Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-04-05
"No" said she You are saying this
simply out of PITY"

| his dark eyes corTo0orated his words.
Man is a creature of impulse, and John
| Jaggetts feelings had taken such COM
| plete possession of him, that it was not
until Alice had become his welded wife
that he thought of Melinda, of the red
hair and turkey-egg complexion.
| ''But it will all be right, he argued to
himself. Mother can't help liking dear
little Alice. She and Mrs Mixsel used
to be good friends in the old days before
the Mxsell farm was sold end Alice will
| be perfect sunbeam in the hsouse-God
| bless her."
! 1t was the yellow twilight of, May even
ing when John brought his pretty, blush
ing young wife to the old homesRad.
Gwen surprise the mother" said he,
cheerlly. "We'llgo around by the syca-
more tree lane and creep in at the back
door. And you shall be sitting in the
keeping room when she comes in. She's
talking to some one at the cartilage block,
nowl'
'It's company, l think, John, " said
Alice, her heart futtering like bird in
its cage. ''It's carryall with big
trunk strapped on behind, and tall,
red haired woman stepping out. Oh,
John, who can it be-"
John Jaggett changed color, as he
recognized the shrill, nasal accents of
Miss Melinda Butts
''Nom uttered thu t female. ~ must
/ allow didn't reckon on gittin' married
quite so sudden, Mrs. Jaggett; but after
what you said to me, and neighbors'
gossip and all, why, of course"
John drew long breath as he realized
this new complication. His mother had
proposed to Melinda Butts for him, as
he had jestingly suggested, and here she
was, bag and baggage, an embodied ac-
ceptance of the offer.
''Am l a Mormon in spite of MYSELF"
he thought. Glow, in the name of all
the fates and furies, am to get out of
this tanglel
sit still minute, Allie" he said to
his pretty young wife. 'I'll go aud tell
them you're here"
"But if you've got company, John
''No company can be more honored
than my wife, Allie" he said, gently, as
he passed into the shady little parlor,
where scent of dried rose leaves came
from the quaint old China jar on the
mantle.
There stood lank, specialized, elder
ly man.
"Why, it's Lawyer Judd ~ said John,
starting back "How do you do, Mr..
Judd2 May ask what has procured US
the honor of this visit?'
Lawyer Judd smiled and wriggled, and
Intervene his pectable- gloved fingers
in each other, after a most embarrassed
fashion
''How are you, Mr.. Jaggett-how are
you?" said he. "Well, 10 be candid
with you, came here with the young
lady outside"
"You did?"
eyes, did, nodded the lawyer, who
was one of those restless individuals who
can never keep still minute, but slipped
and writhed and twisted himself about
like snake in black cashmere gar
ments, "On-he, he, he "a little ques-
ton of matrimony:'
John. flushed to the roots of his wavy
brown hair
Was this to be matter of breach of
promise2 Did they imagine for a sec
ond that he was to be coerced like this?
"Mr. Judd" said he, 'there is some
mistake here"
II hope not, neighbor Jaggett," said
the lawyer, more like the letter than
ever-'I hope not. Why should there
be a mistake?"
"And, went on John, excitedly, II
don't propose TO be bullied! l have
never engaged myself to the young
woman, nor have I given her any reason
to believe
ono, mono, to.be-sure notl' uttered
the lawyer, swaying himself to and fro.
eff had supposed so, should certainly
never have married her"
married whom?" demanded John.
"Married Mrs. Elias Judd, to-be.sure
the late Miss Melinda Butts. This
morning, Mr.. Jaggett; and we're on our
way to the Albany boat now, and my
ml-wife has stopped to bid your re
spected mother good.by as we came past.
And really" glancing at a turnip- shaped
silver watch which he carried in fob
pocket, eve have no time to spare.
Melinda, my dear
He was amazed at the vehemence and
cordiality with which John Jaggett
wrung his hand.
II congratulate you, my dear sir-I
congratulate you with all my heart" said
he. "Where is Mrs Judd! Let me have
the pleasure of expressing my good
wishes to her ALSO"
And when "the late Miss Melinda
Butts came in, rugged, hard featured
and coarse, he thought of the little hu-
man rosebud waiting out y the keeping
room window, and rejoiced inwardly.
All these occurrences took much less
time in the happening than has been con-
sumed in their relation; and when,
finally, the dust of departure rolled after
Mr.. Judd's respectable carriage wheels,
Mrs. Jaggett turned tearfully to her son.
"There, John" said she, II told you
how it would be! Melinda Butts is mar
ried and gone, and l haven't got no
daughter-in-law, after all"
ayes, you have, mother, said John,
his whole countenance growing radiant
as he took her hand and led her into the
room where Alice now sat, her innocent
heart full of vague wonder aud surmis-
ings. ~ was married TO Alice Mixsell
the day before yesterday"
Alice lifted her blue, wistful eyes to
Mrs. Jaggett's amazed face.
Mother died last month, said she.
VIII you be my mother nowl'
! Mrs. Jaggett clasped the girl to her
heart.
'Yes, dear, l will" she faltered.
'Any one that John loves I'm going TO
love, too And we did need some
woman about the house younger and
smarter than l am. Kiss me, Alice! and
now we'll have our tea. But, John, why
didn't you tell me before.o
Because | didn't know 1t myself,
mother, said John Jaggett. "But do
think I've made better bargain than
Lawyer Judd; don't youl9
well, said Mrs. Jaggett, locking at
Alice, Observation-Disclosures
you-havew-.Sqturday Night
Lays Tinted Eggs.
Hiram Hall, of Columbus, Ind. has
freak of nature-a hen that laws Easter