The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-03-10

a gesture of despair, land Roland would
take 1t from me gladly IL he could. Dc
i look so very ancient, so very much his
senior? Is age so plainly written on
my tace?"
| mo, cannot say that 1t is" replied
Mr.. Copeland, with critical glance.
You are wee thing, after all. Ro-
land looks years older, and, do you
know" sinking his voice confidentially,
~ have come to the conclusion that
your mother must be mistaken"
Amy started back Mortified. Never,
never! you forget mothers memory.
That is unimpeachable."
1t was now Mr.. Copelands turn to
shake his head.
Nevertheless. hold to the opinion
that there is an error in this case. With
so many things jostling one another in
her mind, would there be any wonder
| If she had confused the date?"
| You dear old father, you mean we'll;
but you can't, so Roland and will have
to wait until"
| "Wcll!"
Until mother, in the kindness of
her heart consents 10 forget the diff
erence of week."
"Forget!" echoed Mr.. Copeland, in
credulously.
| "At least, TO overlook it."
That may be; but the fact would
still remain a haunting memory. 1t
must be oblitcrated," said her father
with stern decision.
What must be obliterated?"
'"The date-ahem-I should say the
fact" returned Mr.. Copeland, in some
confusion. "There, never mind my
dear. Don't be worried. Things will
come all right in the end What an
untimely hour for discussion! One
o'clock-Just fancy if your mother
should wake up and miss me! Come,
you must not lose your beauty sleep"
Mrs. Copeland's memory, as before
stated, was family institution. 1t
was a perfect encyclopedia of dates and
events. a mo ost useful and valuable ac-
compartment to a very charming wom-
an, and especially useful to Mr.. Cope
land. whose Observation-Disclosures was an
incessant drawback.
But regarding Amy's little romance
Mrs. Copeland's memory bade 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 sweetheart-through
the various stages, through the transi-
tions of boyhood and girlhood, when
IA rt1 fp I'm
Out of this they emerged hand in
hand, to the general satisfaction. for
Roland Deane was a sterling fellow,
and both Mr.. and Mrs. Copeland hearth
ly agreed when they declared their ap-
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 darlings 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-
BILE day. To such marriages she had u
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.
Had his bold scheme involved any
other book he would not have hest
! tated; but he venerated the sacred vol
une and felt, in what he had deter
mined to do, n certain awe and dread
as if he mcditated nothing short of
altering the ten commandments.
| He was decidedly nervous the next
morning and cvaded the important
subject by every artifce in his power.
He had no wish to taste of victory so
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 ap-
pearance of haste and glanced at his
watch.
Nine o'clock, my dear Harriet. I'm
late as it is. | 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, II
want to speak to you about Amy. Have
you noticed the dear child has not been
quite herself for the past day or so?"
~ have, Mr.. Copeland. Amy is need
lessly worried over such a trifling mat
ter; il is not worthy of consideration. :"
"Ah, my young friend," answered Mr..
Copeland, with Il disappearing shake of
his head, you make mistake. If a
man had toothache, for instance, it
does him no good to tell him it is a
mere triHe. To tell Amy it doesn't
matter is so much breath wasted II
does matter, for it is there, and clearly
what must be done is to remove the
cause of distcmper."
81 understand your words, Mr. Cope.
iand,' said Roland. but j must con-
fess fail to grasp your meaning wholly.
1t is beyond our power to annihilate
facts, else believe me, would gladly
shoulder burden of fifty years to re-
store Amy's happiness or do away with
Mrs Copeland's 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