The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-09-21

My son and his vile an my daughter, an
her husband, they mean to be kind, |
reckon, an mebbe it is my own fault, but
| knew more real comfoIt an happiness
in one day in my own home than have
known in all the three years | have lived
with them, an you would have the same
experience if you gave up an went to
maxim your home with your children.
Don you do it. If | was back in my
own little house that | was fool enough to
sell an 90 an live with my children tell
you L d stay there if had to do my cookin'
an washing an sew carpet rags an braid
rugs for hvin, | would, Huldah."
but what can do? You know how
immovable the girls are, an | don't feel
that | have the strength to hold out ag' in
them any longer. They've been at me
so persistently ever since their father died,
an now they say I've got to go. .
"Don' you do it. You'll sip sorrow
if you do. You'll be dictated to every day
o your life, an if you so much as offer
suggestion to them or to their children,
you i be 'interferin' an they'll tell you
so mighty quick. There ain the respect
for old folks nowadays that there used to
be, an society is so constituted that it's
never very safe for old folks an young
folks to mix up together in the same house.
Old folks ways and young folks ways ain t
alike, an they better live apart. 1t is
because have proved it in my own ex
perience that | want to keep you from
maxim the same mistake An I'll tell
YOU in solemn confidence, Huldah, that |
have made up my mind to 90 back to hav
ing Il home o my own, yes, | have
why, Jared -
''Yes, have.
"What will your children say?'
81 can't help what they say. An
neither the Lord nor the law has said that
a man in full health an in possession of
all o his faculties shall be obedient to his
children. | have made up my mind about
the matter, an don't feel under any
obligation TO say anything to my children
about it, I've got my pension an thous-
and dollars in the bank that nay children
would like to get hold of, but they can't
have it yet awhile. If | can get the per
son want for my housekeeper, plan to
have Il home o my own mighty soon.
II declare would if | were you, Jared.
When folks get old like you and me there
is nothing they precate more than Il home
of their own, and they ought to have it.
What you say makes me feel like trying
to stand out more and more az in my
daughters. But who do you reckon you
can get TO keep house for you?'
Jared looked at her for moment with
his kindly face all aglow and his blue eyes
twinklin@ merrily. Then he said There
just one person | want, an III throw up
the whole scheme if can get her. -
''Oh | do hope that you'll get her,
then. Jared: for can understand just how
ynu must want home of your own
IF you had any influence with her
would YOU be willing to use it in my favor
and say good word for me to her?'
'lndeed would Jared" -"
Would, Ell? Much bliged, I'm
sure I-I-l-thc the fact o the mat
ter is, lIuldah, irSy"u that | want that
that-why, bless your soul, lluldah,
want you not only for my housekeeper,
hut ior my wife Don't look 50 scared
an shocked Huldah. | reckon ii does
kind o daze you if you ain never thought
o such Il thing. 1t dazed me some at
first; but the more I've thought of it the
more set I've been on bringing it about,
AN what you been tellin' me bout Hannah
an Marthy wantin' you to give up an live
with them has brought things to focus,
an want you to give up an live with
me AS my wife. We ain neither of us
real old folks yet, Huldah, an we might
have many happy an peaceful years to-
gether yet | can see that you re too
dazed to give any answer now, an Ill go
away an come over and see you this even
ing, when you Il make me one o the hap
piest old boys in the world by saying yes,
an we Il have home of our own in spite
of our bossy children, eh, Huldah p
IIuldah answer must have made Jared
Il 'happy old boy" for three days later,
Hannah and Martha were on their way to
see their mother when they met her re-
turning from town in buggy with Jared
by her side. Jared had on his Sunday
best and he wore big white aster in his
buttonhole, while Mrs. Raynor, to the sur
prise and disapproval of her daughters,
had put aside her mourning and wore her
gray silk and new gray bonnet with white
flowers in it. Jared drew rein when they
met the sisters and Hannah said sharply:
''Well, mother, | must say this looks
little strange You know very well what
a neighborhood this is for gossip, and some
people might make very unpleasant remarks
if they saw you and Mr.. Hawkins riding
out in this way. Martha and | want that
you should pack up right away and go
home with us, and we will come over next
week and pack up the furniture. We
think that there is no use in your waiting
until the first of the year to give up and
live with us.
1t was Jared who made triumphant re-
ply. He threw one arm around the half
frightened old lady by his side and said
boldly: ''You' re a little too late, Han
nah Your mother can't give up an go
an live with you for the reason that she
has already given up an is going to live
with me, or rather I'm going to live with
her, since she prefers to stay in her own
house. Lemme introduce to you Mrs.
Jared Hawkins T.
Martha lifted up both her hands in
;peechless amazement, but Hannah said
gaspingly: "Mother is this true 7
The bride of an hour held up her head
oravely and made unfaltering reply, eyes,
Hannah it is true"
Hannah broke forth in violent outburst
IF wrath, but Jared gathered up the reins
and drove on, calling back through cloud
IF dust, "You nor no one else can sass my
wife T.
He was right when he said soothingly
% his wife, "Don't you worry, my dear;
,hey'll come round all right, an so will
NY children. An if they don't" he