The Press., 1892-01-21
w. c. T. U. DEPARTMENT.
BY HABnrrr PRESCOTT srorpoRD.
Josephine's Mother.

"'Taint speck of use to talk, Aunt Elviry. I wouldn't marry Mir. Newman if there warn't another man made. An I'm going to marry Charley Dane when. ever can git ready"
 "You be |"
 "We've kep' company since the year oRe"-and here a.sense of shame flushed the bright face; and she turned 1t quickly away. But the color mounted and mount. ed till It became pain, and suddenly she covered her face with her hands and burst into tears. "I-I do'no' what the world would be to mo rthout Charley Dane in ! iti". said she.
 "Wal, I neveri" exclaimed Miss FL viry, sitting very straight and snapping her eyes over her knitting as if she would strike sparks with them. Charley Dane! Your aather'd turn over in his grave. Why, hen never earn his salt" "You ain't no right to speak sol" said her niece, flashing an angry glance at her from the looking glass to which she had returned, braiding her long hair. She was pretty girl, with her fair skin and soft brown eyes; but her hair was beau tiful-of an uncommon golden shade, fine and immensely thick, and so long when | 1t was not plaited that, by throwing her head back in little gesture natural with her, she could step upon 1t.
 "I do'no' who,s-a right eff ain't," said her aunt. "I'm all the folks you got. ] combed that hair o'yourn tell you done il yourself. reely loved them locks, " eye, ing them wistfully now. "Ef you'd 2 mother but you'll be miserable; you'll be-n
 Aunt Elviry, know you mean well enough. But you can't make the world roll backward. The mischiers done, ef 1t is mischief. l should be miserable of didn't marry him, so! An I may az well be miserable one way as the other. Now you need'n' say another word, for I'm jest as fixed as Elsy Graz. I've give up my place in the shop over to Farley, an we shall be married Thursday"
 Wal, hope you won't live ter repent it." ,@4
 (Which 'spose means you hope will. There, that's done," burying the last hairpin. 1T allus feel when I've done my hair that mornings works out of the way.o 1
 s'Why don't you cut 1t of, thenf" said her aunt, grinly. "You might jest as wal. You won't have no time, not the leastest mite, for braidin' and prinkin' when you're supporting Charley Dane, T now ,ss-s S ..Aunt Elviry, If 'twas anybody else F never speak to 'em agin. Relations ,caI l ltAka Aighto flibsxty hut thers,s bounds
 Isn't Charley Dane young and strong ant we'll, and hasn't he as good trade as"- "W'en he works to it."
 "He works reg'lar. He'slaid by more'l
 hundred dollars already. An he's go all he wants to do."
 "I'li be bound he has!''
 "You're real unfair, Aunt Elviry."
 Wal, p'raps Kbe. But never see nc good come 'out'n those Danes down to thu
 holler yet, an never shall"
 "There's folks that don't agree 'ith you thet'd be as pleased as ninety of twas ont
 of their girls"
 Somebody tn hull slew of lem, an
 all to hum. Wal, now, Priscy, wast my hans of the hullconsarn. I've spoke
 my mind. I've done my duty. Yot
 needn't ast me to your weddin',-
 sha'n't come. I sha'n't never set foot fl
 your house agin."
 And with rush of her own tears tha
 contradicted holf she said, Mtss Elviry
 tried to control her countenanee, folded
 her knitting with jerk, and catching uI
 her wraps took herself out of the hous. and down the road to her home across
 the border three miles away.
 ! Priscilla looked after her, half angr.
 and half fond, but let her go. And whei
 Miss Elviry sawsher niece again it was oI
 the return from the brief wedding journe.
 to the city, where one day and night il
 the vast hotel; with it's velvet furnitur,
 and gorgeous carpets and ,cut-glass chan ldeliers, made her feel the awfulness o wealth, and gave her an intense admira
 tion of Charley, who accepted all tn
 splendor as the right of one who paid fo
 it, millionaire to the extent of his frae tional portion of such splendor, with diff ficulty restraining himself from puttinl
 his feet on one of the resplendent chairs It had been taken for granted that the
 should come to Priscilla,s house; and
 was with a sweet, shy, graciousness tha ] she turned to Charley as he crossed tn
 threshold, and said, the blush reddeninl
 her forehead, "It is your house now sI Charley
 l "Why, of cours' it is," he said. "Don
 the Tor say SOP s'pose you think your givin' it to me. That's good ioke!" h
 said with 8 short laugh. "P'raps yo I don't know that as long as I live thi , house is mine ow-that is, practically lis, jest as much as of I'd bought 1t? Wa that so. That's what got by marryin |you." He gayly. tilted up her chin, a [though her eyelids dropped 80 that ! could not see her eyes. "You don't mint do you? ?" he said. 's.It's better to stal square, An what's my right I don't ca Inobody's gift. You giv' me suthin be tern house, Mis- Priscilla Dane, we lye giv me your heart r"
 A moment of bewilderment had iushe Priscilla'g face; her first thought Vt that Charley was tired, and a little cross the next was one of vexation with herse for her. presumption; that was followt by sharp regret that after all she cou lnot give it to him as she had counted { doing, and her final thought was an a 5 miring recognition of Charley's knowledl of fact, and his keen sense tf justice.
 'sOh, Charleyln she said, .syou'd ort