Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-02-07

s0To VIZ of the elm trees;
&\N gentle breeze waited
LNN q the scent of the Jure
VI roses in at the open
windows, and Lydia Grey, feeling
singularly happy and content with
life, went singing down stairs and into
the kitchen, where her mother sat by
.he table. pecling potatoes to fry for
breakfast.
Mrs Grey did not speak as her
daughter entered, and Lydia, made
wise by experience, saw by the ex-
preston of her face that a storm was
coming. The girl continued to sing,
however, feeling prepared to meet
the blast, no matter how severe it
might be.
Mrs. Grey waited until the break
fast was on the table before she uttered
n word. Then, rs she took her seat
behind the coAee-pot, she asked,
sharply:
"Lydia, did I sec you hanging over
the front gate at eleven o'clock last
night with John Forsythe?" ?"
'I don't know, mother, - answered
Lydia, calmly. "You might have seen
me, though, If you had looked. ] was
there"
"And not ashamed to confess it, I
s'poso?"
"Not at all ashamed to confess ii,
said Lydia.
"If YOU suppose that Til ever give
my consent to your marrying John
Forsythe, you're mistaken, said Mrs.
Grey, "and the sooner you send him
pat kin, the better I'll be pleased.
The man who marries yOu must be
able to give YOU as good home as
this. You shau't throw yourself away
on poyerty-stricken district school
teacher, if l can help it. I'll allow
he's sool-lookiu', but gool looks
won't make the pot boil. "
Lydia's face flushed.
John is an orphan, " she said, "and
has hal his own way to make. l honor
him for his struggles to get an educa-
ton. He may not have any money,
bat he's worth more in my eyes than
any other man I've ever see1," and
she buttered a hot roll with consider
able energy.
Seems TO me you staul up for MIN
pretty earnest" said tie widow, with
. Grim smile. 'But [ don't calc'late
You're quite SO foolish as to throw
Sotb Novlor over inst vet "
Seth Naylor" calculated Lydia,
in tone of contempt. 81 let him
know my mind long ago!"
"But you could get him back easy
'nouch," said Mrs. Grey. "8e'd need
only word to make him come hyin
over here. He's sensible an shrcwd,
an YOU might go further an fare
worse"
"Perhaps, said Lydia.
"An' it do strike me- said the
widow, chat man who goes about
filling his pockets with stones an dirt
an lies for hours on rock, starin' a
it, must have q soft spot in his head
somewhere" "
"John is intensely interested in ores
and minerals, said Lydia, "dnd, If be
finds pleasure in examining rocks ans
picking up stones, why should We ob
ject? 1t is 4 harmless amusement.
"An imbecile amusement" sai(
Mrs. Grey. 81 wonder at II girl o
YOUR sense upholdin' sech folly. Ba
It's PLAN to be seen that he's turned
your head with that big yellow nous
tache of his. You ought to be thank
ful that you've got mother to lool
out for you. Yon'il never marry Johr
Forsythe with my consent.
Perhaps not" said Lydia, rising
from the table, "and I'll never marry
Seth Naylor with my own"
Gwen see about that" said th'
widow, as she took the skinner and
big pail and started for the dairy. q
expect to see YOU the mistress O
ClOyertop Farm YET.
lydia smiled to herself, thinking
how unlikely it was that such thin}
would ever come to pass. She love'
John Forsythc too well to give a singh
thought to marrying any other man
And Seth NaylOr, Il rough, uneducate,
fellow vho was thoroughly uncon
genial to her-what contrast he wa
to John!
The hanging over the front gate con
tinued to be of nightly occurrence, il
spite of the wrath and chagrin Of Mrs
Grey, who appealed i'll vain to Lydia
sense of decorum.
"The whole neighborhood will b
talking about you next" the mothe
said.
"Iv'e grown callous to what the pee
pie of this neighbOrhOOd say, mother,
answered Lydia. "They can talk a
they choose. 1t is tco warm to sit /
doors these June evenings, even If yo
would let me entertain John in the PAL
lor, which you won't. And that Gat
vas made to hang on"
"HaDg away, then, said Mrs. Grey