The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-20
A BELATED OPPORTUNITY.


March was coming in like bedraggled
lion, when Alonzo Jackson, the stage
driver, drew up in front Of Miss Jane
Parmelee's gate and sat patiently waiting
until she should make her appearance.
The wind roared through the leafiess trees
and Alonzo's rubber coat resounded with
the beating of the heavy rain.
Shouldn't wonder If she backed out.
after all" he unused, stopping to let his
hat brim discharge its pent-up flood.
Amt many women who would start out
in storm like this just to go a-visitin'
IL they had made all their arrangements
and wrote they was comm
But all doubts as to Miss Jane Parme-
lees strength of will to carry out what
she had determined to do were presently
dispelled by the appearance Of that spin
ster at the door of her cottage with a
large glazed travelling bag in one hand
and an umbrella in the other. She set
the bag down on the stone doorstep,
spread the expansive folds of the umbrella
over her head, took key from her pocket,
and carefully locked the door. The stage
driver got down from his wagon, opened
the gate. and came rustling up the gravel
walk in his rubber coat.
mo need of your comm for that satchel
'Lonzo," cried Miss Parmelee through the
key in her pocket, after final test of the
locked door. I've got a free hand and
reckon l could carry 1t all right
'Mebbe you could" replied Alonzo
cheerfully "of course you could Jane;
but t amt my way to let lady passengers
tote their own baggage"
The quiet familiarity with which Alonzo
Jackson addressed Miss Parmelee as
Jane" and her quiet. unsurpassed ac-
ceptance of it bespoke a closeness OF
friendship which was well understood in
the community, and which had now lasted
for twenty years or moreover since they
were young folks" and Alonzo had been
said to be waiting on pretty Jane
Parmelee.
Everybody supposed that they gould get
engaged and married in due time. like
other young couples with marked prefer
ence for one another But years passed.
and for some reason AlonZo failed to get
TO the point"
Some said it was because the awkward.
bashful boy could not summon up enough
courage actually to pop the question.
Others declared it was because he was
jealous of young fellow from the city,
who had boarded with James aunt dur
ing the summer, and used occasionally to
see Jane home from church or take her to
q Sunday-school picnic. Al any rate, tima
passed without anyaformal declaration from
Alcnzo: and in the meanwhile James
parents died. and she went to live with her
widowed aunt.
Then her aunt died also. and Jane was
left alone in the world, save for brother
who was a miner in the far West Jane
converted the little property that had been
left her into money and bought small
cottage on the outskirts of the village.
where she now lived in genuine old-maid
fashion.
Alonzo, who was forty three years old,
still lived with his aged parents, and cared
for them. For ten years he had driven
the stage between Gilead and Gilead Sta
tion-where remote corner OF the town.
ship was intersected by n railroad.
He had never been to see Jane Parmelee
since she moved into her own cottage. but
they were still "'Lonzo" and Jane" to
each other whenever they met. and the
memory of faded romance did not seem to
embitter their present friendship. Jane,
indeed, sometimes wondered. with n ch0k-
ing sensation in her throat. why Alonzo
Jackson had never asked her to be his wife.
hut she had long since got over the keen
anguish of her girlhood disappointment.
and schooled herself to believe, that since
God willed il so, 1t was "all for the best
On this stormy March day Jane Parme
lee was going to Gilead Station. to take
the train for Lancaster, where lived her
life long friend Susan Rich, in pleasant
home whose welcome Jane had often CRATE !