Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-10-23

Mary Ellen looked over tho tops of her
glasses as If deliberately summing up the
merits and demerits of her visitor. Her
faded. rather pretty face, outlined by
crimped dark hair, gave no sign of agita.
tion
It's been Is years, hasn't it?" she said,
pondering.
Fifteen years. he assented, with
plaintive emphasis.
Ho was thin man, with large, bulg-
ing forehead and face tapering almost to
Il point at the chin. He pulled at his
scanty brown mustache and looked at her
as If waiting for an answer. His rather
womanly hand was really pitiful in its
boniness
"You ought not to have wasted Is years
on me-" She said, with faint, fearful
smile.
He shifted his feet on the floor in pro-
test.
Fifteen years is good long time"
she meditated. Seems like 1t oughtn
just to go for nothing"
She took off her glasses and touched the
corners of her eyes with her handkerchief
well, she said meekly, 81 can get on
with most anybody and make myself sat
isfied with most anything. If you are so
set on it as all that, reckon this time
I'll have to say yes"
He looked at her for a moment as If
dazed. His face shone as he caught her
hands in his, and his chin trembled
Mary Ellen!' he said
She looked at him with tho same tear
full smile. SIT certainly does sound fun
ny, Mr.. Haskins, to hear you call me
Mary Ellen without any Miss. It's
mighty hard for settled people like us to
change in their ways"
:" You have always been Mary Ellen to
INC" he answered rapturously, "no mat
ter what have called you And now I've
got you, " he said an exultant smile dawn
ing on his face.
Getting married is mighty risky
thing" she remarked "But if wo'll loarn
to have patience and do our duty reck-
on we can manage to get along together. Z"
Yes, | reckon we cam" he said hap
PLY.
"You certainly did hold on" she CON
tinucd, with the air of one reviewing a
game at which she had been beaten
Yes, and l was going to keep on hold
ing on. hadnt any notion Of giving up,
and got you," he replied.
She removed her glasses and deliberately
wiped her eyes, 1T certainly does seem
strange" she murmured. 1T seems to
me-" she continued, with a mournful
smile, "that some people take root, just
like trees. That old sweet gum out yon-
der amt a bit more rooted to this place
than 1 am. never did know how people
could get up and leave the place where
they were born and raised, but it's we'll
everybody don't feel like do or thered be
mighty little marrying done. The Todds
amt that way near as much as the Watts
es. get 1T from mas people. It's right
bad to be as set in your ways as the Wattses
are Now couldn't any more call you
anything but Mr.. Haskins than I could
fly, unless it came home to me that it was
my duty to change. don't think per-
sons got any right to think of their own
feelings when a duty comes up. It's 60
ing to be uphill work with me getting in
to your ways, but hope ain't SO bent on
pleasing myself as some people. And you
certainly do deserve something for the
time you have waited" She looked at
him with the air of a real martyr.
He arose and stood irresolute for awhile
in silence, his face full of something akin
to misery and remorse.
"Whats your hurry?" she asked.
~ reckon it is time for me to go. Good
night, Miss Mary Ellen" he said
$50 you've taken up the miss again?"
she said, not without shade of coquetry
visible in her quiet face. II wasn't find
ing fault with plain Mary Ellen.
Mr.. Haskins sat staring into the fire in
his own room, with an air of the most pro.
found thought. He was obviously torn by
conflicting emotions. The next afternoon
saw him waiting upon the porch of Mary
Ellen's home, small frame house, gray
from want of paint, but pleasant with
grass and trees 1t was an old Landmark
of Brownsville, Of which quaint Virginia
village the Todd family had for many gen.
erations been respected citizens.
Mary Ellen herself opened the door "I
saw you coming" she said, 'and I
thought ! might as well save any body else
the trouble Of coming to the door, as you
were my company"
He shook hands with her in an odd,
constrained way, and followed her in
without word.
Its getting to feel like spring" she
began. "I'll see the crocuses peeping up
In the grass pretty soon, reckon. The
yards full of them"
you've got mighty nice yard here,''
he said, affecting to glance carelessiy from
the window. II don't wonder you hate
to leave it.
She gave faint sigh.
You didn't think about leaving here
and breaking up, and all that, when you
said yes, did your" be asked TREMENDOUSLY
She shook her head with gentle pathos.
He sighed deeply, and his brow furrowed
Getting married is mighty risky thing"
he broke out, "and tits uprooting. don't
know but what was too strong about
urging IT. IL really amt SO set on it
II 1t comes to that. don't know whether
twas fair to beg you into it. You just do
what you want to do, without minding
me in the least.
She sat rigidly in her chair for awhile
In silence. Things are very we'll as they
are," she said coldly. 'sI'm not making
any complaint"
''No, but you'd better think it over,
Miss Mary Ellen. I'll let you off in min
ute. 1t don't make bit of difference
about your promise Don't you think
you'd rather stay as you arep"
She meditated over his words awhile
without speaking I'm not generally
given to breaking my promises, she said.
"But II I'm willing to let you Off" he
asked. "I'll be glad to let you off II you
49, l. 49, y ~ ~