The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-12-02


end to his visit.
"You can talk with your mother, and
see what she thinks about what I've been
saying" he said, as he took his depar-
ture. "Let me know the first chance you
have"
The next Wednesday evening Robert
Wade was away from home. About
one o'clock his father heard him come
in.
II wouldn't wonder if Rob's got an
idea of sparkling somebody" thought
the deacon. maybe it's like the measles
when it gets into the family, they
all have it," and he .chuckled to think
his son might have caught the disease
from him. .s:1yell, Rob's a good boy,
and hope he'll do as well in getting
wife as ] shall, if get Rhoda Mason"
The next morning Rob lcc,'rd very
wise; as he sat down to breakfast, OPP
posite his father.
GIVE got message for you," he said,
by and by, when the housekeeper had
left the room. 81 was over to the Ma
son place, and when I came away,
Rhoda told me to tell you that if you
wanted to know what her mother
thought about your housekeeping idea,
you'd better come over and talk with
her about it. was quite surprised
to find out you'd got matrimonial ideas
in your head, but want to say that I
think the plan most sensible one.
Mrs. Mason would make you tip-top
housekeeper, and-if you'll take the
mother, I'll take the daughter. In
deed, I've got an arrangement to that
effect. Rhoda and 1 came to.a shtisfac-
tory understanding last night"
Rob's face was quite red when he got
through with his speech, but his ia
theirs wasredder. He opened his mouth,
once or twice, as if trying to say some
thing, but words would not come. 1t
was well for him that the housekeeper
came in just at this juncture. Rob
went out, and he betook himself to his
room to collect his bewildered senses.
"Well-I declared" The poor deacon
dropped into the first chair he came to,
and sat and stared at the bedpost for as
much as half an hour, before he began
to get'tthings Strengthened out.
II begin to understand it," he told
himself by and by. "I've come dread
fully near making fool of myself.
I guess 1 did make a fool of myself,
all right enough; but what I mean is,
l came dreadfully near getting caught
at it. But, by the greatest stroke of
luck that ever happened to me, I haven't
been caught. / see how it is. Rob's
going to marry Rhoda, and he's been
sparkling her all along, and the girl
thought I knew it, and she thinks it
was her mother I had in view for
housekeeper. And, as luck would have
it. didn't say anything that'll give me
away-if l carry out the deception and
marry Rhoda's mother. If don't they'll
mistrust something. 1t seems as if
fate had something to do with it. I
never thought of such thing, but I'm
forced right into if, so to speak. I
can't help myself. And, come to think
Of, it's the proper thing to do. Itwould
have been a foolish thing for an old man
like me to marry a young girl like
Rhoda. Amt it lucky, now, that I
didn't say any more that day? stopped
just at the right time and place. It
seems she's told her mother what said,
and-I'm to come over and talk with
her about it. I will"
When Deacon Wade made up his mind
to anything, ne was prompt to act. Sat-
urday afternoon saw him setting out
for the Mason homestead with another
basket of strawberries. The widow was
at home this time, and she welcomed
him with a blush that made her look
almost as pretty as her daughter.
"Take a seat out on the porch, dea-
con, where it's cool,' said the widow
"And I'll sit here and hull the berries
while we visit. Rob's coming over by
and by, Rhoda said, and both of you
must stay TO tea. remember how
fond you used to be of shortcake, and
we'll have one that'll make you think
of old times.''
SON. came up the path about five o'clock,
II want to exchange congratulations
with you. You've got the promise of
the daughter, and I've got the promise
of the mother. I think both of us de-
serve congratulations. We're in luck,
my boy"
That's about the way look at it,
said Robert, giving the blushing Mrs.
Mason rousing kiss. Just then Rhoda
appeared on the scene to announce that
tea was waiting, and the deacon stepped
up to her and kissed her in most IA
therly manner, and then put her hand
in Roberts and said: "Bless you, my
children" in most approved stage
fashion.
but wasn't I lucky, though, to get
off so easy" he said to himself, more
than once, after that. as 10 Thought
over his narrow escape. SIT makes me
shiver to think how. near came to be-
ing found out for an old fool. But,
by the greatest stroke of luck I ever
had, I came out of the sErape al, right,
and got just the kind of wife that
ought to have. shall always believe
in luck after this-"-N. Y. Ledger.
EOl,aes Of the Anthracite Miners.
Each little house, with the boxes.
cubby-holes, and fences about it, has
, been butt by the man who lives in it.
And be is laborer. a struggler for
| mere existence, not deft in the use of
tools, nor with an eye for the sym
metricai, nor with an appreciation for
anything beyond the most primal facts
of living. The roofs of the buildings
slant at ali angles, with no two sides OF
The same length or detection. One por-
! tion will have caves, while its compan-
| ION Will scnrrl the li1s-,1r,r rT-aa C. -, .