Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-09-05

mother, that he's a good young
man,
| Old Mrs. Maple nodded.
"WithOut a bad habit in the
world y
And again old Mrs. Maple nod
ded like Chinese mandarin in a
collection of curiosities.
"And forehanded with his
farm Z"
And for the third time Mrs.
Maple nodded.
"Then, grandmother, why won't
you consent to our marriage 2'
urged the girl.
"Child," SAID Mrs. Maple, turn
Ing her spectacle glasses full upon
Minny's sweet, lower.like face,
"Pve told you why half hundred
times! It's because your grand
father and his grandfather were
mortal enemies. Because your
grandfather's last words upon his
death bed we're: Il leaye my soul to
heaven, my money to my dear
wife, and my everlasting enmity
to job Crofton p"
"But, GRANDMOTHER" said Min
ny with a shudder; "That was
very wicked! And surely the
shadow of the tombstone should
be a reconciliation ~
Old Mrs. Maple shook her white
head.
"Your grandfather was a very
vindictive man, Mlnny," said she.
III never disobeyed blm living,
and 1 never will disobey him dead"
"But, grandmother" coaxed
MinDy, with her fresh cheek
against the old ladS's hand, she
wouldn't know it. How could
he?'
"Child, child, your grandfather
Maple knew everything" said the
old lady, with a sudden, suspicious
glance over her left shoulder, as
something seemed to rustic at the
easement.
"AUd l do believe his ghost
would haunt me if didn't give
heed to his last words. No, no ;
Gilbert Crofton can never be your
husband, and you may as well
give up the idea first as last
And Minny cried herself to
sleep that night.
For l never, never can marry
him without grandmother Naples
CONSENT" she sObbeO. wll stay
single for his sake to the day OF
my death; but l can never disObey
the Rind old soul who has taken a
mothers place to me and brought
me up from a baby.
But the next night there was an
apple bee at Deacon Dangerfald S
and Minny Maple was there. Gill
| bert Crofton did not make his ap-
pearance until late.
| "Pye been busy" said Gilbert
"But never mind, so long as l am
In time for the Virginia reel
And they walked home together
through the snow drifts, talking
happily of what might be ifonly
grandmother Naples adamantint
heart could be softened.
But, late though it vas, will
J the old clock on the stroke OF !
there was light shining redly from
the keeping.roOm windows, anC
through the uncurtai1ed casemen
they could see grandmother Maple
marching up and down the room
like a sentinel on duty, her high
beeled boots tapping on the floor
} her fingers instiDctiyely wander
ing around and around the inside
OF her empty snuff-bOx.
) Mlnny hurried into the room.
"Why, grandmother" she cried
J "whatever is the matterW Her
are the logs all burned down t
white ashes and the candle wicl
gutterlng, ard you in such a flu
ter as meyer was What has haT
I pened, grandmother Z"
Mrs. Maple turned her keen blu
! eyes upon her granddaughter wit
. sn expression like that of slee
walker.
ii "Minny, come in," said sh
"and shut that door. Is that yOl
al Gilbert Crofton, the great-gran'
-, son of Job? Come you in ais
a Children" with her old bab'
= shaking as If palsy.stlicken, "P'
=, seen a ghost :"
=. "ImpOssibIe p cried Gilbe
CrOftOn.
q "Dear grandmother, you mu
oil have been dreaming" sOoth
81 Mluny, creeping up to her 81
and drawing her down into |
or old arm chair beside the hearth
un,ooo,ino ~ shripkpd the &