The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-03-31
MILES PROPOSAL.

feverish fervency, bursting open the
door of the kitchen, where Mrs. Mel
lows was busy preparing dinner. and
flung herself upon her mothers neck,
,mothering her with burning kisses.
When the old lady WAS able to recover
her breath she cried so he is all
right at last, my child. How happy l
feel. What does he write !?
Read yourself, T. responded the
daughter, handing an open letter to her
mother. Then she began dancing and
jumping about the little room like a
child, singing and uttering exclama-
tions of extreme delight. The mother
read as follows:
DEAR Miss MELLows: The boss is awl o
pa, lie wanks as steJdy rs our oksen with tho
pillow, bat he is as lnud,ilcd aar!ing yoorself az
| liver. Five beginnings OF letters | has agi:
tacken from the waist bsas,;et witch sent Yo':
| heerNih. dun no vat too doc with him he ia
| NOR s:ainje and shack EVERY dai. If YOU
doon't com soun thaer is no help. sondai is the
| best dai thaer aar catches at the dcepo too
| miles drive from COR servant Jack.
The boss mentioned in this letter was
rich farmer about twenty seven years
old. He had been suddenly seized with
lameness in both legs, and no doctor
had been able to advise cure. He had
been treated with every means of mod
ern surgery, but all ton no purpose. Hot
Springs, where he had been for q whole
season, had done him no perceptiblo
good. Nevertheless he had followed
The advice OF his doctor to go there an.
other year.
/
One day when his footman was wheel.
ing him in his chair along the promo
made, two ladie, attracted his attention
by the apparent interest with VIII ich
they looked at him. When he had
brought his chair to stop in the
shadow OF tree the elder came to ac.
cost him, asking for information upon
political circumstance which at that
time engaged the attention of the
country. He answered her questions,
and the absent -minledncss with which
| his answers were received, showed him
| that the real cause of the conversation,
which the Lady had commenced, was
something very different from politics.
He limited at this impression of his,
and the lady then confessed that she
had come to him because she found u
res EN- blance between him and her sor,
who had been absent from her for
years. My daughter she added,
was first struck by the resemblance and
called my attention to it. 1t is truly
striking, and [ could not resist the tenn
tation to talk to yon. Will you excuse
the liberty 2
Her natural ways, her kindly voice
and refined way of speaking made a
favorable impression, and Frank Strong,
such was the name of the lame man,
was pleased with his new acquaintance.
After awhile they were joined by Mile,
her daughter, whose natural kindliness
and elegant way of expressing her
thoughts as we'll as the insinuating
b3auty of her musical voice, showed
that she was equally rs charming and
interesting as her mother. She was tall
and her carriage straight; her hair was
sandy and her eye clear and meditative.
betraying an uncommon depth Of
thought and sympathy. She joined in
the conversation somewhat efficiently
at first, but as she became interested
SIG lOSG lttooCtl lllttAuCt ftuO 10.
came bright and animated. She could
not help mentioning the resemblance
between MI. Strong and her brother, Of
whom she spoke in words of praise and
loving admiration which made her ap-
pear more beautiful and attractive than
before.
From that day forward the mother and
1aunbtar 1vara Joi1- IF Mr.
Strong, who found great pleasure Ill
their society. The conversation WAS
generally carried on by the old lady.
Mile not talking much except when
her mother was abs ent, at which time
the conversation between the young
people used 10 he very lively. AIilio
evidently sympathized deeply with
Frank Strong in his atfliction, and,
making no secret of her feeling. would
frequently recur to it. He soon tired
OF that sort OF conversation, however,
and would tell her that he hated to be
pitied.
1T is wretchcl enough" he would
say to her, Ito know that You are Grip
pied for life that You have been thru It
out eff the throng of the active work ers
in the business of life, without having
to think that erybody, even your
friends, look upon you not with eyes of
sympathetic JOY, but with pity. A
norrid sound, this word pity. 1 do not
want to be pitied Pity enough that L
can not help plying myself"
But is not human sympathy the
sweetest balm with which to soothe the
sufferings of those stricken by the hand
If an inscrutable destiny q asked Mil
lie, in soft voice.
Il do not know. 1t may be, but in
my condition l can not realize the
thought. There is only one way to
preserve my equanimity and that is
considering myself altogether out of
the race of the strong and healthy. l
have found occupation and satisfaction
in my studies, and refuse entertaining
any interest in active life"
Il can not find it i'll me to entirely
believe you" she responded mildly.
DO what you will, think what you
may, yet you are living with the living
active world in spite of your partial
helplessnesS.
You are mistaken. There is such a
thing as self-limitation. There was q
time when 1 was strong in power and
rich in resources the time is gone.
am poor, wretched wreck of my
former being"
Mile had persisted in this CONVERSE
ton because it evidently gave her as
much pleasure as it caused restlessness