Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-07-25
Miss Ferobia's Failure.
GY HELEN WHITNEY CLARK.

"You're stannin' in yer own light,
Feroby.'
Timothy Filbert shook his head sol,
EMMY as he spoke. He was large
man, with small, light blue eyes, and a
chronic stoop in the shoulders, sugges-
tive of too steady application to the
pillow.
"You're a stannin' in yer own light, :"
he repeated lmpressively.
"Mebbe you're right, Timothy" adj
mitted his sister, meekly. She was not
naturally of a meek disposition, but there
are times when the most spirited
person feels crushed by circumstances,
and such "A moment had come to Miss
Ferobia. Timothy felt somewhat pla-
Gated by the unexpected admission.
"'Tain't too late yet" he suggested,
briskly, taking his seat at the breakfast
table, where his sister was already pour
ing the coffee. you Jest say the word,
Feroby, an I'll give jason SIN ,llweed a
hint that yea ve changed yer mind,
His paIe-biue ewes glanced inquiringly
at his sister, but Miss Ferobia's momen-
tary meekne5s seemed to have vanished as
unaccountably as it had appeared
81 haven't changed my mind, " she re-
tor I with much asperity. 81 won't
ma =, Jason Smallweed, nor nobody else.
I'll stay right here an keep house for
you the balance of my days"
Timothy wrgglcd uneasily. lie had
his own reasons for not approaching the
generous offer To fortify himself for
the disclosure which must be made he
swallowed half his coffee at a gup.
"I-I-the truth is, Feroby," he
stammered, with a crimson countenauce,
Il felt so sartin | was a-goin' to lose
you, II asked Nancy Garget, an she
said she'd have me.
The cat was out of the bag now, and
Timothy moppel his face with his hand
kcrchief and breathed a sigh of relief
But Miss Ferobla, like Il sensible
woman, bore the shock bravcly.
''Aud how soon am | to give up my
situation?' she asked.
Timothy grew uncomfortable again.
'Hey! Oh,-why-you needn't to be
in hurry. It won't come OIL for a
week yet" he fastened to explain.
San, of course, you know l woulda' t
hev nothin' agin yer stayin' right along,
same as ever, only Nancy, she-'
"You couldn't hire me to STAY" was
the reassuring answer, and Timothy con
graduated himself on having the matter
so easily settled.
alt puzzle me consider bic to know
why Timothy vas 50 sot on me chan3iu'
my mind, reflected Miss Ferobia, as
she washed up the breakfast dishes and
polished the knives and forks. "But
it's plain as a pike-staf now. l might
o'knowed he was >ayiu' one word for me
an two for hissef"
Miss Ferobia was as unlike her brother
IN appearance as she was in disposition,
While he was stoop-shouldered sh,
was straight as an arrow. And though
as she admitted, she was ''getting along
in years, her bright eyes and fresh com
plexiou coltradicted the assertion.
At her brothers request she remained
at her post until the wedding was ovel
and the bride installed in Lcr nea
home
There was very little congeniality be
tween the two women, and Mrs. limo
thy Hilbert was disposed to triumph over
her sister -in,aw.
81 s'posc you WASH ta-countin' on YOU
brother marryin," she remarked, dis
agreeably, as she combed out her ink
black tresses before the square framed
looking glass in the best room.
"TIe had a right to please himself, -
reioined Miss Ferobia, composedly.
but what are you going to do2' per
sisted the bride. ''As | told Timothy
before promised to have him, the house
want big enough for two families, an
you couldn't expect to stay after |
come.
San told him, l wouldn't stay if he
paid me for it, rctorted Miss Ferobia,
emphaticalIy
ooh, you're mighty independent,
shifted Nancy, tossing her head. 81
suppose you're a-calculatin' to take UP
with Jason Smallweed. You wouldn't
ketch me marryin' a widderer," she
added, maiciously. 'If Icouldn't be
the tablc-cloth l wouldn't be the dish.
rag. But l s'pose he's Hobson's choice
with you
The truth was that she was afraid her
sister-in-law might still manage to re-
tain a place in the household by hook OF
by crook, and she was determined tc
provoke an alteration in order to prevent
such a sequence.
But Miss Ferobia was not to be drawn
into a quarrel.
Gle may be Hobson's choice, but he
is not mine, she returned, coolIy.
Nancy, however, was as persistent as
a gnat or a gadhy.
II don't doubt but what you'd rather
have Felix Byefeld," she suggested,
slyly; "but you needn't to count on git.
tin HIM, fur he's a keepin' comp'ny with
the Wilder Cheeseman, an everybody
says they re a-goin to marry after har-
vest
1t was a random shot on Nancy's part,
but her black eyes sparkIed with mali
cious triumph as she saw by her sister
in-law's burning cheeks that the poisoned
arrow had struck home.
Miss Ferobia deigned no reply, how
ever, but went coolly about preparations
for her own departure.
She had rented a small cottage and a
few acres of ground mile or two from
the old homestead, and Timothy could dc
no less than get out the spring wagon and
drive her to the new home.
1t was yet early in the springtime, an
the wild plum-trees were white with
bloom The tall naples and elms by the
roadside swung their light tassels in the
soft breeze, and myriads of buttercupP
and purple-hued pansies dotted the grass.
grown lanes.
al dunno what you wanted of so much
ground round your house." renarIle /
Timothy, retlectively, as the wagon role
easily along. ''Half an acre would of
been enough, I should say"
"No, it wouldn't maintained his
sister, stoutly. Sim a-goin' into the