Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-06-28
"Mavbe I will" answered Charity.

sRob don't care for me---not bit,
said Charity, that night. "He wouldn't
have gone off this way if he did. And
I'll be a fool if I don't marry Jake
Hargood if he asks me. But then"
she added, half ruefully, 81 always
was fools"
In proof of which she fatty refused
Jake Hargood when he did ask her.
And she borrowed Aunt Hulda's quilt
pattern, and straightway set to work
piercing her "Calendar" quilt, making
only one square day, and remarking
to herself ms she finished each one:
Zone day less to wait Not, she
added, shaking her head, dismally,
"that it'll do me ary good when the
time is up. If he didn't care for me
then, he won't now. But it'll be a
comfort to know it when he's home
again.
There were several squares yet to be
pierced before the quilt would be fin
ished, when word came to the Red
woods that Rob would be home III
three days.
Just the day of that quilting last
year." said Charity, all in a nervous
autter. "L'll hurry and finish this
right of, and have quilting the very
same time; and maybe Rob'll come to
this one.
She got out her invitations in tre'
mendous hurry, pressed Aunt Hulda
into immediate service to get the rel
qulsite amount of cooking done for
the occasion, and devoted herself to
the finishing of her quilt.
"Rob'll be home tomorrow morn
ing, sure" said Tillie, who had run
over the day before the quilting to
render Charity what assistance she
might. "'We had telegram. I'M
cle's coming, too, to start an esSao-
lishment here and take Rob into part
nership. He'll be awful rich Why,
Charity Meadows, what are you rip
ping up that lovely basket quilt forY
"Have to-" answered Charity, ito
get the cotton for my new quilt. The
store was plum out, and wouldn't get
any before next week and besides, |
never could bear the sight of this
quilt. wanted to get rid OF it, Look
a-here, Tillie, how do you reckon a
letter got inside of it? Why, it's
sealed, and it's for me, an Oh,
Iillie. it's from Rob, as sure as you
live!''
Charity tors it open with breathless
eagerness, while Tillie looked on,
scarlet and apprehensive.
"Charity," said she, cit must "a fell
out of my handkerchief that day
when we was putting on the top OF
the quilt. Rob did give it to me for
you, but l lost it, and didn't want to
tell you nor him; and | didn't s'poso
it would make q sight OF difference. "
"It's kept Rob and me apart for n
whole year." said Charity, almost
breaking into sob.
"Oh," said Tillie, remorsefully, 81
never s'posed twas that II thought
twas your flirting with Jake Hargoo
did the harm, an dancin' SO hard with
him that night. Rob was there, and
seen it; but he saved afterward l
shouldn't tell he was there. An |
lust lowed all along twas Jake made
him get mad an go off. 1 s'pQse, "
added Tillie, family, as Charity read
her note again, with dewy eyes AMI
flushed, dimpled cheeks, "that Rob's
got to know all about it now"
"I reckon he has !" said Charity, IT.
a tone that left no room for doubt.
And SO, the next afternoon, Rob
Redwood, smoking his pipe on the
norch of his ancestral halls, was
startled by the vision he had looked SO
eagerly an SO vainly that day year
ago-of Jimmy Tibbs, freckled an
tow headed as of yore, scrambllrg
over the fence and making toward
him, fiourishing a note.
"Good land" quoth Mrs. Redwood,
as she looked out of the window,
shortly afterward, "Whatever's the
matter with Rob? He's a-dancln'
round there on the porch like as ii he
was plum idi't."
Charity's quilting was brilliant
success this time, as far as she and
Rob were concerned; and they never
fell out again-at least not before they
we're married. And of all her house
keeping outfit, Charity most prizes
her Calendar quilt. Saturday Night