The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-12-18
A Mothers
Story
By ITTA ELLEN FELLNER

THE afternoon sun sinking to rest
in the west cast for a moment it's
brilliant and departing rays upon a
solitary farmhouse in the Berkshire
hills. then the bright glows faded
away; the sun disappeared behind the
mountain, and it was a soft. beautiful
twilight.
Two Women come out of the farm
house and sit down upon the porch in
the twilight-mCther and daughter.
The mother has an earnest. thoughtful
look in her face, which is fair still, al
though her hair is snowy white. The
girl is beautiful truly, and her mother
is very fond and proud of her. The
her daughter on the steps at her feet
AS the mother tenderly strokes the
abundant tresses upon her fair young
daughters head she questions her very
earnestly.
$50 my little lassie has had an offer
of marriage, ahd cannot decide what her
answer shall be? All! Do not blush,
my dear, for l have known all along
how John loved you, though | have
been worried for fear you did not ap-
preciate his good heart and honest ma
ture. l was afraid you would hesitate,
dear, before you gave him your answer,
because he is only a farmer lad; but
John would be loyal and true to his
wife; besides, he is a thrifty, indus
trious young man.
Il will admit Johns not stylish, or
yI,of lN,,f ic
character. dear, one must look at, and
all the neighborhood knows Johns good
principles. We know all about that
young man from the city, and am not
denying but what he has been kind and
polite to you; but John loves you, and
true, honest heart has John.
"TCu don't like the idea of farming?
Why, your fathers farmer, child!
Was it not only this morning that you
were telling me how dearly you loved
your father, and what a good man he
was? You think that fathers occupa
tion is different from a husbands? My
dear little girl, one must be wise in
making a choice for life. Fine feath-
ers do not make fine BIRDS and though
John is rather plain in his looks. he
would always be proud of his wife. You
say you are not sure that you love him,
and that you may love that city young
man?
well, dear, | will have to tell you the
story of my own love affair, story you
have never known. | should not tell it
to you now, but it may help you to de-
eide about jain.
LAS you know, l was born down in
lage belle. My father was a graduate
from Williams college, although he was
Door and a farmer, so I had better ad-
vantages in a way of education than
most country girls. and was deemed
quite accomplished. When | was about
your age, l, too, had lover-he was
somethingli like your John. Hewas rough
in his ways, farmer, and often his
hands were soiled with honest work,
which did not please my girlish fancy
then; but l lived to learn that it was
better to have soiled hands than a soiled
soul.
But at IS felt as you do now, and
knew that my lover was rather plain
and old-fashioned in his ways One
winter, just before we were to have
been married, some 'ity young men Wis
tied our village and gave concerts and
shows in the schoolhouse. Much to our
astonishment, they remained in the
village all winter, and one of them
boarded at our house. My mother was
dead then and father and l lived to-
gether. The city young man seemed
was listening to his fiattering speeches
and forgetting my betrothed lover My
new admirer was making love to me,
and vowing that he adored me he
asked me to be his wife. He told me
7 was too beautiful to pass my days
in a dreary farmhouse, and that the
man that l had promised to marry was
only an ignorant country farmer-and
7 foolish girl that was, listened to him
and believed him.
81 began to be ashamed of my lover
and of my engagement and to look with
great pride and admiration upon my
new lovers soft, white hands and his
stylish and expensive clothes. He was
very handsome and apparently refined,
and believing him wise and good, I
loved him and promised to be his wife.
He paid me marked attention before
everyone. When my old lover heard Of
il he came at once to my fathers house.
Taking me by the hand, he said: My
girl, they are saying in the village that