Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-01-22
Love Laughs at Years.
BY MARY NJ. WILLARD.

1t was out of the question for
Mrs. Thcobald TO accompany her
husband on his trip to the Nashville
Exposition. She was too lately re.
covered from an attack of the malar-
ial fever. Nina could go, of course.
and why not 60 around and ask Fee
LISA? There was nothing to keep
her at home, and editorial passes
were not to be thrown away.
So, Mr.. Theobald, his daughter
Nina, and his sister Felissa kissed
Mrs. Theobald and the little Theo-
balds who were to stay at home good
bye, and, with very pleasureable an
ticipations and some half dozen
lunch boxes, boarded the train which
was to convey them to the Sunny
South.
81 am sorry that Mary could not
come" said Fellisa, when they were
comfortably settled and she had
time to look about her. "Neverthe-
less, her loss is"
Her speech was brought to a sud-
den ending by Nina, who admins.
tered pinch that nearly made Miss
Theoba!d's eyeglasses fall off, so
violent was the start she gave.
"There is Jack Drum mond over
there said Nina in an excited whis.
per. Aunt Fliss, you remember I
told you met him at the Springs
in the summer That is his uncle,
Professor Rawlinscn the famous geol-
ogist. Jack is named for him. He
is just in from the West, where be
is one Of the faculty in some college.
/ forget where. They were at the
Beveredge reception and Jack was
telling me about him."
Felissa looked In The direction in
dicated, rafferty, Grossly, it must be
confessed.
sYou need not pinch me black
aud blue because one Of your many
adorers happens to be on the train )"
Nina laughed, and her aunt con.
tinned to gaze at the sleek, closely
cropped head OF the young man
pointed out to her.
He reminded her of some one she
had known-the shape Of his head,
the square set of his shoulders-who
was it he resembled?
Her eyes travelled on past him 10
his companion. There we're the
same square shoulders, the same
close-cropped hair, but with gray
threads running through it.
AT that moment the younger man
turned his profile to her, and Felissa
stared at him in her near-sighted
way, gasped and stared again.
"What likeness" she said.
"What did you say, Aunt Fliss ~
inquired Nina.
"Who did you say he WASP" ask
ed Miss Theobald. 81 didn't catch
the name"
Jack Drummond and his uncle,
Prof. John Rawlinson,'' answe cred
Nina, too engrossed in her study of
their fellow passengers to notice
how white and then red Miss Theo-
bald became.
She took off her glasses, wiped
them and put them on her nose
again with a hand that trembled
slightly. and steadily surveyed the
two gentlemen in front OF her, then
she leaned back in her seat and drew
a long breath.
SWELL, if ever" she ejacul4ted to
herself, after which enigmatical
speech she patted her hair to be sure
it was all straight, and fecked a bit
of coal dust from off her frock.
From then on Miss Theobald i
gaze was directed out the window at
the flying landscape, but she gripped
the arm of the seat with almost pain
full force as she wondered if she had
changed much, but of course she
had.
She wished she had worn her 9TH
er hat, it was more becoming than
this thing. Nina wanted her to wear
the other.
Here she reelized with sudden
accession of color that j ok Drum
mond had seen Nina. He was speak.
ing to his companion. Then they
left their seats aad came over to
where Ter brother was sitting. She
heard Jack introduce his uncle.
Thank heaven VIII had never
known anything OF that episode.
1t Was several years after he LETT
home that the Rawlinson's moved
into the neighborhood. She was
glad she had not been taken una
wares, and sic ioaed with quite