Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-11-12


later. Its plain that she put him up
to it. aMybe if she knew about his
will she wouldn't be so bent on marry
ing him."
"She does know; I had good
chance and told her the other day."
What did she say?"
Gust laughed and said folks
changed their wills sometimes She's
got long head, I can tell you; she
knows that she can coax his money
out of him, and she don't care what
anybody thinks"
Perhaps if you talked right out
plain to him, showed MIN what a
laughing stock it's making of him"
"It wouldn't do, Lucy" her husband
interrupted. He'd get mad and leave
in a minute. You know how touchy
pa is"
Mrs. John groaned. ST. omembered
the threat to go and j at the
Minx's home; like en- he'd be
glad of an excuse to do
Sunday grandpa came out dressed
for church in the extreme of style,
twirling dainty cane as airily as any
callow dude" and boldly marched
away to where the Mink was waiting
for him with fresh rose for his bat
tonhole.
You see," said Mrs. John to Grand
ma Taylor, as the two families walked
along together.
There's no fool like an old fool"
quoted Mrs. Ray, grandma's daugh.
ter.
"Old Mr.. Porter IS no fool, though
he does act like one," grandma re.
marked.
mo, more's the pity" said John,
half regretfully. "I'd interfere and
stop it if there was ghost of chance
that way. But he's too sharp at his
business affairs to have anything the
matter with his mind
Oh, he knew we'll enough what he
was about, grandma reflected, and he
was fine figure of man and walked
as supple as boy. She looked at the
girl beside him, in white, fluffy array,
then glanced at her own plain, sombre
habiliments and decided that she
would no longer dress for funeral, al
'hough it was considered proper for
old ladies to robe themselves thus.
Mamma" Bessie complained few
days later, "the children at school
laugh at me and say that Polly Smith
is going to be my grandma"
well, wouldn't she be sweet lit
tie grandma grandpa asked with a
cackle.
Mrs. John bit her lips to keep the
hot words back.
81 do believe it's catching" Mrs.
Ray ran across to confide to Mrs.
John. Mas been and got lavender
colored lawn, and white ties, and
jaunty bonnet with lavender ribbon
and violets; she says she has smoth-
cred in black all she's going to-"
That's not so bad" Mrs. John re-
piled. LAS long as she don't go gala
wanting around with some young fel-
low"
ooh, mad never think of marrying
anybody. 1 just wouldn't allow that
young or DID," Mrs. Ray declared
somewhat incoherently.
uo,, oan yoanooo old 1o6.y
but an old man you can't. l feel as if
we were disgraced," Mrs. John re-
joined.
Sne was sure of it when one day
grandpa dressed up, brought a livery
rig and took the Mink out for a ride
out to his farm. She clapped on her
sunbonnet and went to interview the
Minx's mother.
Don't you think it's disgraceful for
a young girl to go traipsing off with
an cid man. Hannah Smith," she de-
manded with asperity.
'Mr. Porter is man of good char
acter and a church member" Mrs.
Smith asserted, bridling defensively.
"Oh, l understand; you are in the
game, too," Mrs. John retorted.
Mrs. Smith closed her mouth firmly
and tossed her head. And Mrs. John
gave it up and went home; she knew
Hannah Smith well enough to know
that you needn't say anything more to
her. when she looked like that
Grandma Taylor was just leaving
neighbor's when the couple returned.
She bowed to them in cold hauteur as
she passed, and the saucy mink
laughed gayly.
Grandpa's other two sons, Eben and
Charles, in answer to urgent appeals,
made their appearance.
Grandpa flew into rage. Il won't
have anybody meddling with my af-
fairs" he declared, stamping around
noisily. "I'll dc as please, and it's
none of your business"
Eben demonstrated. and Charles
coaxed in vain; then they went off to
tackle the Mink. Eben gave and took
immediate offense, and left to so over
it again uselessly with his father.
Charles sauntered in when the storm
had spent itself. you're q gay old
boy, pa" he said, slapping grandpa on
the back, land you must bring Mother
Porter up to see us"
''Now that's something like." grand
pa replied, shaking MS hand warmly.
Her last hope gone, Mrs. John SUBJ
sided in tears, and headache: and
grandpa shut himself up and played
all the old things he could remember,
triumphantly, but with more dis
tractingly wheezy wall than ever.
Across the street an old lady lin