The Colfax chronicle., 1904-01-09
AN INTERESTING coJRTsHIP.
In which the Lady Made Up Her Mind
She Wasn't Going to Leave
stone Unturned.

Susan and Mrs. Lathrop were greai
friends, although there was some eight
or ten years difference in their ages
Susan was AZ, but Mrs. Lathrop had
married young, and this fact caused
her to feel ever youthful, and thus to
be companionable to her girl friend
over the fence. Then, too, ever since
the death of Mrs. Clegg, some IL years
before, Mrs. Lathrop's advice had been
indispensable to the others ignorance
writes Anne Warner, in THE Marry
ing of Susan Clegg," in Century. dare
say there are some who may smile just
here and consider that at 80 Miss Clege
should not have needed much motheriy
counsel; but until one has really ar
rived at the age of 80 it is impossible
to convince one how really immature
said age is, and can personally vouch
for the fact that a mother is just as
handy to have about then as she is at any
earlier period.
Mrs. Lathrop had always had a gooc
deal of time to devote to her friends az
fairs, because her family consisted OF
but one son, and she was not given to
that species of housekeeping which
sweeps under the beds too often. Miss
Clegg had somewhat less time, because
her father (wavering between 20 and
80) was bedridden paralytic, and had
been so for over 20 years. He was OF
necessity a great care, and she did her
duty by him both vigorously and con-
scientiously; but the years in bed had
led her to confound the bed with the
father and to refer to them both as one
united factor in her domestic economy.
Friday morning she always tore herself
away from the fence with the remark:
"Well, must be gettin' back to beat
father up an put him on his clean
Sheets" and such phrases as 1--WE got
father into new pillow-slips," or Next
spring mean to have fathers hail
picked over an get him a new tick,
were ever rife on her lips. She was
generally very cheerful and quite re-
signed to her lot. but occasionally she
had spell of feeling that the worlt
had more to offer than she was getting
"If father should live to be hun
dred," she said one afternoon in June
as she and Mrs Lathrop held parle!
on the borderline of their respective
kingdoms-"if father should live to b.
a hundred, wouldn't stand much shov
o. gettin' married afterward. I'd b.
| so, an, even with a good new wave, G.
is co."
Mrs. Lathrop chewed her clover.
Nobody but man O. 20 s goin' +
marry me at 60. That'd make me bur,
father just to begin on some one else
l got to thintin' about it last night, an
I've been keepin' on this mornin'. toe
an can see that if want to get maj
ried at all, I'd better do it now. There
no time like the present. This world
made for the young S we'll S for tn
old. Besides, if l do it before col
weather, he'll pay for half of next win
ter's fuel Then l could make my thing
along durin' the SUMNER amt &c
nothin' to sew on since I finished m
dress for the funeral. You ought I
see that dress, Mrs. Lathrop; it's jus
as nice l put it away with campho
balls, an stuffed newspaper in tn
sleeves. There's nothin' to do whe
father dies but shake it out an lay
on his bed-'cause O. course that da
father'll have the guest-room-an tn
black gloves en- two black-rimme
pocket handkerchiefs is all ready
the pocket"
Mrs. Lathrop took fresh clover.
$50 I've pretty much made up m
! mind to get married, an I'm goin' to s.
! right about it. Where there's a wi
c there's way. amt goin' to leave
{ stone unturned, either"