Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-08-13
> P0st-kdo|escent EI0pement.

Mrs. Jeptha Quilter had gone to
the door several times and looked
out in dissatisfied way at two peo-
pie, 9 man and q woman talking
across the fence. The two people
were her husbands mother and Mr..
Matthew Hayden, neighbor, and a
widower of sixty.
Mrs. Jeptha scowled in disgust as
she watched her mother n-law smile,
cast her eyes modestly down, then
stoop to break nasturtium, which
she proffered to the elderly gentle
man with gesture truly youthful.
For the lands sake, Jeptha,"
said the younger Mrs. Quilter to her
husband, who sat in the back door,
resting after his forenoon's work on
the cultivator, II wish you would
just cone here and look at your
mother. l declare I'm plum ashamed
to see such carrying on. A woman
of her age.'
"What are you a-watching them
for, them" inquired Jeptha, with
reason.
"Jeptha Quilter, ifye amt got any
more spunk nor pride than to see
your mother standing out in the
front yard, where everybody can see
her flirting and sparkling with old
Mr.. Hayden, you ought to be
ashamed"
swell, what can do? You don't
expect me to 60 out and order
mother in, and order old man Hay
don off, man I've know all my life,
back in Illinoy?"
81 want to know, Jeptha Quilter,
if you are willing to let your mother
marry again, and like as not turn US
out OF this place, bag and baggage?'
II dunno as I've got the letting.
Mother is old enough to be her own
boss; of course, I'd rather she
wouldn't marry, and l don't believe
she's got any notion of it,
you're just as blind as-as-well,
as man. l rsckon / know when q
woman has got marry in her head.
This coquetting's been going on for
two months, and I say your mother
is as full of airs and prinking as q
sixteen year,old-girl. It's just plum
disgusting and ought to be stopped"
How are you going to stop 1T?
Both of them are OF age."
"You give me leave, and l lay I'll
stop it. Ifyou'll promise not to say
a word, whatever do.'
"Well, 1 dunno" began Jeptha,
doubtfully. 81 won't have mother
harried."
"Ill not do thing to harry her;
you leave it to me, and I'll just put
a flea in old man Haydon's ear"
Outside, Mrs. Mary Quilter stood
looking across the fence and smiling
in the face OF her elderly admirer,
who was praising her nasturtlums,
and expressing an intense interest
in the way they clambered up the
pailings.
"My nasturtiums never would do
that away, nothing I could do for
them. They jest persist in laying
down like as they hadn't the heart
to hold their heads up in this Kansas
wind; but mebbe it's on account of
him that planted them"
snow, Mr.. Hayden, do you mean
to say that you amt got heart
enough to hold your head up2"
"You know mighty we'll what'ud
put speret enough in me for any
thing said the man, significantly.
Mrs. Quilter blushed like a girl.
Her peachy cheek had yet the color,
il not the contour Of youth, and her
hair which shown as she stood bare
headed in The sun, had not a gray
thread. Yet she was fifty-two.
II know" she said, softly, abut it
does seem foolish for two old people
to be talking about marrying; be.
sides, know Jeptha and his wife
would be mortal opposed to any
thing of the kind. Though will
say, that person who has lost her
companion is lonesome person, I
don't care how many children she's
got"
"That's jest it. The heart dont
never grow old-you know that. It
may not, SO to speak, bound so tum-
ultuous as when we's younger, but
it keeps mp steady. throbbing that
is comfortabler in the long run. And
what's our children got to do with
itf They are grown and married
and took up with the cares OF their
own families, and us two jest left out
in the cold, so to speak,
II don't believe I-could ever stand
the fuss and disagreeableness that
Jeptha's wife would make for me If
| was to mention such q thing.
Maria's good woman, but trying at
times. Inever was no hand to Jaw
back, nor hold ny own, even"
"Ill tell you what let's dc-let's
slope. By gum, .that's the very ideel