The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-08-08

Here Mr.. Baker laughed again. He
made no other answer for several minutes
At last he said
IT was sorry enough when my wife
died"
A great pile of quartered apples was
heaped up in the wooden bowl before either
spoke again.
Then Ann exclaimed, with a piteous in
tensity;
"Oh, I'm awful tired Of bein Aunt Man
dany's foolr'
Mr.. Baker stamped his foot involuntarily.
"How jew know they call you thatf" he
cried in great voice.
~ heard Jane Littlefleld tell Mis- Monk
she hoped nobodyd ask Mandany's fool to
the sociable, and Mr.. Fletcher's boy told
me that's what folks called me-"
o. Jane Littlefeld D. that
little devil of boyr'
These dreadful words burst out furiously.
Perhaps Ann did not look as shocked as
she ought.
In moment she smiled her immature,
simple smile that had touching appeal
in 1t.
"'Tain't no use denyin it." she said.
~ amt jes' like other folks, N that's q
fact. can't think stiddy more'n a min
N the back er my head S odds it can be-"
"Poohl What of itP There can't any Of
us think stiddy n II we could what would
It amount to, should like to know 1t
wouldn't amount to row of pins"
Ann dropped her work and clasped her
hands. Mr.. Baker saw that her hands
were hard and stained almost black on
fingers and thumbs by much cutting Of
apples.
"Ye see, " she said in q tremulous voice.
sometimes l think If mother had lived
she'd er treated me so't could think Std
der. s'pose mother'd er loved me. They
say mothers do. But Aunt Mandany told
me mother died the year l got my fall from
the cherry tree. / was 8 then. / don't re-
member nothin bout it, nor bout any.
thing much. Mr.. Baker, do you remember
| your motherp"
Mr.. Baker said, eyes" abruptly
| Something made 1t impossible for him to
say more.
~ d. know how tits" went on the thin
minor voice, "but it always did seem to
mes though if l could remember my
mother l could think stiddier somehow
Do you think couldr'
Mr.. Baker started to his feet.
"In be dumbed f / en- stan it," he
shouted. "No nor 1 won't stan it nutheri'
He walked noisily across the room
He back and stood in front of Ann,
who had patiently resumed work.
"Come," he said. "I think lot of ye
Les git married
Ann looked up. She Strengthened her.
self.
"Then should live with your" she
asked.
"Of course"
She laughed.
There was so much Of confident happi-
ness in that laugh that the mans heart
glowed youthfully.
II shall be real glad to marry you, Mr..
Baker" she said. Then, with pride N
I en- cook, n 1 know first rate how to do
housework
She rose to her feet and flung up her
head.
Mr.. Baker put his arm about her.
"Les go right along now, " he said more
quickly than he had yet spoken. "We'u
call to the minister's n engage him. You
ON stop there. We'll be married today"
Cant ye wait till l en- put on my bun
nit n shawl2" Ann asked.
She left the room. In few moments
she returned dressed for going. She had 6
sheet of note paper bottle of ink and {
pen in her hands.
"I en- write" she said confidently, "'1
I call it fairer to leave word for Aunt
Mandany.'
"All right" was the response. "Gc
ahead"
Mr.. Baker said afterward that he never
got much more nervous in his life thar
while Ann was writing that note. What
If Mandany should appear He wasn't go
ing to back out, but he didn't want to SEE
that woman.
The ink was thick, the pen like pin
and Ann was good while making each
letter. but the task was at last accom-
plished. She held out the sheet to her com
panion.
"Ain't that rightP" she asked. Mr.
Baker drew his face down solemnly as ht
read:
"Dere Aunt Mandape, I'm so dretful
Tired of beeing you're fool that ime going
too be Mr.. Bakers. He askt me. Ann. I"
"Thats jest the thing" he said explo
sively. "Now come on.
AS they walked along in the hot fall
sunshine, Mr.. Baker said earnestly;
"Im certain sure we sh'll be ever SC
much happier"
"So'm l." Ann replied, with cheerful
confidence.
They were on lonely road, and they
walked hand in hand.
"Im goin to be good to ye," said the
man, with still more earnestness. Then
in challenging tone as if addressing the
world at large, 81 guess 'tain't nobody's
business but our'n."
Ann looked at him and smiled trustfully
After awhile he began to laugh.
"Im thinkin of your Aunt Mandany
when she reads that letter." he explained.
Maria Louise Pool in Chap Book
The Origin of Champagne.