The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-12-07
"Folks at Haversham all saw 80, a

Its a shame an sin, Rachel.
Stickin' to yo' so long, an then not to
know any better'n to marry girl jist
half's old as he isl
Il don't seem able to believe it at
ALL
Its as true as that Pm standin'
here tellin' yo and yo're standin' here
listenin'." Rachel stopped and pick
ed up the bunch of berries that had
fallen out of her hand. Don't yo' go
worryin' bout it, Rachel. Yo' were
too good for him, anyhow"
Rachel stared steadily into Mrs.
Simmons's face. There isn't any
thing to worry bout, Mrs. Simmons.
I've always had my mother to tend to,
an SEWN an cleanin' fo' other folks,
an I'll jist keep on doin' as I've al.
ways done. ] amt baby to go an
knock my head against ii stone wall"
She tramped homeward erect and
stern. Once she stopped and flung
the rose-hips far out into the middle
of the road. A little cloud OF dust rose
up and hid them from her. She felt
as if she had flung away the last shred
of her youth.
Where are yo' goin', Rachel p ask
ed her mother an hour later. What
yo' putin yo'r bonnet on fo'? Seems
to me yo' iist come in an then go out
again"
"rm goin' to run down an tell Mr.
Simmons to stop TO- me tomorrow
mornln' with his express. / nights
we'll go to Haversham tomorrow an
do my fall shoppin' as mex week.
When it's done it's DONE"
Out of the fog that shrouded the
dawn of the following day ratified a
curiously colored vehicle-a glare of
yellow and splotchy crimson-and
drew up in front of the Fuller house.
A muffied figure waited at the gate.
THAT yo', Miss Rachel p
Eyes, Pm here, Mr.. Simmons" He
helped her up carefully to seat.
Only got yo'and the letters thismorn-
in. Chilly, amt it p
The last house ON the street had
been but lately built. Its white paint
was void of age and weather stain; its
shingles fresh and yellow. 1t had no
garden simply a strip of grass divfd-
| ed by brick walk that ran up to the
| door, ,
Rachel had her hand held out to the
| latch when a step sounded behind her.
A young woman with her sun bon
net pushed back off her face and a
kettle in her hand stopped at the gate. 4
| She was tall and had an abundance of
very fair hair that curled about her
| brows like that of a baby's; her eyes /
were blue.
Are yo' Bill Tipsdale's wife ~
Eyes, MIN" The young woman
gazed curiously at the blunt middle
aged one. \
How long have yo' been married
| to him -
Most two months. It'll be two
| months tomorrow"
Il heard so, but jist come in from
Green Meadows to-day, an thought
I'd ask"
81 hope yo'll be happy" she said
slowly.
The gabled houses swan out of
sight. She could smell the late roses
in the little gardens as she stumbled
along but she was half way down the
street before the fences stopped wav-i
ering, or the rose bushes were more
than a blur of crimson. 1t was a
shadowy vehicle driven by a shadowy
Mr.. Simmons that ratified toward her
as she waited on the corner. i
"Yo' look mortal pale. Miss Rachel.
Heard anything while lyou went
round doin' yo'r shoppin p
mo; Pm tired Mr.. Simmons. I'll
feel all right when we'se movin' an
the wind BLOWN. l guess"
They had travelled more than half
the distance to Green Meadows and
were in the heart of the hill country
when Mr.. Simmons turned upon his
companion with the same question he
had asked her in Haversham,
Heard any bad news to-day, Miss
Rachel p
mo, none a'tall."
Now, don't yo' git frightened, Miss
Rachel, but I'm goin' to tell yo' bout
something that happened in Green
Meadows this mornin'."
What, Mr. Simmons ?"
"Well, then, yo'r house burned
down this mornin'."
She caught his arm in a grasp that
made him vince.
AN what's come to my poor old
mother, Mr.. Simmons p
"She's safe an sound, an not a
scratch on her. Bill Tipsdale was
passin' an he rushed in an carried
the old lady out through the blaze an
took her up to his house an laid her on
the bed, an went back an helped to
save the things. Everything d been
| burnt up if Bill hadn't been SO STIR
rim"
Down they plunged into hollow
anything that Rachel had to say was
lost in the chatter that followed. They
climbed up to the level again; the
mountains were closing in about them.
Cant yo' go faster, Mr.. Simmons -
A cloud of dust rose up and went
before and behind them. The little
naked birches along the pike looked
silver like and ghostly through it.
| They beckoned, but the two travellers
ratified on. 1t was through this cloud
of dust that Rachel caught glimpse
| of the blackened walls of her old home.
A little after she stood at Bill Tips
| dale's door.
There was lamp burning in the
| front room. That and the logs on the
hearth flooded it with light.
The old woman, propped up in bed
| in the corner, rose on her elbow rs
Rachel came in. Her face was as vital
| as ever.
go git Bill Tipsdale. Go git him,
right now"
'Mother-"
''Go git Bill Tipsdale, l say
| Bill thrust his head in from the
blackness of the outer room.
Come in here, Bill Tipsdale." He
numbered forward. Il don't love yo'
better'n l ever did, Bill Tipsdale, an
| don't ever expect to, an don't
think yo've got more sense than you
had before, either, but yo' saved me
from bein' burned up this mornin' AN
| amt goin' to forgit it any more'n
I'm goin' to forgit some other things.
An if yo' want Rachel, yo' can have
her."
Il guess Racherll have to decide
| that, Miss Fuller;but if she'll have me,
I'll be glad to have her."
but wore married to Hester Rid
err" said Rachel.
Bill took step or two toward her.
Hester Rider?"
THE folks all say SO, an to-day,
when | went to town, went an ask
ed her.
Bill became radiant. He held up
his left hand, with all its five fingers
spread out as far as possible, and
with the forefnger of his right hand
checked off each statement he made.
''William E. Tipsdale-that's me
William G. Tipsdale-that's nephew
of mine. Will Tipsdale they call him,
not Bill, an he looks like me, too, only
Younger. He's mo rried to Hester Rid
er. Didn't tell yo' old Riders daugh
ter was goin' to git married, an / was
goin' to build house for him?"
Rachel was dumb.
81 guess that's why folks have been
foolin' me all day long
The old woman championed him
from her pillows.
"Yo, must have forgot Bill TIPS