The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-03-28

you won t. AND that gate was made TO
hang on"
''lIang away, then, said Mrs. Grey.
"But you shan't marry John FoIsythe if |
can helpi it. Why he wasted the hull o.
last Saturday, pokin' round my three acre
medder lot with spade | guess he got
half bushel o stuns. He oughter hire
ont to clear land
Lydia said nothing in reply to this, but
a peculiar smile, which her mother could
not understand stole over her face
Early on Saturday morning, iew days
LATER John Forsythc walked into the dairy
where Mrs. Grey was skimming milk
preparatory TO churning.
''Do you want to sell this place, Mrs
Grcy?' he asked, abruptly
Don no as do, said the widow Its
the only home I've had for twenty five
years An couldn't get nothin' for it,
The land 5 bout wore out, Still, If | had
an offer OF fifteen hundred dollars for it, I'd
snap at it,
81 know SOMEBODY who'll give you that,
slid John Five hundred cash down and
Il mortgage on the place for the rest, due in
cwo years, with interest, at six per cent. -
Its bargain" said the widow.
Where's the mani
"Herew said John.
"You?" exclaimed the widow 81
didn't know you had five hundred cents.
"Ive GOT the cash ready for you,' said
John; 'and if you'll let me drive into
Scdgewick this afternoon we II have Lawyer
Saunders make out the deeds.
81 suppose I'll have to hold by my word,
said Mrs Grey. But you'll never be able
TO pay ,ae the thousand within two years
How can you save anything on forty dol
lars Il month?'
''That's my lookout" said John. You
needn't worry about the amount of my
salary. You have the farm rs security,
and you can live on it till all is paid. I've
40 use foc the house, you know, unless
get wife to put in it
Folks cant say he aiu't clever,' said
Mrs. Grey, in telling her laughter i little
later, of this o.Ter pa lave hated to
leave the house righs of. But what
puzzles me is his having that five hundred
dollars put by. He must have been awful
saNiu.'
Lydia smiled, but said nothing. She
might have enlightened her mother OF the
subj ect had she 50 chosen; but she pre-
ferred to keep her own counsel.
4 week later John paid u second visit to
the dairy.
"You said couldn't marry Lydia until
had a Eomc to offer a. cool ag the one
she's had with you, he said. Now You
cant say I'm not able to do SO. She
needn't make any change at all. you
see
II see, said the widow. tersely.
$50 you'll consent to our engagement"
said John.
Il suppose 80, since you're both so set
ON it, = said MIS- Grey, on whom Johns
five hundrcd dollars had produced a mark
ed impression. ''Lidy's so stubborn
headed she wouldn't think of changin' her
mind II preached and argylied all night
and don t want her talked about. y
"Ncither do - said John; "and Pm
glad to have the matter settled. I'll 20
up and tell Lydia about it now, if you
have no objection
'Goif you want to, said the widow
Like as not shes looking for you-hang-
ing over the gate, perhaps, while the breads
| Durnn in the oven and the cats on the
breakfast table
The wedding was set for the middle of
| October but, to her mothers surprise,
Lydia began no preparations for it.
"Why don't you begin your shopping"
asked the widow, who had natural long
ing for a cruise among the drygoods stores
of Sedgewick.
There's no time to be lost. You'll
have to be pretty smart if you expect to
get sewed up by the middle of October -
There's no hurry, said Lydia
quietly.
THAT money you've got in bank will
come in useful 'nough now" said her
mother "Thrcc hundred dollars will buy
you n good set out. y
Better than I need said Lydia 1T
would he sheer extravaganza for me to
spend that much"
"But you've got to have some iinery,"
said her mother.
81 shan't want much. I'm pretty well
supplied now with clothes"
'rhere's no call for you to be stingy
Your Uncle Nose left you the money for
this purpose. Don't you remember the
will said so: And want to see you well
set out. Girls don't get married morn'n
onc't, as rule, and you'd best make the
most of the chance"
"I'll see" said Lydia. There's time
enough yet to buy and make double what
I'll get
And though Mrs. Grey fretted and
scolded about the delay, and began to
think her daughter had grown parsimon-
ions lydia continued to put off going to