
set off on the winding, country road
which led to Miss Angerona's dwelling,
/ his mind busy with pleasant fancies of
what the future might have in store.
"How nice it'll be to have my wife
asserting at the head of the table, or
stepping around the house, overseein'
the butter and cheese maxim" he
unused.
"An' that pretty Avis. too. She
shall have better clothes than she
wears now. / s'pose Angerona cant
afford to dress her any better but I'll
see to that. She shall have a white
dress, with lace hounces, an one O
them crinpy things girls wear around
their necks, to stand up with us in"
And so, his mind busy with cheer.
full pictures Of the happy future, he
reached Miss Angerona's house, ascend
ed the steps, and was about to knock
On the open door, when shrill, high
pitched voice reached his ear.
"a new dress No, Avis Dilworth
you cant have it A pretty question
to ask, when I've got my own clothes
to buy, if | marry that bald-headed
scarecrow, as s'pose ] shall A fine
thing for you to come asking for, duds
miss |"
But, aunt" returned Avis, plead
ingly, 81 haven't anything fit to veal
to church"
/ ooh, indeed So you go to church
| to show your clothes, hey2 You bettel
4 stay 1T home If that's what you go fur
| An when marry old IIartletop why
he couldn't have had a decent name
don't see-you won't be no better Of
| than you are now. if he is rich, shall
be as savin's Of his money asl kin, Sc
when he dies I'll have something flu
| myself. An nov go long an mill
| that cow shes been ahawlin' Thu
nalEhour."
III fTl AZ, Major half.aftl nafiad hx