The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-08

come all right in the end. What an
untimely hour for discussion! One
o'clocl1-Just fancy if your mother
should wake up and miss me! Come,
sc,t, a7t hose -yor-r beauty slosp.''
Mrs. Copeland's memory, as before
stated, was a family institution. 1t
was a perfect encyclopedia of dates and
events, a mo st useful and valuable ac-
compartment to very charming wom-
an, and especially useful to Mr.. Cope
land, whose Observation-Disclosures was an
incessant draw back.
But regarding Amy's little romance,
Mrs. Copeland's memory babe fair to
prove a serious bar From childhood
these two lovers had seemed destined
for each other, from the days when
they shared all their possessions, and
generous Roland yielded the better
half to his little northumberland
the various stages, through the transit
tions of boyhood and girlhood, when
the timid heart begins to know itself.
Out of this they emerged hand in
hand, to the general satisfaction, for
Roland Deane was a sterlin" fellow,
and both Mr. and Mrs CopelGad hearth
ly agreed when they declared their APP
proval of Amy's choice
For awhile all went well, and many
delightful plans had been made for the
future, until Mrs. Copeland began
course of "reminiscences relative to this
important change in her darling's life,
and then she came upon the awful dis
covery that in point of age Amy out
stripped Roland by week.
Mrs. Copeland passed a most misera-
bic day. To such marriages she had a
rooted antipathy, that no amount of
argument could dispel
SO it is no wonder that in contem-
plating the deed just SO successfully
accomplished, Mr. Copeland had fairly
trembled at his temerity.
He was decidedly nervous the next
morning and evaded the important
subject by every artifice in his power.
He had no wish to taste l0f victory 50
I early in the day: so when Mrs. Cope
land, pursuing at the breakfast table
the thread of their late discourse
offered to produce testimony on the
spot, Mr. Copeland rose with all APP
pearance of haste and glanced at his
watch.
Nine o'clock, my dear Harriet. I'm
late as it is. l can't wait; some
other time will do. This evening, per-
haps, Good-by," with which he hur-
ried off.
1t was part of his plan to encounter
Roland in the course of the day, and it
was his good fortune to meet him that
evening walking in the direction of
| their house.
"See here, Roland" he began, 81
want to speak to you about Amy Have
you noticed the dear child has not been
quite herself for the past day or SOP"
81 have, Mr.. Copeland. Amy is need
lessly worried over such tritiing mat
ter: il is not worthy of consideration.
"Ah. my young FRIEND answered Mr..
Copeland, with a disappearing shake of
his head, you make a mistake, If a
man had a toothache, for instance, it
does him no good to tell him it is a
mere trife. To tell Amy it doesn't
matter is so much breath wasted. 1t
does matter, for it is there, and clearly
! what must be done is to remove the
cause of distemper"
81 understand your words, Mr.. Cope
land" said Roland. but l must con-
fess fail to grasp your meaning wholly.
1t is beyond our power to annihilate
facts, else, believe me, I would gladly
shoulder a burden of fifty years to re-
store Amy's happiness or do away with
Mrs. Copelands prejudice"
Not prejudice" objected Mr.. Cope
land, that is not the word. Mrs. Cope
! land is suffering from the effects of an
| acute attack of memory. If you knew
my wife as | debut this is a case of
too much of good thing and l AM 60
ing to administer an antidote."
Roland was silent in Amusement. He
had been sufficiently intimate with the
family to appreciate the stupendous i'm
port of this declaration. He trembled
at the thought of such boldness.
81 don't think you have fairly consid-
cred the difficulty of your scheme, Mr..
Copeland" he said at last.
"Why difficult?" queried that gentle
man. Are not the best of us liable to
err sometimes? My wife during all
these years has been particularly en-
empt from the common lot of mortals,
but her time may come, Roland-her
time may come"
III.
That evening a peculiar influence
pervaded the atmosphere of the Cope.
land family, charging it like electric.
| ity, ana, strange TO say, it could be
| 4nn nnl u M,- Ennnlnrl