The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-08

! the agreement he forfeited everything.
! Hence he worked and waited with what
patience he could muster. He went about
! but little-it cost something to go after
! the manner of gentleman-and he was
| set on saving. He did not in the least
grudge Marcia her pleasure, but 1T would
| have comforted him if, upon their rare
| meetings, he had seen even shade OF
sadness in her eyes. They spoke to each
! other-not privly, but in open, friendly
fashion. The two aunts made point of
never seeing each other at such times
| as chance threw them in each others
way.
They had quarrelled in November. In
February afterward the Grabels gave
their big party. Marcia had gorgeous
new frock for it. Gossip reported the
frock to Miss Lucindy- Tom so glowingly
she determined to see it eclipsed, and
that Sarah Ashbel should eclipse it. Miss
Warfield could spend upon sufficient oc-
casion. This was she felt sufficient oc-
casion. AS result, when the day OF
the party came, Miss Ashbel was prepared
to discount Solomon in all his glory.
Tanty Tom had not been to party in
years, but she was bent on going to this
one, even though it was 10 miles of, and
the roads simply fearful. She said MOTH
ing of her plan to John: He was going
she knew-she wanted the contrast be-
| twlxt Sarah and Marcia to come to him
with the force of a shock. Sarah was
certainly stunning, with her dark head
and beautiful white shoulders, rising up
| above clouds of filmy spangled scarlet
stuff. caught in place with diamond stars.
They went in the buggy, Miss Lucindy-
Tom driving. Il wouldn't risk 1t unless
l did drive" she said. 'Why there is
no bottom to the roads after these two
last warm days" Sarah was something
upset. She had expected to go in the
family carriage, with driver and footman,
and John on horseback riding beside.
She did not know the strength of Miss
Lucindy-Tom's principles. The carriage
could not have gone, by her consent, even
to her own funeral, unless the weather
had been fair, and the roads fine.
For reasons purely financial the Ewings
had no carriage. Miss Marticia had been
! content with buggy ever since her
fathers carriage wore out. Marcia had
a pacing horse and a handsome saddle,
| but most times she went abroad sitting
at Miss Marticias elbow. SO it fell out
that lust as Miss Lucindy-Tom drove on,
sitting very upright, and Ticking the
horse with her whip, Miss Martlcla
clambered into her own vehicle, settled
Marcia snugly under the robes and took
I'D her reins with an air of indecision.
(Which way would you go, Marcia?'
! she asked: straight, or round by the
turnpike?"
straight It's three miles the short
est way-and we would only have little
piece of pike Marcia said.
Still. | believe I'll try it," Miss Mar
ticia said clucking to her horse, Merry
Tom does hate mud, and so do L.
Thus it happened that two vehicles
bound for the same place, set out for 1t
in almost opposite directions. Neither
went by the front way. Miss Lucindy-
Tom headed for Grggs' lane, which ran
along the south side of her farm, and
was reasonably dry. 1t also ran beside
the Ewing farm, a little beyond which II
merged into a mill road rocky and rut-
ted. but still passable. At the mouth OF
the lane, back of the Warheld farm, was
the turnpike. Miss Lucindy-Tom would
unhesitatingly have chosen that route
II only that she knew she would have to pay
at two tollgates for travelling very little
more than five miles.
The lane was narrowish, but vehicles
could pass in it. unless they met at the
big mud hole. There the fences were not
closer than elsewhere, but it was the
footing of which you had to beware. The
mud hole stretched from fence to fence;
it was soft and semihuid on top, but got
thicker and sucker the deeper you went
down in it. So long as it was not more
than knee deep riders and drivers strug-
| rrInI 81 = htyhc
and up to saddle skirts something had tC
be done. The Griggs boys and their
neighbors did not bother with road com
missioners. Instead they went to work
and built stout cross waved bridge.
1t was amply wide for one set OF
wheels. Two could by no possibility pass
each other on it. But that did not matter
anybody crossing it was bound to see
anybody else on the other side. Nobody
need wait longer than half minute
and nobody could possibly be so foolish
as to refuse 10 wait.
When the unexpected happened there
was really some excuse for Miss Mar
ticia. She was driving southwesterly
with the sun at four O'Clock full in he1
eyes. 1t blinded her to the nearness OF
the approaching vehicle-she thought she
had a clear right of passage, and drove
MerryTom boldly upon the stout timbers
Her heart gave a startled leap as she
saw the other horse come on, and recog-
nized it as Miss Warfields Blixen.
Merry Tom and Blixen rubbed noses
amicably when they met in the very mid
die of the bridge. For a long time no.
body said word Miss Lucindy Ton
gIared at Miss Marticia; Miss Marticia
glared back unwinking. Sarah and Marcia
studied each other covertly. They hat
met more than once before the break, bu
then there was no need for appraisal o.
rival charms.
Sarah, / do wonder how long WE
will have to wait before those-ahem-
persons find out it is their place to bacl
and let us get by?'' Miss Lucindy- Ton