Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1901-01-10
HER COUSIN JOSHUA.
Ey Helen NJ. Whitney.

zAIEA! Azalea. I say"
n n The click of the sewing
M machine suddenly stopped,
4 - and Azalea Greerough
aoJ her fresh young face toward
a mother
+you must break your engagement
IN npnt Hayward, Azalea, and COM
.ly with your Uncle stubblefields
Mrx Greenough spoke as if a brok-
N engagement was of no more conse-
,uppce than broken tea-cup.
aTf you marry your Cousin Joshua,
vi, will have five thousand dollars in
our own right, while the farm-one
hundred and sixty acres, forty Of it in
.nadow-goes to Joshua. So you
rnlld have good start in life; where
As You and Dent are both so poor
here is 10 prospect of your being able
marry for years yet
"But don't want to break my en-
cgpment to Dent" declared AZalea.
And besides, l have never seen my
rms;n Joshua. How can I think of
barying q man I have never seen?"
You are, rot expected to marry him
ntil you have seen him, ! suppose"
|rorted her mother. "And it is my
Gpress desire that you inform MI.
Hayward, the first time he calls, Of the
dange in your prospects,
And Mrs. Greenough sailed out of
BE room, to avoid further discussion.
Azalea Greenough was real little
HGbe, with beryl-blue eyes, and lips
s bright as the scarlet verbenas that
ssy#sa IN Ae1 brown hair.
And So" said Dent Hayward, when
Galea had communicated her moth
PRS wishes-"and so, Azalea, you IN
END to give me up, and accept your
OG5il Joshua:'
"Oh, Dent. you know l would never
give you up.''
The beryl-bluc eyes were swimming
tears at the bare idea.
The sight appeased her lovers anxi-
ely' and he drew her toward him, and
Faid. impetuousIy:
"Azalea, let us go and be married at
Pnce' my darling! Then nothing can
Separate u.s."
But Azalea would not be married
without her mothers consent.
but will never mary my Cousin
F~''a'' she promised. "'You may de
FAa on that, Dent
NOR any one else?' asked her lover
lPaoasly.
No one but you,' she declared, an(
n "nn llat he was forced to be content
DVslues' continued Azalea, "wh,
auvNS Dut Cousin Joshua may refuse
ue' IN which case," she added. s.
a "valo get the five thousand dollars
P1d You, too!'
soomily. ~ '
na" ,,"ou' d week or so later, Azale:
m ,r.ueu :, The front door in answer to
ruu,ns .1r knock thereon.
~ nello. How d'y, Azalea?" cried
ua sau voice. I'm yer Cousin Joshua
,o 'ne ola woman? Oh, here sh
Ira so'lin III In now! How d'y, aunt :?
Ian 10, ~, 1,reenough stared coldly at th
but i"a ""A"ard young man, in butter
Tisa M !valls' ,n but he seized her hand in
down ,'Av Nc, srlp' and shook it up an,
",a, a ,lii her elbow cracked.
of rnn n;nl,, now air you. Azaley? Kin
,0na. r.aulln' amt ye?'' he continued
no. fplns a"ii! heavily into a chair and lool
's ga. critically at Azaley. AN '0''
bis ~ aa. qui'e well, thank you!" returne
Your fsia 'n, eoldly. How-how ar
ei5a,, 1n, + they're a-sqairmin'. siste
y s'as, but she's all right lne now N nea, a.
: q jay-bird." sn' now pea'
,,,sn long pause ensued. ,,,r;n. wn,.
j. 'sta sjttins continued to stare at bis con- COW,
bis n,,ns ,rnq with his back to her mothe
Hs s'hs hasl hanging over the hi @ chair.hae, rJ,ne
bat on 'p: y: MS broad-brimmed stra,
elore1 hn'. h.s head, and locks of toy
~ n''r struggled down beneot
ssn r1. 15 1ereenousn uttered not !, .,,o
GslahO Oot stared at the visitor . IN 9'n ce1
scrsa n .u A dozen farms sSivU1 wou1d Id co. %
pen in such such ignorance Of good GOOD mo' ~
'pI grew nervous
s,la,, Just now:' She htuSt yeDtera" be very plea
I'D naa 'sD picked .'i burr neneSF1d: ofr nls
eerips. s' 1t On the floor before a
,s %a r, at last. "corna fa al2 pleasnn, a.a,n'
sSjn9 SGjn9sses make me" more ene noiss Iss1ht"e thee
Aaalea ana machine."