Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-08
CUT OUT FOR AN OLD MAID.
y LARENCE ARNOLD was coin
ing home after an ahSencp of

| HlS LlOule aIter I'm absence OF
eight years. My father had
been Clarence's guardian, and
he had lived with us all his life up to
the time he took notion to travel all
over the civilized, and not small poY-
ton of the uncivilized world
| had just been telling my kindred
spirit, pretty Jessie Mason, how we
expected Clarence on the morrow, and
wound up by giving a description of
him in the following manner:
He is awfully jolly, sood-na tured,
ever so handsome, flirts desperately
and Il perfect tease"
l watched to see the effect of my
words upon Jessie. She opened wiGe
her big, brown eyes and looked at me
with most comical expression Of
counteuaGce.
Now, in most things, Jessie and
We're very much alike. Whenever
there was any mischief afloat we were
the leading spirits. We moved in q
fun-loving circle. We were forever
romping and carrying on in manner
very unbecoming our years-at least Sc
said our loug-faced, vinegar yisaged
friends of the bilious temperament, of
whom we always steered clear. But
then, people will talk. you know, and
perhaps it We're better to talk about
Jessie and me than to talk about 9TH
ers who couldn't stand that sort oe
thing as We could. But they talked
about me more than Jessie, for l was
nearly. four years older than she, and
of course my conduct was more of an
outrage OH their bilious dignity.
Neither Jessie nor | ever thought of
those four yeais between Us. We
loved each other dearly and were in
Serarahle companions. She looked at
me now with those wondrous brown
eyes, eXclaiming:
Good gracious, Maud, you're inter
ested at lastl l have often wondered
what sort of a man you intended to
marry and my disappointment is
great. Why, the man you are going
into ecstacies over is the fac smile
of the young men in our set, who,
you say. are very well to pass the time
away with, but to marry, as the song
ray p you tOu ttcl IlICllHeli, iduSlftu
Jessie.
Nonsense" | said, feeling a little
annoyed that Jessie should PUT n
wrong construction on my words.
I'm not interested in Clarence-that
Is, not in the way you mean. l like
him, and l want you to set your cap
for him. You must fall in love some
time. you know"
And so must YOU" laughed Jessie;
$50 III wait until you set me an eX-
ample" and the scarlet creeps from
her cheeks to her temples as she looks
out of the window.
"Then, perhaps you'll have to wait
forever. Mother says I'm cut ont for
an old maid" said l. lightly.
My dear Maud. you're no more the
pattern of an old maid than the old
man in the moon is. Tell your mother
she's false prophet"
II don't know that she is" said l,
laughing. I'm nearly %, and mother
thinks it is prepoSterous for me to
have arrived at such an age without
being married. She keeps telling me
that my sister was married at II and
| keep telling her that poor Marion
has regretted it ever since. But then
she says that marriage is a lottery
and every one cannot be expected to
be satisfied with their drawing, and
[ suppose mother ought to know. Dear
me! we'vo lost sight of what we were
talking about. Clarence is ever so
In,
Jessie
Then, why don't you fall in love
With him yourself, MaudF"
"Fiddlesticks" said I, impatrenfly.
al don't want him"
what keeps Charlie standing down
there?" said Jessie, jumping up.
Wen talk about Clarence another
time Maud" and Jessie was ON the
balcony and down on the lawn like
n fash
stretched my neck and caught
sight OF Charlie Morse down by the
gate.
THAT accounts for Jesaes bushes
when she looked out of the window
while ago" | thought. II wonder II
she cares lOf MIN! Hthbe sue uoeo
not"
AS watched Charlie and Jessie on
the lawn together, | thought Charlie
Morse was just such another rs Clar-
ence Arnold. | fell into thoughtful
mood as | watched them. Jessfe's S
words came back to me. why
couldn't | love Clarence Arnoah my
self? Why, indeed?
| never was in love. Never couh
fall into it and out aGinn like other
girls. Goodness knows l was willing
enough, but l couldn't for the life of
me. They called me Il fiirt, But, as
said before, people will talk you
know-there's no shutting their
mouths-but | wasn't really-that is,
/ never meant to fiirt. | treated all
the really nice young men | was ac-
quainted with alike. Never accepted
invitations for places of amusement
drives, etc, from any one in partic'
ular. Was always a great favorite
With the Young men of cur "set;" but