Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1890-12-20
ssBut ought we TO allow itI'

tBut ought we TO atlo III
How can We help it. Allie2 He
drives the bargain with ny father, who
/. the nominal holder OF the land. He
asks no ones advice, and j. MORALLY OF
ended if anybody ventures. to make a
:4ggestion."
But be must know aLen the title
leeds are execLteif
"We!l, le. him. Is-t il bis "
loing>" retortei the young maa Just
consider The whole thing, -Al1nira. Here
this thirteen acres q and originally
,e.Ougiug 10 your mother, which she al
ways desired should be yours. Mr. Fop-
pie resolate.y refuse5.to give You 50 much
= 1 head Of timothy grass of i. You
~.ecretly til aad work 70 earn { little
money, a4l 4- secretly iatrlst !. 70 my
father. wLo, acting a. your agent, makes
he purchase, 80 that YOU Wiz not come
penui!css 70 me, yoa proudest 1httte
princesses, 90, | wont 90 It agaln.J
Bat voa see you are weather. than YOU
supposed The stony hearted mlser who
-r4dges you a decent wedding tone more
Kiss, sweetest. is buying back the land
Il Al advance, and you are unconscIously
becoming a Spectator. How | shall en-
nov his amazelnent when he realizes mat
tiers"
The old Popple farmhouse was all
alight that October night; the rude
wooden mantle were backed with dab
las, zinnlas and white a%sters the village
musicians piled their instruments IN the
hail, the table IN the low-ceiled dining
room was spread with frosted cakes,
baked by Almiras sympathlzing girl
friends fruit baskets, arranged by the
scholars she had taught in Sunday
school yiands prepared by her future
mother and sisters-in-law
Old Leander looked on with lowering
browS.
'eAlI waste and folly.' said he. "Is
the girl mad Never mind; after to-day
she'll be no responsibility OF mine. Let
George Storey take the care of her them
Father, youth kiss NE good by,
+, pleaded the bride, coming to him in her
dainty dove colored travelling dress at
the close of the evening.
''Kissin' amt in my line, said Lean
der Popple. However, | don't object
to sllakin' hands with YOU. You've
spent a deal of unnecessary money to-day
but I've done a tol'able good stroke Q
business, too. I've paid the last cent 0
money into bank for that quarry ground
The bride looked wistfully at her bus
band as she turned away.
Gle has told me his secret, George,
She murmurrd, land if any one is to
have the gold, I am glad it IS to be he
"Gold|" said George, with a shrug Of
tile shoulders. "Not a grain of gold is
to be found within forty miles' He's too
aSarIclous TO consult a mineralogist, and
too ~opinionated to ask advice. What he
~fancies to be gold is merely a vein Of iron
pyrltes-as useless as so much gilt paper.
lie has simply out-manuuvered himself,
and you, my darling, have come INTO
Your own little fortune through his absurd
t~oIIyI'
50 Almira Popple had her wedding
after ali, and old Leander discovered
when II was too late, thut he haG
helped 10 enrich George Storey's wife
Bat to this day he holds out that tn,
mctaFlureists are all wrong, and that hs
has a gold mine on his property in spite
Of everything.
"Though,' he says, " if I'd knowed i
was Almira:s land, I'd ha' made her lie
me have 1t 4 deal cheaper. '-Suturaa.
Mutt.