The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-07-16
MARY'S love LETTER.

% you WON'T marry hawkins JeS-
supp" said Squire Bergamot, knitting
his black brows together until they
formed an ominous arch on his fore
head, and nearly frightened his daugh-
eer out of her senses. But Mary stood
bravely to her guns.
No, father" said she. "Oh, how can
you ask me when you know don't love
him and never can?"
Never IS a long word"
Yes, father, 1 know II is, but in
deed, indeed l mean it,"
"Oh, you dor said the squire in slow
and measured tones. Now let me tell
you this: 1t isn't that you don't IKE
Jessup, but that you've been goosey
enough TO fall in love with that young
idiot, George Laker
Mary reddened. ,.-..
'Papaw
There's no use mincing matters"
said the irate squire. IAN artist, in
deed! Why doesn't he go into white
washing and kalsomining and earn his
living?"
But father"
Don't try to argue with me, miss"
said the old man, sternly. "I'll have
none of It, and so tell you II George
Lake comes into. my house, he'll be put
out of it pretty quick! And so you
may tell him"
So saying the squire strode out of
the house in a rage.
Mary looked afte- him with soft, sor-
rowful eyes She was a delicate, oval
faced girl with light brown hair and
straight features, rs unlike the rotund
and positive squire as possible. But
as she laid down the iron with which
she was doing up her father shirts
the squire would have thought it Il
sin to employ /. laundress while his
daughter enjoyed her ordinary health
she leaned against the window where
the arrowy sunbeams came in through
the tremulous veil Of heart-shaped
morning-glory leaves and drew from
her pocket a note written in strong
masculine hand:
My Dearest Mary. love you. VIII
you promise to be my wife despite all
opposition? Will you .ell ne so with
your own lips? Yours til death.
GEORGE"
How her eyes glltterei as she read
and re-read the simple lines, pressing
them finally to her red lips.
II do love hirn, and will be his
wife!' she murmured. And 1 will tell
him so the first opportunity 1 get. Only
papap A momentary cloud stole over
her serene brow at this, but it was
transient. Il don't believe in elope-
ments," fixing her eyes on the paper in
her hand. II never did. But If my
father persists in opposing our mar
riage. I will go out into the world with
George"
Just as this revolutionary thought
passed through her mind the door
creaked on Its hinges. A heavy we'll
known footstep sounded on the thresh-
old.
TITS father!" cried Mary.
In her fright our poor little heroine
could not find her pocket In the multi
tudinous folds of her dress. For Sec
ond she was in imminent danger of de-
lection; then she hurriedly trust the
incendiary document into the yawning
mouth of paper-bag of seed-corn
which hung by the window. The next
minute Squire Bergamot was in the
room.
Mary" said he, "go upstairs to the
left hand corner of my middle bureau
drawer and get me a clean handker-
chief"
Mary went out with a dubious glance
at the nall on which hung the bag Of
corn. w men Sne returned the room was
empty, and her faJhar was Just climb
ing up into his lumber-box wagon near
the picket fence.
Bring 1t out here said the squire.
I'm going over 70 Miss Polly Peppers
to get my empty cider cask. She might
have had the sense to return itp'
He slowed the handkerchief into his
pocket, and was just seizing the reins
when Mary ran out.
Father that bag II corn"
TITS all right promised some to
Miss Pepper and this is already she'll
ed" said the squire.
But, father" gasped poor Mary, "Iet
me tie it up first"
Nonsense said he squire. 'I Jest
folded over the top. nd it'll go as snug
as thief in a mill, right top OF my
bags Of meal"
Away he ratified q er the stony road
as he spoke, and poor Mary ran back
into the kitchen, to cry herself into a
second Nlobe.
oh my letter my letter" sobbed
shei why was | such an idiot as to
put 1t In there"
81.