The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-08-23

| reason In reckoning this ride as a pleas
ure overbalancng the pomp and pride
of matrimony. All day they ambled
on, with only woods and fields about
| them. and were oftenest and longest in
the depths of the sun threaded, fra
| grant forest twilight, everything but
the road beneath their feet untouched,
| pristine, primal, as if man had never
been. All. who has such journeys
now?
Aunt Emmy was as softly accommo-
have been and often covered mile after
mile. riding on ahead, without once
directing her tunnel of a sunbonnet be-
hind her. Lucinda's bonnet was gener-
ally hanging backward over her shoul-
ders. Poor Lucinda's reputation for
beauty was sadly injured by her brown
skin-milky whiteness was of all things
most admired in hei world--but she
took the sweet with the bitter and alb
solved herself from the elaborate
swathings and bleachings which were
the communitys tribute to aesthetic
interests.
"a little more or a little less don't
sent me to the kitchen anyhow" she
declared when entreated to return
from the light of heaven into the
cavernous depths of the prevailing sun
bonnet Even Ethan did not know she
was beauty, but thought it was by
some special warping of perception
that she seemed so to him.
1t was not only in the matter of COM
pleXion that Lucinda was out of joint
with her lot in life. She had touch of
imagination; had vague desires to see
beyond her world, to try something be-
yond, to have some chance at the I'M
known-desires which seemed all un-
shared by any other being. She was a
world away from unhappiness. 1t was
only by some obscure movement of
soul that she was frightened when she
saw the opportunities of the future
about to narrow down to the familiar
lot of Ethan's wife. That was the root
of all this extravagant coquetry that
looked so naughty. She could not have
told why, but she was frightened.
Certainly she did not much consider
Ethan. AS Mrs. Smms complained,
she would not leave him any more than
she would take him; but, truly, with
the world as it is and bit of girl
with her life to shape with such a load
of biddings and forbiddings upon her,
who expects her to rise to fair dealing
with free and sovereign man? Ger
tainiy Lucinda did not expect it of her.
self. She never dreamed of such a
thing. She vaguely intended to marry
Ethan some time f-maybe-but- In
the meantime she had no notion of per-
mitting him to discover that there was
any other woman in the world, not
while she had eyes and such long
lashes as well and was really very fond
of the good Ethan. Pity him? What
affectation! He was the most enter
tanned man in seven counties. More
over, he won the game. But this is
anticipating.
The travellers went % miles the first
day and then, all unannounced, de-
scended upon 9 ':neighbor' for the
hiSht' AeStoAhNN (Oulu llOt
have been more heartily welcomed.
Much squawking and fluttering among
the chickens roosting in the apple trees
In the back yard followed their arrival
and testified eloquently as to the sup
per that they We're to enjoy. But our
business lies now at the end of the
journey.
hn6
herself with her customary insight and
exactness when she called Milly Anson
pasty faced, addle pated iy-up-the-
creek.
On all sides 1t was felt as an especial
evidence of providential consideration
that Milly had got a husband-or the
promise of one. Here. again, see
strange evidence of the absence of just
consideration for the masculine part of
the race. No one could regard it as
good fortune for a man to have Milly
Arson as wife, but his immediate
female relatives alone were occupied
with his fate.
Milly was now swimming in all the
Importance of the occasion-an JIM
portance which too often unduly elates
the most pleasing woman and which
affected Milly in way and degree
we'll fitted to madden any observer,
especially if she were an unmarried
woman,
The most famous cakemaker of the
county, who had been lording it in the
Kitchen for week, was by no means
unmarried, and she had the toleratiQp
born of n large experience OF brides
elect, yet even she found Milly un-
endurable.
Il have been asked to bake the cake
at eleben weddin's sence married my
fust husband" said she afterward, mot
only FOR my own kin, but among the
Gileses and Simmonses and down to
Strathboro and over the Ridge, and
I've seen a heap of fool gyirls, but I'll
gin up that Milly Arson that week was
notch beyond any on 'em. stood her
jest as long as ! could. and at last
broke out on her. 1t was jest the day
before the thing was to come off, and
she KEEP teeterin and titterln in and
out, a-jarrin the floor and maxim my
heart come in my mouth for fear my
last big pound cake in the oven would
fall, and I'd told her more'n a dozen
times that very day to stay in the
house; but, no, sir, she would keep COM
Ia to say how strange her feelin's was
and that she knew she never could Parn
NNrnN Nne,b 4