The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-02-25


Mrs. Coots. mot ten minutes ago i
was real sorry. You see, cheated you
without KNOWN it. Some of the num-
bers is rubbed off the yard marks on
the counter, and my glasses got broke.
and without 'em l couldn't see good.
I've been cheatin' unprecedented, so
didn't take nothin' fur the extry
piece / guess you'll find Hannah to
hum when you go back. Probably
she took the cross road way, SEEM
kept her taIlzin'. and there was one or
two in besides. They all got talkin',
too kind of laughin' and slzylarIxin',
you know. Boys and girls together,
young folks will. We used to our.
selves"
80 we did. Priscilly," said Mrs.
Doble. But must run home
And away she sped, happy when tile
light from her own window was visible.
"Of.course she came home cross road
way" she said to herself.
But when she had opened the door
she saw that Hannah was not in the
room. Neither was she upstairs in
either of the tidy bedrooms or in the
darkened parIor.
shes stopped somewheres or other
l suppose, she said. But that amt
like my Hannah Jane, neither
Out again she hurried into the gar
den, fearing to leave the gate lest the
girl should come home while she was
away. But the o'clock bell rang
out, and still she stood there chilled
through and through, but most of all
cold at heart.
She had gone down to the village by
the cross roads; she had called her
daughters name over and over neain.
returning always to the gate-always
peeping in at the window to see if Ham
nah had returned. Now she bethought
her OF n neighbor who would help her
hunt for Hannah-who had men and
dogs and lanterns ut command. The
awful stories told of girls found muir
dered in lonely places were making the
poor woman ill with terror, and off she
went again.
The clock was striking 10; the farm
er was making the last rounds of sta
BILE and barn with his little son at his
heels 500.
"Halloo. Mrs. Doble" he cried.
Nothing wrongt'
YES" she answered, grim and gray
in her mortal anguish. Hannah
is missing = my Hannah = sence 5
o'clock -sence 6, anyway Shed been
to the store-I'm thinkin' of tramps."
Good Lud!" cried the farmer .sOh.
l hope not, hrs. Doble-I hope notp'
Nothing is the matter, Mrs. Doble, /"
cried the boy at his fathers side. Miss
Hannah has gone en- the cars / saw her
at the depot. She was along with jeff
Larilin. Seven o'clock train they took.
She had quite a stable bag, for 1 saw
her get it from the baggage master.
like he'd been keeping it for her."
Nothing the matter" the child had
said in his ignorance; but the father
understood why Mrs Doble turned her
face to the side of the barn and shook
as with an ague.
Garry them kindlings in, Tom. he
said, and when they were alone his big
hand came down softly on the elderly
wonan's spare shoulder. I.
Dunno rs | can help you any, Mrs.
Doble, !" he said, but feel for you"
THANK you," she gasped. Il was
so afraid she'd marry him. talked to
her. She didn't answer back; she
never does"
well, the best you can hope now is
that she will, f." said the farmer.
He walked home with her across the
road and saw her seated in her rocking
chair.
The biscuit were black Goals in the
oven, the tea kettle had boiled dry,
and the bottom, a fiery red mass, had
dropped upon the stove The eat was
drinking the milk, but for the first
time in her life Mrs. Doble took heed
IF nothing. Even on the dreadful day
d her husbands death she had tidied
~ her room as usual, had seen that all
was in order. Now she sat where her
neighbor had placed her, fearless, white,
almost motionless, all night long. In
she morning neighbors fioclxed in and
put her to bed and gave her strong
green tea, and later the postman
brought paper with the marriage no
tices marked in blue pencil. There she
read:
''On the evening of the - of octo-
Der, Mt the residence of the Rev. Sam.
uel Dove, Jefferson LarlSin to Hannah
Jane, daughter of the late John Doble,
all of Strawville."
That ought to tighten your heart"
said well meaning friend, their be-
ing properly married"
''Of course i knowed they would
be.n the mother answered sharply. II
brought her up to be decent"
A few days afterward she was up and
at her daily tasks again. She never
mentioned her daughter; no ono ever
spoke to her. People asked her to tea
often. thinking that she must be lonely.
She always accepted their invitations.
Whatever her feelings were she locked
them in her bosom, and she folded the
half finished muslin gown away in the
old chest of drawers, and covered it
with clean paper on which was sprin-
kled a layer of dried lavender, and be-
side it she laid the sleeve pattern.
So the years glided by. Time drew
little lines under Mrs. Doble's ewes
at the corner, the hollows deep
ened in her checks, her forehead was
ruled like a copy book. Slowly he
changed her hair, only little ''mixedr