Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-06-28

II amer lOuQ SGt near lAt LS"- VI,
one knee overlapping the other, his
eyes looking clean up through the
ceiling, past the bedroom on the seconp
floor. past the stars in the keen spring
sky. past the boundaries of space into
that "0eautiful land Of pure delight,
where saints immortal reign" which
Martha Ann was singing about.
Mother Todd sal in her rocker near
him, her arms folded or her motherly
bosom, her round, fair, good old face
bcaming with perfect rest and peace.
james stood by the side OF the singer
and Joined in the chorus now and then,
for he had a robust bass voice which
"migut'd amounted ter something, ="
Martha Ann said, had he only had the
high trajnin' Of the choir"
And So the early evening passed. and
pretty soon the old people went 10
Sleep I'm a ftiul way until the worthy
sire allowed 10 might do fer young
folks 20 set up, but fer as he was con
cerned, guess he'd crawl of ter bed. !"
He was soon followed by his faithful
PARTNER. and the feld was ready for the
action TO begin.
Martha Ann concluded she would not
sing any more. for her throat was get
ting choked no. aud with the greatest
sang froid drew the sofa up before the
fire and sat down, leaving James TO look
out for himself.
This move put him in bad fix. II
he sat down anywhere in the room but
in one place hcr back would be towards
him. He hemmed a liJtla and wonder
Cd aimiessly about, tried to get INFER
estcd iu q picture Of Mrs. Todd'S grand
mother, and finally sat down on the
organ stool.
Martha Ann paid nc attention. She
sar with her face IN her hands looking
In tine lire, rs if obliviouS Of his pres
ence.
There was silence of intense and
painful presence in the room. Now
and then a spark shot upward from the
burning logs or stick fell from the
dogs into % beapof crimson Goals.
James actually suffered. He had no
more idea what % do under the circum-
stances than the traditional child I'M
born. Bat when the stiffness began to
actually ache. Martha Ann reused up,
and turning 10 him said: "Why, James,
don't sot over there alone. Come and
set on the sofa here by me and watch
-hc Lickerin'. ] ies' see the prettieSt
Httle home Won ever heard tell of. Come
and I'll tell YOU"
Gle hushed crimson at this. Was it
possible? Was this really Martha Ann?
Was he Jim SimpkinS? "C0me and set
down right aside o. her, and watch the
lickcru well. III De ctarnally !" was
what Instantly passed through his brain.
And She had turned again 10 the fire.
lie coughed n little, made as il 10 get
no. but subsidized. He turned all cOlorS.
Ard there sat Martha Ann looking 50
cosy.
4 look of heroiSm came into his eyes.
He arose, pulled down his trousers, and
SIT down again, got mp once more, and
the first thing Pee knew ne was actually
sitting on the same sofa with her, and
She, never moving from her place near
the middle. continued her weird stare
into the ire.
james" She said, Il never see such
q buildn' of palaces and maxim of
stories aS there is in the fire there to-
night"
Cant say as I see much, Martha
Ann"
Look there, right side the dog
Can't you see the litlie house there and
the vines 2-trailing up over the roof and
the door wide open and The children a
Davin' about. end the old well there
sec &c. james, bucket, beam. everything
ies as natural as life. and what's them
oerdin' over the well? They may be
lovers. James. a-bendin' over the water
ieS' as we are over the fire.
you got tarnal good eyes, Martha
Ann ter see all them things. P'raps I
amt no immagiuatin, but can't see
nothing but some Goals q breathing sOr-
ter Ike rs If they hated ter give in"
1Martha Ann continued her wrapt at
teution Of the drama ir the fire, and
James began to get 10 home on the
sofa.
by and by she lifted her hand and
brushed back her hair, and then let it
descend i'm a careless way till il fell on
that OF her companion.
"What a great, strong hand you
have" She said slowly. DO you know
the marks I'm the hand? Let me show
you. See this longest one curving
around She tbum. That's for long life.
You viii live to be very old. And see
this one here, near il. That's for
riches. and this one here-wonder what
It's fer? See mine. jes' the same mark.
Oh, I know now; l remember"
whats it fer?'
'It'S fer love-
The Websteriau catalogue was too
limited for the baShful young farmer to
End anything to say to this, ard so they
sat I'm Siicnce, her hand still resting
almost caressiugly on his. Out in the
sitting room could be heard the meas
ured, solemn tick-tock of the great
Oaken clock, and outside the wind
breathing through the trees added Il
certain weirdueSS 70 the Sabbath repose.
Every now and then the sound of the
Old dog in the woodSh2d turning over
restlcSsly could be heard, and all the
while the mans heart was demanding
that he should express himself, a COM
mission the tongue refused to obey.
Finally Martha Ann, without raising
her head said dreamily:
500 You know. James, I've often
wondered why you didn't ever git mar
ried. You see, have always looked
upon myself as sister to you, wiShin
always fer your welfare and happiness,
and have asked myself agin and agin
Now. why don't be find some good
true girl and marry her You'd make
some woman q good husband, James,
know YOU wouid, you're so good and
stidy aud home lOvin', and Sech men
amt plentiful. Ii amt fer you to be
spending your Sunday evenings with me,
who is oaly your true friend, fer you'd
ought ter be indin' a sweetheart and
gettin' married and settled in life"
"Oh. Martha Ann he found courage