The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-09-16


were not ready yet. and he bowed hi,
head on his hands and allowed hi,
mind to wander over the almost twenty
years of their married life.
No one would ever accuse Jason
Grant of sentimentallty: yet in this
retrospectlon his thoughts dwelt with
singular persistence upon n certain
morning in hayinG season long ago,
when pretty Mary Moore had come to
help his mother cook for tho hay hands
He recalled the jealous pang with
which he saw the young minister drive
Mary TO the door-for Jason Grant.
Woodworking. closc.han1ed grasping.
was never given to sentiment. But
twenty years made Il difference: and
he had been mt that time what most
OF the other farmer boys were-even
though every one thought him wrapped
np in land.getting and moncy-maklng.
How well he remembered that day.
He Lad made numerous trips. neces-
sary and unnecessary. from hay field
10 house. just for Il word with Mary
Moore. or for glimpse OF her plump
form and blooming face. The picture
that rose oftenest before him was that
of Mary, framed by the doorway. smil
ing upon him as he turned away with
the hammer for which he had made
o1r OF those unnecessary trips. That
smile had made his heart beat like a
hammer Of another sort-foollsh fol.
lor-,
All, me. he could see It all in detail
the yellow farmhouse with green shut
tiers. the "lcanto" for tools. the bench.
TIE grindstone. the scythe. the garden
rake, the wood-pilp with the axe in the
old stump. the well-sweep beyond the
stretch of orchard fence. the Iarn.
.swallow.circlcd. and the fast.multiply.
Ing stacks of emerald hay.
Jason. the only son, had Inherited
the Grant homestead: and Mary Moore
had been wise. from the WORLDLY point
o. view. in accepting bis hand. grasp
ing though 1t was. rather than that of
the young minister. which had been
offered her on that very mornings
Grive.
1t was more the spirit Of innate co.
quetry that prompted her to inform the
rcticent yOCng farmer of the honor
proffered her by the minister: though
JASON 'roht' curing the sober second
thonsht following the arduous insist
snce OF his own proposal. came to the
conclusion that the information had
oeeh VouchHd hin IL order to bring
MIN to the point
hls lather had for some time had
MS business eye upon rich bottom
EHu rAhch, an entire soc,.on, six hun
urea ana lprty Gopdly acres. wooded.
Natried ana gently sloping, and lying
an the inevitable pGth of the much
sahed'oi branch road from seat to seat
y ne aoJC.l..@ C2y2t,j. When OLD
iaAchm2n Grant camc % his last ILL.,
la@s' shortly be-p?e his sons wedding.
H' coAhd'" To the prospective bride.
s'"pI-l Una lE' cofe-ed ranch could
DC had upon a snail payment. ard by
assuming the heavy, though longtime
mo- .@a%e held Iy eastern parties: and
th"l me accAireme@t Of it was worth
c'ei ;'.a poSinc-e-eat &C the we'd
an
bnt love Is love: his biundcrinc pro-
poSal wa made. AMI the marriage
cc!eDrated Sho?,lg q Giter the old father
hau been laid to rest. Ii was not un.
III tAe wcdliGg Gay that the younr
rarchmaa told his bride of the pro.
posed prrcha 20 of the Lowe" Ranch.
that 1t would require all his ready
money 10. the l"St payment. and that
they would have to defer their intend.
'ed wedding tour to the State capltal..
E-stcal she might accompany him to
the couniy.scat. where he must go TO
shS up the transfer Of the mortcoon
80 Mrs. Jason Grant-how nroud
she was OF the new name--,nforn,cl
her friends ana the minlster-ybo bod
the grace 10 hide his disappointmant
;hni ohiclatc NJ the weldjnr-tbot FOR
the prescA: my husband and ma"
woull Journey 10 the countv.seot ana
stop AZ tho best hotel til "mv Inns.
bands business was settled that of
bnying six hundred and forty acres Of
the richest bottom.land In the country.
mat later they would build fine
mouse on their new ranch. and move
there: and that they would 60 on thcir
wedding trip In the fall.
Needless to say, that wedding tour
was never taken. So this was tbe first
of n long series OF credits 10 Mary
frant in her account with the Lower
Ranch. That fall her health yos NOT
fhe best; by spring. baby Ruben cor,e