Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-12-01

alton. He's a pious man, Mr.. Gar
ser is, and don't want his friends to be
hurled into eternity onprepared. But
we won't quarrel about anything when
we're so closte to the end of our days"
Course we won't" cheerfully assent
ID her husband. Wen jest eat a
good hearty supper, and not worry
about the future. Where's John?
Didn't he come in a spell ago."
Mrs. Potter glanced out of the open
door, her brows contracting with an
noyance.
81 declare" she exclaimed with as
perity, the earthquake for the moment
forgotten, IF there amt the boy
John was 29) over to Rogers again,
Bpoonin' with that shif'less Mary. The
Idea of his being SO sot on a girl that
reads Shakespeare, and can't make
good salt risin' bread, let alone hop
east! But John shan't never marry
the mink SO longs I'm on earth"
(Which won't be long, 'cordin' to
your tell, mother" said Mr.. Potter,
helping himself to another generous
dish of apple sauce. "Still, we may
not move out quite so sudden, after all;
and you know that you promised John
TO give your consent to his marrying
Mary, If the world want swallowed up
on the 9th"
Mrs. Potter said nothing, but gazed
scornfully in the direction of the Rog-
ers cottage. Johns love for Mary
Rogers had been a sore trial to his
mother. Not that the good woman
did not want her son to marry; 1t was
simply because she did not like the
girl. Any of the other manageable
maidens of the place would have been
satisfactory to her as a daughter-in-
law, but Mary Rogers-never. She
didn't like Mary simply because she
was unlike the other girls, the diff
ference being merely that Mary had
the energy to get a little education.
Mary was a pleasant, modest girl, and
did not parade her knowledge of
grammar and sech stuff" as Mrs.
Potter contemptuously put it. 1t is
said that some good generally comes
from the greatest disaster, and since
the PRONUNCIATION of the dire
prophecy" the good woman had been
able to CLEAN one atom of comfort.
the earthquake would prevent Johns
marriage to an educated" girl. Learn
ing is seldom popular in the rural dis
tricts.
And Mary's certainly a good girl"
resumed Mr.. Potter. IF I'm any
judge, she's the most energetic girl in
the place. If she don't care for dances
and such, where's the harm? P'r'aps
she can't cook jest like you experienced
housekeepers, but she'll learn. She
and John could get along first rate, l
know. / do hope Jabe Gamers made
some mistake in his cal'lations." Mr..
Potter's whimsical smile was lost on
his wife, who was intently watching
her son as he slowly came up the street
from the Rogers cottage.
There won't be no mistake" re-
turned Mrs. Potter. at does seem
strange that som peor,,e will refuse
to heed the warnin's of inspired
prophets" She gave a sniff, and just
then John entered the kitchen and
took his place at the table.
pass up your cup, john" said his
mother, land have some tea. It's
about cold, and so is the meat and the
potatoes. But l don't s'pose it mat
ters,' she said, relapsing into her for
mer a~pathetic condition, "for the things
of earth is almost passed away, and
we won't need no more food"
Not till tomorrow morning, ma
John, choerfully, mot till to-
morrow morning. Then We'll have a
good breakfast, such as you always
get"
His mother gave him a look of min
gled sorrow and reproach.
81 hope you men don't expect me to
get any breakfast TOMORROW morning,
and the town and perhaps the whole
earth to be destroyed at eight o'clock.
There won't be no more time than
We'll need to prepare ourselves for the
other word"
Her son changed the subject. Got
all the wheat in the west field in" he
Sdlu, dll dIltI supper III SUNS w
fix up your nasturtiums. They're
sprawling all over the ground"
His mother vouchsafed 10 reply, but
arose from the table, and went de-
jectedly out upon the stoop.
The morrow dawned clear and beau
tiful. In the soft morning breeze and
the blue sky there were no indications
Of approaching doom. Mr.. Potter and
John were up betimes, as usual, and
were mending a hayrack, seeming not
at all depressed by any fear of coming
disaster. At breakfast time they en-.
tered the kitchen, but no meal was in
Mrs. Potter was feverishly pc
her Bible. She implored her
husband and her son to think onto
eternity, and to remain neal her" They
promised to do both, and said that they
were not going farther away than the
barn.
Never mind the breakfast, John"
said Mr.. Potter; 1--WE can take a bite
by and by, and the wheat won't take
any harm If we let 1t 20 this forenoon.