The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-22
ghe Courtship Of Miranda Jane.

ghe Courtship Of MiranGa Jane.
BY Minnie A. Greiner Ellington.
Miranda Jane Brown was the eldest
daughter in a family of twelve chill
aren. Three boys, older than her
self, had already tumbled out OF the
tome nest, and were providing for
themselves, each after his peculiar
Fashion; but there were still enough
left to make people wonder how they
managed to turn around in the over
crowded nest.
Miranda Jane had now reached her
sixteenth birthday; and her mother
said:
miranda Jane, it's high time We
we're looking out for yerself. Sence
your father is laid up with rheumatic
{ kin hardly git cornbred enough for
ahe kids. an backy fer the ole man an
myself"
"Weil. marm,'' Miranda Jane an.
.swered, as she twisted corner of her
apron about her finger, '.how'H l do
1t? I can't get place, cause don't
&now how to cook anything but corn
tread, Eaters an bacon"
Cit married." was the short and
nointed reply.
Miranda Jane opened her eyes wide
with establishment.
why, Marin Brown, who in the
mame o. sense kin l marry? l never
had beau, an men don't grow on
bushes like blackberries, to be got fur
the pickin'."
"No reason why you shouldn't mar
~. Marry that long-legged, red-hair-
,ed Jim Shade. He's got log-house,
an an acre Of ground his grandad
aeft him. 1t amt good fur man ito
dive alone; an Jim's mighty good
worker, II ne amt jest SO hansum."
"But s'pose he don't ask me,
marm?" And Miranda Jane looked to
her mother for an answer to this
puzzling question.
~I7l help ye. He's got kind of
ahankering arter you, anyhow. cause
ger sort OF purity. Miranda Jane, with
them yeller curls, red cheeks, an big
5lue eyes. Yer ought to marry man
Of property like Jim. Yer needn't be
q poor mans wife with that race O
yonrf1."
Miranda Jane blushed, giggled, and
looked bashfully at the reflection OF
sler pretty, but not oyerclean face, in
the bit of broken mirror hauled out
from the city, and had been most care
fully treasured.
Miranda James home was miser-
able little shanty in recently cleared
part of - County, Ohio. The soil
was black and rich, but almost swamp
like, even in dry weather. What II
was during a rainy season I leave the
reader to imagine. There were nall
a dozen such shanties. scattered along
either side Of the railroad newly-built
through this region. The thriving
city of k was only some two miles
distant; but Miranda Jane had been
there only once; they had moved to
this place some three years before
wilen work ON the railroad was first
commenced.
Miranda Jane went about for the
next two or three days in sort OF
expectancy. as though the much need
ed man might even drop from the
skies, or, like the princes in the fairy
tales, come riding across the marshes
On a Snow-white horse-glittering with
gold and jewels; or might spring ur
out of the ground like mushroom
Miranda Jane was romantic, and in
siulged in many blissful day dreams
that closely resembled the cheap nov
els that she now and then found q
chance to read. She kept her face
and hands half clean, and washed out
Eher best, but sadly-faded red calico
dn Imagination, she went through
snumberless times, but with as many
changes, the exciting moment when
Jim should fall upon his knees and in
Empassioned words, declare his never
dying love. Jim was not at all like
the heroes in the novels; but of course
she could not expect any of those
grand personages would come in hel
way.
aspect I'd orter faint" she said tc
herself, when Jim pops the question
Only don't know how they do it. AL
the fine ladies in the stories does that
sor falls gracefully against his manly
breast"
She did practice falling against q
tree a few times, in lieu OF manly
breast" but when her mother CHANGED
ito see her. and asked her IL she was
trying to knock her brains out, she
gave up her practice and determined
to depend upon the emotions Of the
moment to help her out.
Three days passed by as usual, and
Jim had not even been near the shan
Tty.. Miranda Jane began to yield to