Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-10-07

stOOplDH LOT anOLueE hduuiut Vi PN"S
from the basket beside her.
"What do you mean, Aunt Martha"
"Why. l mean that when | was here
last summer l knew that you and Tom
liked each other, and ever since then
I've been expecting to be sent for to
help at a wedding"
And Aunt Martha looked at her niece
with grave concern in her kindly eyes.
"There isn't going to be any we'd
ding" Lefty answered, sharply, though
with a suspicious little choke in her
voice.
"And whose fault is that, Letty1 Id
he sorry to think you meant to throw
Tom over, for can see that he likes
you still, though you don't treat him
very kindly, must say"
"If be likes me, why don't be say sol'
the girl answered, passionately, and
with tears starting to her eyes.
cob" SAID Aunt Martha, softly, to
herself, $50 that's the trouble, is itl"
And then, after moments thought
full silence, she resumed:
81 reckon it's mostly your fault, Lefty.
You don't encourage him enough"
Encourage himl You don't think,
Aunt Martha, that 1 would try to make
mau ask me to marry him when he
hasn't the will or the courage to do it
himselfl Iwoud die first"
Nonsense, child! As to courage,
Tom Powell showed he was no coward
when he saved old Peter Stiles from that
mad bull, when all the rest were afraid
TO 90 nigh it. But he's bsshful with
women; and as my husband used to say
after We were married, Its a trying
thing for shy man to tell girl that he
loves her and ask her to marry him.
And Toms just putting it off because he
don't know now to begin
"Well, he needn't worry about it so
far as l am concerned" said Lefty, with
a toss of her head. "Here he has been
coming to the house for whole year
and keeping other young men away, aud
and next Thursday I'll be twenty years
old. II he expects me to wait for him
until I'm an old maid, he's mistaken,
end mean to let him know 1t. There's
Will Somers and"
"Hushl" interrupted Aunt Martha,
as her quick ear caught q mans footstep
on the porch.
And the next moment a tall, good
looking young map, with driving.
whip in mis- haci, presented himself at
the door Of the cool open hall in which
the two women were seated.
MAY come inl" he said, pleasantly,
looking from Lefty to Aunt Martha,
and back again at Lefty.
eyes. if you've mind to-" the latter
answered, moving the basket out of the
way and scarcely glanciug at him.
~ was going by, and thought Id
stop and see how you all were," he said,
half apologetlcally, "aud ask if l conld
do anything for you down at Sharps
vile Or maybe some Of you would like
to ride down there for a bit of shoppingl
I've got my new spring wagon along,
and not much to bring in it,"
"Thank youl" said Lefty. " But
mothers busy, and I've no time to be
driving about in the mornings Maybe
Aunt Martha would like to 60"
"Well, l don't know but what
might" replied that lady, thoughtfully.
81 would like to see my old schoolmate,
BetseY Leadbetter, now that she's Grip.
pie, and | know that your mother wants
one or two little things that l could
bring from town. So if you can wait
Just FIVE minutes, Thomas, I'll be ready
by that time"
"Oh, don't be in a hurry, Mrs. Brad
leyi don't mind waiting an hour to
accommodate you, aud never knew a
woman yet who could get ready to go
anywhere in five minutes" said Tom,
laughing.
So Aunt Martha went upstairs, where,
through the open door Of her room, she
could hear what was going on in the hall
below.
al wonder you can afford to waste an
hours time, Tom," said Lefty, gravely.
"well, III put it TO some account il
wall let me-"