The Western news., 1904-10-19
A CASE OF OBEDIENCE.

1T was $50 ana Maria Ellen mad
just come in from the Wednesday
evening prayer meeting.
Its showing some," she said.
Mrs. Turner looked up from her
sewing and gave her daughter a keen
glance.
Henry says it hasn't showed so
early as this for some years"
The girl stopped suddenly. She had
not meant to speak that name, but it
was too late now
did Henry Watson come home
with your" asked Mrs. Turner, sharp
ly.
Yes, mother"
"That's what thought. What have
l told you about him?"
There was no reply from Maria
Ellen.
do you hear me? Amt I told YOU
enough times that l don't want Won
to let Henry Watson pay you any at
tention?"
"Yes, mother, but"
"There amt no butts about II.
You've got to do as l say. Where was
Elder Burrows? You might have rode
home in his buggy, just as like as not"
II didn't want to ride in Elder Bur.
rows buggy, nor have anything to do
with him. He didn't ask me, anyway"
You didn't give him a chance, most
likely. amt goin' t. have you throw
away such chance as that. You
won't get man like Sam Burrows
every day. He owns the finest farm
IL this county, N money In the bank.
You could get him just as we'll as not,
if you want so contrary. I'd like to
know what you're thinkin' Of. Poors
we are! 1t makes me want to shake
you, sometimes
Il don't care how much he's worth
mother; don't think you ought to ex.
pect me to sell myself. l couldn't
do it,"
"sell yourself. l guess you'd be
gett'n' the best Of the bargain"
"Mother, how can you say that?
Mr.. Burrows is over so years old and
a widower with two children, while
I'm only 49, don't see how you can
want me to sacrifice myself by mar
rying him."
"Oh, you've got Henry Watson on
the brain, that's what's the matter.
Huh! It's his red cheeks and curly
black mustache, l suppose. What's he
got t. offer "? Eight or nine dollars
a week as clerk in grocery. You
make me provoked. Maria Ellen. l
always hoped you'd have some sense "
"That's what l want to have, moth
er. and
''There, you needn't sauce your own
mother When it comes to that, it's
time t. stop. You go t. bed"
"But, mother, i"
II said for you t. go to bed. You
mind.
Maria Ellen took the lamp from the
clockshelf and went upstairs without
another word.
In Mrs. Turner's inmost heart was
a love for her only child which was
shown most of all in the ambition
which she had in seeking her temporal
welfare. She would not willingly have
marred the girls happiness, but she
thought that she knew what was for
her good and where her future happi-
ness lay. They were poor, owning
only the tiny house in which they
lived and a patch Of garden, to which
was added what they could make
doing modest dressmaking for their
neighbOrs.
Elder Samuel Burrows, it was moi
incorrectly thought, was on the look
out for second wife. 1t was sup.
posed that the elder would have no
difficulty in finding woman willing
to live in his handsome house and ac,
as mother to his boy and girl, aged
respectively and 4 years. He haG
called several times, as the whole
neighborhood knew, at the Widow
Turner's. and had taken particular
pains to smile upon Maria Ellen when
ever he met her out. Mrs. Turner
therefore, had spared no opportunity
to thrust her daughter upon him. al
though the girl herself treated hin
with bare civility and rebelled at he
mothers scheming.
Thursday morning the ground wa!
white with snow, though it was no
deep enough to prevent Maria Ellie,
starting out early in the forenoon Il