The Newtown bee., 1900-08-03
er was very proud of her. Mrs Lucir da
knew that Bessie was counted the pref.

er was very proud of her. Mrs Lucirds
knew that Bessie was counted the pref
tiest girl in Jordon, and she was :ambitioul
for her. The young Methodist minister
who had lately come to the circuit was q
nice, clever, bashful young fellow, and
evidently admired Bessie. Mrs Lucinda
looked upon him with favor, but Bessie
was hayward. She declared that the
minister frightened her, he was go pain
fully good and now she seemedsbent on
flirting with Sherman Craig. Mrs Lucin.
da felt aggrieYed; girls were such con.
trary creatures.
II wish she wasn't too big to shut up.
But she is, and wishes won't do any
careful. Bessie is Moore to the back
bone-and every one of the Moores is
just like pig-if you try to drive it one
way, it'll bolt another. If let Bessie
see that I'm too dead set against Sherman
she's capable of taking notion to him
out of sheer contrariness and sticking to
it. almost wish that minister wasn't
quite so pious. He'd stand better
chance with her If he was mite more
well, worldly"
The next night Sherman Craig walked
home with them from prayer-meeting.
Mrs Lucinda was on the outside of the
street, so he came up by her, and she
talked to him all the way home as a
means of shutting Bessie out of the con-
versation. When they got home she babe
him goodnight and marched Bes-
sic uncompromisingly in, although he
seemed disposed to linger. 81 managed
that pretty cleverly," che reflected, after
Bessie had gone silently upstairs. ~
suppose Sherman will think Pm terrible
old Tartar, but 1 don't care. He shan't
have Bessie-a man that was beauing
girls around when was married. He is
certainly fine-looking. 1 must say like
handsome men. That poor minister isn't
much to look for all he's so clever.''
When Sherman Craig came boldly
down the next night Mrs Lucinda felt
greatly perplexed. She could not snub
or insult the man. He had been her
friend when she needed friends badly.
In the lawsuits and troubles that had
followed her too easy-going husbands
death Sherman Craig had been q tower
Of strength to her. Indeed it was owing
to him that she and Bessie had anything
at all left to live on. Since then he had
been Of assistance to her in many ways.
The very house they lived in was bis,
and he let them have it for an almost
nomina14snt. Under such circumstances
what was Mrs Lucinda to do?
She tried to be cool to him, but as her
GOODNESS was much warmer than many a
woman'e cordiality, the unwelcome suit
or was not chilled. He had brought
book for Bessie and q dozen fine apples
from his famous graft for her mother.
Mrs Lucinda had a weakness for apples
and would have been an easy victim to
the serpent Of Eden. She had to eat
some Of them, and they mellowed her at
titude grestly. But she would not 60
out Of the room and leave Sherman ard
Bessie alone as she would have done in
the minister's case. She sat the long
autumn evening Equarely out while Sher-
man and Bessie played parchesi. He
had asked her to 'play, too, but she re-
fused.
When Bessie went out to get lunch |
Sherwood came over and sat down near
her.
''He wants to get on good terms with
his mother-in-law," she thought, and
laughed grimly inwardly. Outward'y
the laughter betrayed itself in an almost
girlish sparkle of her eyes and a quicker
of her red mouth.
"You look as young as ever you did,
Lucinda" said Sherman, admiringly.
Mrs Lucinda flashed sharp look at
him over her knitting.
"Oh, no, don't, Sherman. And I'm
not as young as 1 used to be. Neither
are you; we are both getting old"
She smiled naliciouslY. He watched
her flying needles and nodded gravely.
"Yes, that's fact, Lucinda; but feel
young enough at heart yet-almost as
much of boy as ever"
ssHe doesn't seem to mind my SUR
about his age mite,'' she thought.
"I'd have supposed he'd be kind of SEN
sitive on the point when he's trying to
court girl young enough to be bis
daughter. But Sherman Craig never
was like anybody else. He is nice; l