The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-06-28

CUT OUT FOR AN OLD MAID.


|
main afar.
SO l saw no help for It, In a few
years more l would be laid upon the
shelf, but my thoughts didn't stop on
the shelf, they carried me down the Wis
tn of years, and saw woman with n
face looking like vinegar! Why my
Ideas of the poor. prosecuted sex.
known as old maids, are associated
with vinegar 1 cannot tell. But l did
see that woman's face, and 1t did look
like vinegar; and she had with her
the two institutions of old malddom-
cat and a parrot, and that woman
was I.
Suddenly my hands flew to my sides
and tears rolled down my cheeks.
"For goodness sake, Maud, what
are you laughing at?" said Jessie, en-
tering the room, followed by Charlie
Morse.
"Oh, Jessie" I cried. "If you could
only see the picture that l saw just
now you would laugh. too"
Next morning l came down stairs
rather late.
NOhlto nONt Htulu
my mother say. "My dear" said my
mother to me, as entered the break
fast room, 'do you know this gentle
man?"
a man between thirty and thirty
five years, very tall, with great, wide
shoulders, his handsome face bronzed
and bearded, rose to meet me.
| looked at the gentleman and shook
my head slowly in answer to my moth
er's question.
80 you don't remember me,
Maud?'
The bronzed gentleman laughed as
he spoke, showing his teeth and eyes
to advantage-and why didn't l know
him at once? 1t was Clarence Arnold.
What mistake | had made when
speaking of him to Jessie! / lost sight
of the fact that | wasn't quite fifteen
when Clarence went away, and he
was four or five-and-twenty, and l
never thought about the intervening
years. l expected to see Clarence as
he left us, about four-and-twenty still.
Goodness me alivem l exclaimed,
on the impulse of the moment, 81
thought you were ever so much young
er."
Did you, indeed?" he said, smiling,
but there was such grave expression
in the black eyes that We're always
dancing with merrlment in those days
gone by.
| looked over at Jessie. She was
looking straight at me, and as soon
as our eyes met we both burst out
laughing.
Carence's grave black eyes We're
still upon me. OF course he didn't
know what we were laughing at, and
it must have looked charming. But
then, that was what l always did.
laughed when | ought not to laugh,
said what | ought not to have said,
and | came to the conclusion long ago
that there was no help for me.
People said | hadn't spark of com
mon sense. Now, | begged leave to
differ with them-that is, in my own
mind, for | wouldn't satisfy them to
discuss the question openly. l thought
| was very sensible, only somehow |
never could show it like other girls.
Now, | saw at once that Clarence
WAS different from the young men
with whom | was constantly sur
rounded. He had sowed his wild oats,
and that was the sort of man l ad-
mired. But, then, 1t was no use for
me to let my thoughts run in that di-
rectlon, for Clarence must have
formed his opinion of me at our first
meeting, and forever after, supposed,
like all the rest of the sensible men,
he would wish me well-at distance.
One evening shortly after Clarence's
arrival we girls had our heads to-
gether plotting mischief. l. as usual,
had the leading voice. Clarence and
my brother Tom were present. We
didn't mind them. as they were part
of the family.
MAUD, don take part in such fool
lshness. You ought to have better
sense"
That was what Clarence said to me
when he saw part of our nonsense.
His grave, black eyes We're upon me.
and he spoke very seriously, l thought.
Well, perhaps ought to have better
sense. but what business was it of
Clarence Arnold's? Why didn't he
speak to Jessie. In whom he seemed
to be so highly interestedy
Yes, Clarence was interested in Jes-
sic and she was interested in him, but
then ought to have been satisfied. for
didn't | advise Jessie to set her cap
for him?
looked up at Clarence when he re-
proved me. He was so earnest that
felt like withdrawing from the mis-
chief at once. But | didn't withdraw.
went straight on, dragging the 9th
ers after me. | felt dreadful with
those black eyes upon me. Why l
persisted in the mischief | cannot tell,
except It was as brother Tom said,
out of a spirit of downright pure cuss-
edness.
One day, about week after, we
three-Clarence, Jessie and l-were
standing on the porch. Jessie stood
between Clarence and me. Somehow
Jessie always came between Clarence
and me. Now, l only just mentioned
that, but / hope no one will think
l was jealous of Jessie. Why should
be. Didn't l recommend Clarence
to Jessie?
To be sure 1 did, but somehow l
very often forgot that of late.
Charlie Morse came strolling up the