The Washington weekly post., 1900-11-20
aT HAYDEN cARRuTH-


Young AR Elmore De Lacy Mortimer
sat In the parlor. He was clearly nervous,
a. any sensible young man should have
been when waiting for 50 handsome and
altogether charming a young woman as
was Agnes Van .vIiet. Especially II he
had become engaged 10 her just the even
ing before. as ElmoEe had 20 Agnes. but
had not yet said anything about the nzt-
ter 10 the young lady's mother. which vas
the young mans exact position AID
above all. II this mother was a widow. and
somewhat naughty dame with IDEAS CT
ner Own and the courage 10 express them.
which was precisely the case with Mrs.
Van Viiet. So not bit Of blame attaches
TO our hero, young Mr.. ElmoTe De Lacy
Mortimer, because he was nervous as
he sat in the parlor and wondered what Il
was that kept Agnes so long
As tlie minutes slipped away It natural
~ didift make Elmore any more calm.
hhat-'What II she had changed her mind?
The engagement was so young-only abou.
twenty hours Of age-that he scarcely az
yet fully realized 1t. Perhaps she had toll
her mother and the elder lady had objected
so strongly that she had decided 10 give
nim up Maybe, after all. It was only a
dream, and he had not really held her IN
ms arms for a full half minute and i'm
printed the first kiss upon her lips. But
nope sprang up the next moment. There
was the bewitching rustic OF skirts in the
hnli- An, al last-yes-great heavens.
The woman who might some day be his
mother-in-laW swept into the room.
Good evening, MT. Mortimer" she said.
Her tone was not quite so cordial as usu-
al There was no mistaking this
"Goo-gOod evening. Mrs. Van Vliet."
ne returned with great effort. "Ouite
chilly his evening" C'What a iaekassic-
/ al remark" he thought TO himselfl,
Yes" she replied with dignity. "But
us seasonable weather. after all. To-
MORROW win be November YOU know.
Ir-true.' he answered. lightly sweep
ing his brow with his handkerchief TO re-
move evidence of the fact that the alleged
| chiliiness was far from touching him
/ And how much we all have to be thank
/ ful for he added. C'Braying again" he
said to himselD.
| some may have-others may not" re-
! piled the widow composedly. Il can't saw
! that / personally have any more cause
| than common for rejoicing that the mel
aneholy days have gone"
| An, fm-Im sorry to hear it," said Ell
more. II have very much to be thank
| fUl fOr-very mich "
! 'Indeed?' responded the woman with
a calm, cold, deadly rising infection. She
I adjusted pair of gold-rimmed eyeglasses
| and for two awful minutes looked at him
! like frozen fate Then she said: "Mr.
/ Mortimer, we might as well come to the
point. There IS matter of the greatest
Importance about which wish to speak
to you
! 'b-in-indeed" He tried for the rising
infection, too, but it wouldn't rise The
room was swinging round, and he spread
his feet farther apart so as 10 get pur-
chase on his legs and thereby keep his
knees from knocking together.
'Of the greatest Importance" continued
the widow, calm as eternal truth. '"The
strike in the coal fields, as you know, mas
made coal much dearer."
Yes, yes" said Elmore, hastily, feel
ing that there was a chance to spar
for time Crying shame, isn't it?
| Seems 'sif those fellows ought to have
got together-felloWs that own the
mines. you know-both fellows, you
| know-feliows on both sides, yCu
/ know-ought to have got together. you
| know. and, and-ought to, you know, got
| together, and-and kept on digging coal,
| you know"
The widow only looked at him. "The
| price OF coal having advanced" she Went