Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-09
Written Exclusively for The Evening Star

live with you
Maybe he wouldn't want you to live with
us. mother" said Angelina hesitatingly.
"Wouldn't?" shifted the widow. We'll,
I'd show him very soon whether he wanted
me to or not
Thomas jefferson, jr., likes you, mother"
insinuated Angelina.
And Thomas Jefferson, jr., would like to
live in my house. If he likes me so we'll,
why doesn't he nave house where 1 might
go If l wanted top
He will have. some day. MOTHER
YES, and I'll be in my grave by that time"
"Oh no, you won't" coaxed Angelina.
Don't get to palaverin' now" snapped
the widow Muggins. You can't wheedle me
into givin' my consent to your marrying
Thomas Jefferson, jr.. now, henceforth or
forever. My minds made up and it will
stay made up
Angelina might have argued further. but
all at once she glanced out of the door,
dropped the teacup she was polishing, and,
with a small scream, darted out of the
kitchen into the house. 1t was Thomas JEFF
ferson, jr., within dozen feet of the open
door. and Angelina wouldn't have had him
see her looking such sight for anything in
the world.
Mehitabel Muggns looked hurriedly to-
ward the door through which Angelina had
vanished. and then toward the one which
Thomas Jefferson. jr., was approaching.
"Oh, it's you is it," she said. IN tone
accustomed to.
"Yes'm." he responded. meekly. How do
You do? Where's Angeiine?"
That's more tran l know. She went out
of here without telling me where she was
going"
Thomas Jefferson. jr., stood in the kitchen
door without the slightest expectation Of
being invited to come any farther.
I'D like to see Angelina If could" hest
tated Thomas jefferson, jr.
Didn't 1 say didn't know where she
was?"
Il guess that don't make any great diff
ference in my liking to want to see her;
would you think it did?" said Thomas JEFF
ferson. jr., stumbling awkwardly over the
words.
Il was talking about you just before you
come up" remarked the widow. veering
| from the subject in hand to a slight extent
Il hope you was saying something GOO d.
| ma'am."
Il was saying the best thing I could
which wasn't saying that you could marry
Angelina"
Pap said he hoped would marry her.
| said Thomas Jefferson, jr., throwing the
| burden on his fathers shoulders.
I'D like to know what your paps got to
| running my family now" she added, with
/ intense irony.
"Nom," replied Thomas jefferson. jr.,
with meekness; but he said he might as
we'll begin row as any time
''Oh, did he?" and the widow banged a
| saucer down on ths table and broke it in
! two. He did, did he? Well, you can go
| back and tell him that when amt able to
4
| hand to do the rough work. And you
might as we'll tell him at the same time
! that If he thinks you are going to marry
| Ange line. you are very much Mistaken
| why can't marry herr" asked Thomas
Jefferson. jr, with more courage than he
| thought he had.
The widow Muggins looked him all over
| very slowly. very critically, very contempt
| uouSly, and with her nose turned up
| you're a pretty looking thing to talk
| about marrying. amt you?" she asked.
| You are just like Angelina. All you've got
| is clos and constitution and no place to
put 'em. You haven't got enough to pay
| for the license
But pap has," argued Thomas jefferson,
And so have l." asserted the widow, with
| the same old aggressive pride, for to hel
comparisons were odious, but that's no
sign you are going to get it. l won't have
you in my house and"
"Tll take Angelina home to pap's house."
| interrupted Thomas jefferson jr.
mo you won't either. 1 won't have my
| daughter Shaving her life out for you and
your pap as you call him."
| Over by the gate through which Thomas
| Jefferson, jr., had come stood Angelina in a
COOL white muslin and pink ribbons, as
| sweet as an apple blossom. She had arrayed
| herself and come out of the house by another
| door, and Thomas jefferson, jr., was to take
| her to picnic down in the Haven woods.
Good morning, ma am" said Thomas JEFF
ferson. jr.. when he saw her and the abrupt
ness of his parting almost made the cold
| chills run down the back of the Widow Mug
| gins, for she had done what she could to
| avert this picnic in a lady-like way. Her
| efforts had proved all in vain, and the
| two walked away she almost. paved the
| floor in her disappointment and anger, and
there is no telling what would have happen
| ed before the day had finished if a vent to
| her surcharged feelings had not been sent
| to her by kind Providence. 1t came about
| 3 O clock in the afternoon in the comfor able
person of Thomas jefferson Biggs.
| Thomas Jefferson Riggs. n
| ferred from the use of the word "comforta-
| ble' in describing him, was just the sort of
| person that sort of an adjective would
| describe. He was comfortable; he had a
| comfortable farm, a comfortable house, a
| comfortable gig. comfortable old horse to
| pull it, comfortable appetite, comfortable
| digestion, a comfortable conscience, COM
| Portable temper. and unlike Widow Mug
| gins, his lifelong neighbor and friend, he
| had a comfortable time, for he took things
| as they came and gave them up as they
| went He was a wtdower with one to
| look after except his son, Thomas Jefferson,
| IT., and he felt that he had ample cause to
| be satisfied and thankful
| The Widow MugSinS sat on the Stoop as he
| approached but he did not notice the fire in
her eye. and the red ring around her nose.
| Good day, Mehitabel," he said, cheerily,
| as he came UP.
It's anything but a good day to me-" she
| replied, like a great dump of gray sky into a
| heaven full of blue.
| My, my, what's the matter? You and ]
ought to be the happiest people in the
| world"
Speak for yourself, Thomas Jefferson
| Biggs," she said, with an effort to maintain
| her good manners.
Tut, tut" laughed Thomas Jefferson
you need a tonic. Mehitabel. I'll send
| Thomas jefferson, jr, over with some that
have just had made by the herb doctor. It's
| guaranteed to make the sunshine on the
| cloudiest of the year.