West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-12-05

ell about his love affair. lie was an
excellent fellow. and there Is evidence
OF II In the fnct that he had moments
OF sympathizing with Luclndn's reluc-
tancc TO marry him.
Marvel IL that she ever thinks she
will" he would say to himself, but
final reflections always supported him
I'm his desires. as is the way with final
reflections. and he would conclude that
nothing better than wedding him was
likely TO come TO her. That lie argued
II out with his passion shows the rea-
sOnable temper OF the man. And who
would have liked him better for arriv-
Ing at any other conclusion? Certainly
no woman.
Twilight found him sitting alone on
the fence, smoking and medltating
means for bringing Lucinda to the al.
tar.
IF 1t was once DONE" he said TO
himself as he brought his long legs to
the ground. knocked the ashes out of
his pipe and returned IL 10 his pocket,
shed be better content nor she Is now,
but she Is that sklttish and she sees
through me that quick that / don't
know what sort OF devices to fall
upon"
In the house the candles were now
lighted. Sleek ringleted young women
came forth in groups; family poten-
tates disappeared; the store clothed
bridegroom was followed a moment by
the arriving parson, and then he, too,
became invisible. The air was tense
with expectation. Low, eager talk
about tucks and embroidery, zine
swiss" and "clocIed stockings" was
drawing the women's heads together.
Finally this died out The parson was
spirited away to the fateful upper re-
glons. Stlll no bride and bridegroom.
The delay was extraordinary. Opin.
ions that It was outrageous were brew
Ing. for supper. you see, was still TO
rome. Al odd uneasiness was In the
tir In fact, to make n long story
short. Milly Anson hnd chosen this
hour TO declare that she would not be
married to Thomas Simmons-not shel
Tears, reyilings, corporal shaklngs,
threats Of immediate death from her
father. given with n truly awful sin.
cerity Of mlen. all avalled nothing.
Milly was n weak creature and had
capacities for stubbornness 20 be found
IN no other. She had long dreamed OF
following I'm Lucnda's footsteps. The
nOtOriety which had been thrust upon
Lucinda by the gossip starved commu-
nifty shone before her as n prize to be
achieved. and, moreover, there was n
half covert and most reprehensible
relish I'm the mems talk about that
young damsers frOwardncss that acted
as n bellows upon the fame Of folly IN
Milly's bosom. AZ last she had seized
her opportunity. She was Gaping all
that had ever been heard OF reluctant
mnideus. When the storm broke over
her. she was frightened. Things did
not seem exactly as she had forecast.
"Tummas." for instance. was unbecOm-
ingly inexpensive and inactive amid
all these violent energies; but. partly
because she was frightened, she clung
lmmovabiy 10 the one thing that IN all
the confusion she seemed able TO grasp
the course Of conduct marked out IN
happier moments. Her poor little
abortcd powers OF reasoning had Of
course left her at the first onslaught.
md now to give way seemed to her
darkcucd consciousness to be abandon
ing her only plank amid the whlrllng
waters.
Imagine Lucinda's feelings a woll
of bitterness were they within her ne
She sat trying TO look unconscious Of
any special relation to the catastrophe.
while the company obbed nnd surged
about her ln suppressed but delicious
excitement. But even now from all
sides she felt eyes turning upon her.
To De forever bracketed with this fool
was sickenlug And pepperlng her
other emotions was undoniably a sense
Of infringement - Mlly Anson OF all
people so initiate hcrl
81 last such guests as could leave
that night tore themselves away. Our
trio wero not among them. TIL morn
Ing they must spend the weary. broken,
dream h0untel hours in The midst OF