Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22

ried him, every man and woman in Drake
county said that Emeline Amelia had met
her "come-upance" at last.
Jennie was pretty. Every young man for
miles around was alive to this TACT. ana
Jennie was a notable housekeepef-a lar
more important factor in the marriage game
TO mothers of eligible sons. But the sons
one and ALL had been vigorously snuooed
by Emeline Amelia, Jennies mother who
declared that it was bad enough 10 nave
made a matrimonial mistake herself, with
out letting Jennie wed worthless man
81 Humphreys, who had the misfortune
to be Emeline Amelia's matrimonial blank,
and the good fortune to be Jennie's father,
said nothing. What was the use? He had
heard himself referred to so frequently as
a failure that he was almost persuaded of
the fact.
Emeline Amelia was recognized all over
the county as a capable. forehanded woman
Even the haircIoth furniture in the front
room showed never break after twenty
two years of service Not that 1t was used
much except when Jennie played the or
gan Sunday nights, and her father, minus
his shoes, was permitted to creep in and
listen. Every week Emeline Amelia went
over the dining room carpet on hands and
knees to make sure no strands In the gay
colors had been snapped, and she always
kept a carpet needle threaded behind the
clock, for use in case of emergency. When
there was aDSOluteIy nothing more 10 plCh
up about the house, she would stand in her
dooryard and call upon the heavens to IN
sutute comparisons between her domain
and her husbands. The barn painted In
three colors when the money he spent In
one winter on tobacco would give 1t COM
mon coat of red. And that harvester, new
last year, needed painting badly. 1t was
shameful how shabby and down at the
heels Slas did let things go. Now II she
was running the farm
But still 81 went his way, his head bend
ing forward a trifle more each year until,
by the time Jennie was twenty his chin
nearly touched his breast. But his eyes
never failed to brighten when their glance
fell upon his one eve lamb. Once when
Emeline Amelia had been called away by
the death of an uncle 81 and his eve lamb
had pastured for one long, blithesome day
in the sacred precincts of the front room
They had thrown open the windows, and
81 had sat on the haircloth sofa in his over
alls, and Jennie had played her Gveliest
marches, while the sun fell full and square
on the vivid green and red carpet. What
wild day 1t was, TO be sure! And 81 had
two kinds of preserves for dinner.
The uncle left Emeline Amelia two hum
dred dollars. and with this she built an IL
off the front room. furnished its two rooms
comfortably and announced that she was
ready for summer boarders. 1t would take
two summers she admitted, to get back her
money, but that would be good interest on
the investment, and she felt it her bounden
duty to add to the family income when 81
was putterng round raising the same old
crops every year and not improving the
place one bit.
So 81 planted more vegetables and doubled
the strawberry patch, and bought a Jersey
cow, and footed the advertising bill and
drove to GAINESVILLE to meet the summer
boarders as they arrived. Among them the
first year came Jim Ferris, who tramped
round in pair of old golf trousers, dis
reputable Jersey and yachting cap that
had seen better days His attire worried
Emeline Amelia, because the artists in
stories she had read invariably wore vel
vet coats, and young Ferris haunted the
brooks edge in the Humphreys woods,
with a sketching outfit under his arm and
a short, stubby pipe between his teeth. The
only time that pipe was laid aside was
when Jennie appeared on the scene.
Every one save Emeline Amelia saw 1t
coming, but not one felt duty bound to en-
Tighten her. One night 81 and Ferris had
heart-to-heart conversation out by the
pasture fence. 81 had mellowed under the
influence of Ferris very excellent tobacco,
and when for the sixth time he thoughtful
ly reflled his pipe from Ferris ugly leather
pouch he remarked slowly:
We'll l guess thatll be about the best
way. I'd like to give the little girl we'd
ding, but 1t keeps my nose on the grind
stone just to make taxes and repairs and
running expenses. Besides, there'd be ali
the fuss with Emeline Amelia. She's that
hnicky about the man Jen's to marry
there'd be no pleasing her. And even II
she did happen to be suited with you we'd
all be crazy while she was getting things
ready for the wedding. There amt no dan
ger of Jennie's marrying anybody else II
she's give you her word, but If you think
you can't wait year the best thing for
you to do is to take old Grant and peg over
to GAINESVILLE tomorrow or next day. Jen-
ME II meet you at the bridge If l explain
things TO her, an Ill ship your stuff and
what few things the poor child has later on
l guess it might be just well for your
peace of mind and Jennie's if you didn't
come back from GAINESVILLE till Emeline
- got u &c
the rig back by Stebbeus' grocery boy. He
delivers out this way, and old Grant leads
easy"
Young Ferris sprang down from the fence
and shook Sis hand
Mr.. Humphreys, you're brick. And see
here 1 want you to come to town to see
us.stay a good long time, too"
Il don't know about that 1t takes a sight
OF puttering round to keep this old farm
going. That there north field gives me lots
or trouble. 1t has to be coaxed, somehow"
Ferris shrugged his shoulders
Better let your wife run It for a while
She's aching to do IT.
And he strobe off in search of Jennie. ST
Humphreys followed the 1.-THE figure with
Frightening glances.
Might be l will. Might be the best thing
for me-and Emeline Amelia, too. She GER
tainly is the most dissatisfied woman ever
knew
The next day-the deIuge.
When 81 appeared. after a weary after
noon Of "coaXtng' the north field, Emelne
Amelia met him, eyes ablaze,
And you knew it-don't you lie to me-
Silas Humphreys. You aided and abetted
them. And they're off to New York How
do you know they're married though the
note says they are? How do you know he's
got any underwriting to live on? How
DO you know but they'll be back here the
two of 'em-on our hands? How"
81 raised his head almost defiantly
i know more than you do. Emeline Anne
va, and I've seen the letters to prove IT.
Hes no artist, Ferris amt, but a broker In
Wall street. Got bang-up little office and
his fathers cashier in the - Bank He's
got money enough to buy this old farm five
tlmes over. and the only reason he married
Jennle so student was that he thought II
ne lert her here another year you worry
her down to a shadder. She was gettin'
more like me every day-walking round all
the time with her head hanging down like
q whipped dog, and Ferris says he don't
want that sort Of wife"
Emeline Amelia ignored the rebuke
You'll see, 81. what / say Will come true.
You're just as easy today as when you
traded horses with Dan Ely. The horse
Went lame in less than twenty-four hours
He was doctored up. and l bet you'll find
Soung Ferris has doctored bank account,
Tongues wagged from one end of the
county TO the other. but Emelne Amelia
held her head high. If she missed the
presence of her quiet gentle-voiced daugh-
ger she never admitted the fact and she