Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-03-11

son any mother ever had, but because
Of that wo must not lie selfish and never
let you think Of anything of your own.
You are 25-quite old enough to marry.
Indeed, my dearest wish is to see you
married well.
II could not marry woman less
lady than my dear mothor,' Jack said,
touching her free hand lightly, "and if
l get one who is as much lady must
marry we'll. But, mother, dearest,
please remember I could not be happy
with an angel if did not love her with
all my heart. w.
II never saw an angel, but am sure I
don't want one for my daughter" Mrs.
Talbot said, smiling dcmurely. "All I
ask is that your wife shall be sweet
tempered and woman OF sterling
character and good sense"
(Which her name it is-Winfold.
Eh, mammy?" Jack said lightly, try
ing to fetch compass tn his point Of
objection. Mrs Talbot sat straighter IN
her saddle.
"Juck, how can you?' she said, as
near to stern reproof as she could possi-
bly, pitch her gentle voice. "Alice is, I
admit, very near my ideal. 1 never saw
her equal anywhere. But, dear me, to
think of your taking me up that wayl
II she knew it, it would half kill her.
She is so modest and delicate she would
never be seen in company with any Tai
bot again.
"Beg pardon-hers and yours, Jack
said contritcly. 'It was awfully like
Teddy Barton, that speech Of mine But
amt quite sorry | made it, for, man.
my, DEAR I've had sncaking notion
you did want Miss Alice for a daughter.
I'm ever SO glad to have found out my
mistake" "
IL have not said you were mistaken,
son. Mrs. Talbot answered, and III
spite of the dusk Jack saw that her face
grew pink. but love the dear child
too we'll to insult her delicacy by speak
ing as if-well, as if she was only wait.
ing to be asked. | do feel toward her
very much as toward girl of my own.
She is so sweet and mild, so unlike
many girls-for instance, that poor,
wild child at Roscoe"
Lets not speak of her if you please,
NANNY" Jack said quickly. They
were by this abreast of the Winfield gate.
Jack flung it wide, and his mother rode
through, but before she had got half
way to the inner gate hoofs came to-
ward them, and Nina called through
tho dusk:
"Here we are, Miz Talbot, an here
you are, at last I'm so glad OF it l
wanter shout.
"Oh, do hush, Ninesy!" Miss Win
fold implored. "You all know how to
take her, though. II you didn't, l don't
know what ! should do,' she went on
in her most confding tone. "You know
how wild she Is, without meanin any
harm
Eyes, I'm wild. Two got ter be. y Nj
ma admitted, with au air OF the most
admirable candor. why, jest look at
you'll You're or reg'ler old nobody.
You'd never have bean Of it want
fer Miz Talbot. An there's Rob Nc
Gregor, with Unc' Ben an all OF 'em.
jest crazy
"Ninesy, you are tho crazy onel Do
don't talk So" Miss Winfold implored,
but Jack laugh drowned her supplica-
tion.
81 don't blame you, Nina he said,
refining his horse beside hers. Lets
begin being wild right now and ride
race to church Our elders and betters
can keep each other company, and it is
time we young people had show.'
''Oh, you mustn't Ninesy! You
shan e. Miss Winfield began. Sho
might us we'll have spoken to the wind.
Nina was riding alone for almost the
first time. She felt equally the indig.
nifty of having been kept III the place of
small girl after she was very big
one and the intoxication of having Jack
for her own special gallant. With a
gurgling, triumphant giggle she set her
horse off at gallop. Jack, keeping we'll
beside her, leaned across and caught
her reins.
"You hold on. I'll keep him in the
road" he said noting how Nina wab-
bled in her geat. He did not mind leav-
ing the others behind. 1t could not be
very far. His mother rode Us light and
free as uron her wedding day, and, as
to Miss Winfod, truth is he did not
much care if the pace he set did ruf1le
both her temper and her unruffieable
locks. He was 70 hurt, so full OF doubt
that was torture, any sort OF foolln8
was relief. 1t was more than impossi-
BILE, he felt, to endure quietly tho pain
full perfection that so beset his path. so
no kept the horses remorselessly to their
sweeping gallop until they camo to tho
foot of the hill whose top was crowned
with Bethel church.
There, as he halted for the Others to
come up with him, he saw and heard
that which made his teeth set, his nails
olinch till they dug into the palm. IL
was mighty inoffensivo sight withal
merely four riders sobcrly pacing
along the dusty highway, going two and
two, and evidently so wrapped i'll dis
course with one another they had 10
thought for the rest of tho world.
Cerintha Payne and her minister
came first. Ten yards back Of them sit.
ting as light as thistle down upon Mrs
Payne's nmbling mare, Rob rode, with
Mr.. Topmark at her elbow, the very
moral of sunny content. How was Jack
to comprehend that the collocation was,
SO far as it concerned Rob- wholly acci-
dental? She had set out in company OIL
" of Cerintha and Cerintha's lover,
r,eaning to keep herself wholly and
amiably in the BACKGROUND. The three
had encountered lIr. Topmark some lit
tie way bevond his own gate. and it