The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-02-15

I
| thought she had never looked 50 beauti
ful and altogether womanly before, and
he registered an oath in his heart, for be
never swore, that. so help him Uncle
John Rogers, be would ask her the min
ute he got down." He even got quite
brilliant up there on the ladder, and act.
ually joked. while Martha Ann became
one continuous smile.
Finally he gathered all the apples in
his reach, and so had to come down 10
get new position. But with each down
ward step, down went his courage, aud it
was only by a superhumln effort that be
managed to ssy:
"You're lookin' purtier'n all git out,
Martha Ann"
Martha Ann blushed crimson at so d.
rect compliment, for she felt that the
hour had come.
you're always a-aatterin' me James,
she said
Couldn't say too much for-you-
know-you-knox- Guess I'd better
move the ladder ter the south side the
tree, wouldn't you ?v
Martha Ann could have cried then and
there. James siid no more, and the ap-
pie gathering went on in silence.
But now, at the time l am writing
about, they were actually engaged, and
the reader viii probably come to the
conclusion that Martha Ann must have
proposed, justss the worthy gossips of the
Big Creek section figured. The facts are
as follows:
Martha Ann decided firmly on eli
max Either James or she must speak.
If she could induce him to declare his
love, all well and good ifnot, she must
draw him out. Ifhe would not draw
she must tell him the old story herself
No strategist could have planned finer
campaign.
1t was the evening Of Easter Sunday.
The day had been bright and sunny.
The services at the church had been in
spring and James had come home with
her for supper.
After meal which would have warm
ed the heart of a cynic, let alone a
healthy farmer like our hero, all the folks
retired to the parlor, where rosy fire
was glowing in the CRATE, the dry maple
logs burning slowly but determinedly,
and every coal which dropped holding
its color for an hour.
The organ was opened, and first the
pieces sung by the choir that day were
played over, as Martha Ann said "just to
hear how they sounded at home"
Father Todd sat near the hearth, one
knee overlapping the other, his eyes
looking clean up through the ceiling,
past the bedroom on the second floor,
past the stairs in the keen spring sky,
past the boundaries of space into that
beautiful land of pure delight, where
saints immortal reign which Martha
Ann was singing about,
Mother Todd sat in her rocker near
him, her arms folded on Der motherly-
bosom, her round, fair, good old face
beaming with perfect rest and peace.
James stood by the side of the singer
and joined in the chorus now and then,
for he had robust bass voice. which
"mightd amounted ter something"
Martha Ann said, had he only had the
high trainin' Of the choir
And so the early evening passed, and
pretty soon the old people went to
sleep in iitful way until the worthy sire
allowed it might do fer young folks to
set Up, but fer as he was concerned, guess
he'd crawl of ter bed" He was soon
followed by his faithful partner, and the
field was ready for the action to begin.
Martha Ann concluded she would not
sing any more, for her throat was getting
choked up, and with the greatest sang
froid drew the sofa up before the reand
sat down, leaving James to look out for
himself
This move put him in a bad fix. Ifhe
sat down anywhere in the room but in
one place her back would be toward him.
He hemmed little and wandered aim
lessly about, t-ied to get interested in a
picture Of Mrs Todd's grandmother, and
finally sat down on the organ stool.
Martha Ann paid no attention. She
sat with her face in her haEds looking
in the fire, as if obliyious Of his presence.
There was a silence Of intense and
painful presence in the room. Now and
then spark shot upward from the burn
ing logs or a stick fell from the dogs into
a heap of crimson Goals.
James actually suffered. lie had no
more idea what to do under the circum-
stances than the traditional child unborn.
Bat when the stiffness began to actually
ache, Martha Ann reused up, and turn
ing to him said: "Why, james don't set
over alone. Come and sit on the sofa
here by me and watch the flickerin'. l
jes' see the prettiest little home you ever
tell of. Come and I'll tell you"
He blushed crimson at this. Was it
possible? Was this really MsEtha Ann
Was he Jim Simpkins? "Come and set
down right aside O. her and watch her
ilickerin-well, I'll be eternally ~ was
what instantly passed through bis brain.
And she had turned 10 the fire.
He coughed asiittle, made as if to get
up, but subsidized. He turned all colors.
And there sat Martha Ann looking so
cozy.
A look of heroism came into his eyes,
He arose, pulled down his trousers, and
the first thing he knew he was actually
sitting on the same sofa with her, and
she, never moving from her place near
the middle, continued her weird stare
into the fire.
James" she said, 81 never see such
buildin' of palaces and a maxim of stories
as there is in the fire there tonight"
"Look there, right side the dog. Can't
you see the little house there and the
vines a-trailing up over the roof and the
door wide open and the children a-play-
in about, and the old we'll there-see it,
James, bucket, bear, everything jest as
natural as life; and what's them bendin'
over the well? They may be lovers,
James, a-bendin' over the water jes' rs
we ire over the fire y