The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-03-04
ALL is FAIR IN LOVE.

farmhouse; patter, patter, the last dead
leaves of the old sycamore tree drifted
down upon the door stone.
It was an old, old house, and Mrs.
Maple was an old, old woman. But you
will sometimes find tufts of snowy bios
SONS bursting from age hchened apple
trees, and sprays of greenery on the
boughs of century old oak trees; and so
it happened that Minny Maple the an
Gent crone's eat-granddaughter, was
the bud and blossom of her worn out
! life
Old Mrs. Maple owned house and land
and had money out at interest," but she
was a shrewd old lady and liked to keep
her affairs in her own hands. And
pretty Minny, albeit an heiress in pros
pective, taught the district school and
took care of the farm dairy out of hours.
ut won't hurt her to work for her liv-
ing if she is to be rich one of these days."
said Mrs. Maple. II worked when was
girl"
And upon this dreary December night
Mrs. Naples swift knitting needles
cleaned like steely lightning in the fire.
light, and Minny sat ON a low chair be-
side her, mending table cloths, while
ever and anon big drop would plash
down upon the darned spots like glis-
tening globule of dew.
But. grandmother, why?" burst out
Minny at last, with blue eyes lifted up
like forget-me-no drenched in rain to
the old lady's parchment like face.
Because | say so, said old Mrs. Ma
pie And the fire cracked, and the snow
clicked softly against the window panes
and the knitting needles made zigzags of
light as they few back and forth.
But you say, yourself, grandmother,
that he's good young man." pleaded
Minny.
Old Mrs Maple nodded.
without bad habit in the worldr'
And again old Mrs Maple nodded like
a Chinese mandarin in collection of curl
osities.
"And forehanded with his farm?"
For the third time Mrs. Maple nodded.
"Then, grandmother, Why won't you
consent to our marriage urged the
girl.
Child" said Mrs. Maple, turning her
spectacle glasses full upon Minnys sweet,
flower like face, I've told you why. half
hundred times! It's because your great
grandfather Maple and his great grand
father We're mortal enemies. Because
you grandfathers last words upon his
death bed were: i leave my soul to
heaven, my money to my dear wife, and
my everlasting enmity to Job Croftonr +"
5"But, grandmother, /" said Minny, with
a shudder, that wis' very wicked And
surely, surely, the shadow of tombstone
should be a reconciliation"
Old Mrs. Maple shook her white head.
"Your grandfather was very vindic-
tive man, Minny," said she; 81 never
disobeyed him living. and never will
disobey him deadr'
But, grandmother" coaxed Minny,
with her fresh cheek against the old
lady's hand. The wouldn't know it. How
could hep
: Child, child, your Grandfather Maple
knew everything" said the old lady,
with a sudden superstitious glance over
t her left shoulder, as something seemed
4 to rustic at the easement. And | do
a believe his ghost would haunt me if
! didn't give good heed to his last words,
|
your husband, and you may as well give
up the idea first as last"
! And Minny Maple cried herself to SLEEP
! that night.
a For never, never can marry him
( without Grandmother Naples consent,
: she sobbed IN stay single for his sake
/ until the day Of my DEATH but never
9 can disobey the kind old soul who has
taken amother's place to me and brought
, me up from baby"
/ But the next night there was an apple
/ bee at Deacon Dangerfield's, and Minny
. Maple was there. Gilbert Crofton die
; not make his appearance until late.
a Colbert, said the little fiancee, who
sat reproachfully amid crimson ava
lanche of apples. ''what makes you ST
late?''
o I've been busy, said Gilbert "Bu
: never mind, so long as am in time TO
the Virginia reel"
! And they walked home togethe
: through the snow drifts, talking hap
PLY of what might be if only Grand
mother Naples adamantine heart coulo
be softened.
But, late though it was, with the OLE
clock on the stroke of /, there was
light shining redly from the keeping
b room windows, and through the uncuI
5. tanned easement they could see Grand
mother Maple marching up and dow
the room like sentinel on duty, he
y high heeled boots tapping on the floor
her fingers instinctively wandering