The Penn's Grove record., 1895-06-21

uOWeE1
Outdoors everything seems at peace
roses blooming, bees humming, every
thing In tune. Indoors the air is filled
with suppressed sobs, coming from q
room upstairs over the one where Mrs
Brewster sat.
Mrs. Brewster Is a stern-faced wom-
an; n Of those tall, thin, hard-work-
ing New England women in whom
the very blood seems frozen. As she
stitches away upon some new material
her needle makes a rasping sound, very
trying to sensitive nerves, but she
doesn't know she possesses nerves, up
parently.
She is making sheets and pillow
cases for her daughter, Don to be mar
ried to a mar she detests. 1t is her
mothers will. Mrs. Brewster fairly
willed her husband into the next world.
The rasping sound stops as a gentle
tap comes upon the door. She goes to
the door all smiles. She Is very gra
cious in manner In public.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Brewster: IL
Mabel at homer
Eyes; she is In her room weeping be-
AUS a kind old man wants to marry
her,"
MAY I go upY
"Yes; see If you can't bring her to
her senses"
The caller, Dorothy Knowles, runs
up the stairs and knocks upon a door
Mabel, dear, may I come int"
Mabel opens the door and draws her
friend in, closing the door quickly.
Crying again, Mabel?"
.Crying AGAIN. When do I ever
stop crying? Think, Dorothy, think, to
be married against my will to a man
old enough to be my grandfatherr
"Your mother seems determined"
Eyes, she will make me marry him
II she car What shall l dot I'll run
away, or do something. Oh, II Cousin
Max were only here, he wouldn't let her
do It oh, Max, Max, come homer
If Max Bennett had only heard that
cry no would have flown to his little
cousin. but he was far away across the
sea.
Dorothy tried to comfort her friend,
and Mt last succeeded in stopping the
tears. Mabel bathed her face and eyes
and went outdoors with Dorothy.
Tho days few by and MabePs we'd
ding day was fast approaching. A
strange calm seemed to ha re come over
her spirits. She was very docile, and
went about her daily tasks us Of old,
and her mother thought she was sub
dued; but Mabel inherited some of her
mothers will, and was quietly laying
kcr plans.
Nehemiah jerks was the name Of the
mar who was so anxious to marry her
against her, will He had been drop
ping in nearly every evening before he
asked for Mabel. Mabel had
thought he came to see her, and was
astonlshed when her mother told her he
wanted to marry her.
Mrs. Brewster did not tell her that he
had promised to destroy a mortgage he
held upon their homo the day Mabel
became his wife. Mabel had taken his
calls for her mother and never dreamed
DC was Counting" her, rs he called II.
She begged, leased and implored her
mother not to make her marry him.
Shs might as well have tried to move
o mountain az try to move that VIII.
But delicate Mabel might defeat their
plans yet One night she thought shed
try Nehemiah.
She was very pleasant, played crib
bago with him, did all she could to
him. agreed with everything he
said, and finally when her mother left
tho room for something, went over and
laid her hand on his shoulder and SAID
tlmidly, "Mr. jerks"
Eyes, my DEAR" said Nehemiah.
"yhy do you want to marry me when
ron know / don't love your 1t VIII
make us both SO unhappy. I'm 50
young, too, Mr.. jerks"
"Why do I want tew marry yer? Be-
:auso / dow; / want a nice young
housckeeper; Peggy's tew old"
"Why don't ycu marry my mother II
4 housckecper is all you wantf She's
: far bctter housekeeper than I am"
"What dew / want Of an old woman
dke that7' no said, with a slckiy smile
shes younger than you are, Mr.
icnks."
"Mebbe she Is, but I want something
and fresh"
please let me Off. Mr.. jerks; tell
mother I'm too saucy, and / will blev
ios forever 90, please"