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

See this longest one curving around the
thumb. That's for long life. You will
live to be very old. And see this little
one here, next to it. That's for riches,
and this one heTe-wonder what it's for !?
See mine, jes' the same mark. OH I
know now; remember.
"what is it fer?"
sits fer love"
The websterian catalogue was too lin
tied for the bashful young farmer to iind
anything to say to this. and so they sat
in silence, her hand still resting almost
caressingly on his. Out in the sitting
room could be heard the measured, SOL
emn tick-tick Of the great osken clock,
and outside the wind breathing through
the trees added certain weirdness to
the Sabbath repose. Every now and
then the sound of the old dog in the
woodshed turning over restlessly could
be heard, and all the while the mans
heart was demanding that he should ex-
press himself, commission the tongue
refused to obey.
Finally Martha Ann, without raising
her head, said, dreamily:
ado sou know, james, I've often won
deIed why you didn't git married, You
see, have always looked upon myself as
a sister to you, wishin' always for your
welfare and happiness, and have asked
myself agin and agin, Now why don't
he find some good, true girl and marry
her? You'd make some woman a good
husband, james; | know you would,
you're 50 good and stedy and home low
in, and sech men amt plentiful. 1t
amt fer you to be spending your Sunday
evenings with me, who is only your true
friend, fer you'd ought to be findin' a
sweetheart an gettin' married and settled
in life."
"Oh, Martha Ann" he found courage
to say.
She continued as if not noticing the in
terruption.
"a man as has reached your age ought
ter be loOkin' round him, and there's
plenty of girls would have you, too, a.
plenty of them. Now, there's Mary Glib
son-she's a good girl as ever lived,
splendid house-keeper, and religious Or
Sally Stevens, or Esther Lapum, any of
them would jump at the chance to be-
come Mrs. Simpkins."
James groaned in spirit. The perspi-
ration trickled down his forehead and
settled in drop on the tip of his nose. as
if undecided whether or not it were best
to fall.
"Oh, Martha Annr he said again
plaiutiEely, "how could yer think ofsuch
q thing?7
She removed her hand from his and
turned her face, now flushed warm by
the fire, until her eyes met his and ask
ed, as if with the greatest wonder:
why not ?''
ats you l want, Martha Ann"-his
tongue was getting into line-its you as
| have been a-planning this year or more
to ask, but somehow you was sllers so
sweet lookin' and SO quiet that some
how couldn't do" Surely the unruly
vocal powers were getting very o5edient.
"I've loved yer from alittle-I've-Ive"-
The machinery stopped suddenly here
and it was as much as half a minute be-
fore he continued.
"You see, don't know how to tell ii,
but | love you. l love you with all my
heart, and alters have, and I've wished
and wished could tell you, but couldn't
bein' so stupid but I've told you now,
and amt no room in my heart for no
one else"
He was quite choked up with emotion,
now, yet in his eyes were new boldness,
a new inspiration, and he learned eager
ly forward for her answer.
1t was now her turne to be confused.
The willy Martha A m forgot her cunning
ofspeech, forgot her well laid plan, and
the first thingsh knew tears were roll
ing down her cheeks. She had no words
to say.
She allowed her head to sink slowly
toward his breast, and hiding ner face
there with his strong arms about her, she
gave herself up to the soft passion oftears
And then he raised her tenderly and
kissed her over and over again-how he
never knew and viii never be able to
explain to himself, for he had no need to
be told she loved him and was his for all
time
And so they sat silently, while the fire
fiickered and grew passionate in turn,
and the old clock licked with gladder
tone, and even the breathing of the g d
of night in the lilacs became subdued.
And 50, heart beating against heart, and
hand elasping hand, they sat, too full Of
the spirit Of love TO say aught.
And this is how they became engaged.
Yet still the people of the Big Greek
section are wondering, did Martha Ann
really propose Pred Warner Shabby ia
Boston Globe