The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-05-26
WHY SHE MARRIED.
BY ALICE GAY JUDD.

| pretty woman going ieisurely past the
cottage. The invitation was accepted,
and while Aunt Mary and her guest
gossiped over the village news lis
tened and watched the visitor
She must have been about 40 years
old, but her complexion was as clear
as a young girls. and she had masses
Of the most beautiful auburn hair
have ever seen. When she was gone
grew quite enthusiastic about her
"Tell me about her. Aunt Mary" l
said She's the most attractive
woman I've ever met here"
Amt she. thought Aunt Mary an
swered.
rs she married. | asked
Aunt Mary laughed softly. Bout
six months" she answered. Come
round to the back porch, an III tell
you bout it while we shell the peas
for dinner"
When the peas were rattling into
the big pan Aunt Mary began: Il
guess Kathy Greenwood-tha was her
name afore she was married-was
bout the most poplar girl her'bouts.
She want pretty (Kathy's hair used
to be real red but she was allays so
pleasant an funny that ev'rybody
liked her. An the boys! my. there
was allays a string Of 'em taggin'
round after her to picnics an So
ciables. They used to say she had to
stand 'em up in row an say, My
mother told me to take this one 10
decide which one should 90 home
with her. / guess that's a little gag
gerated, but anyways the boys was al
lays good-natured, an Kathy never
seemed to favor one more'n another.
well. dunno how It happened, but
somebody said that John Lucas said
he'd bet he'd marry Kathy Greenwood.
l never really blieYed that John said
It, though he wouldn't never tell
whether he had or not. Luella King
was awful sweet on John herself, an
l allays mistrusted that she was the
one that started the report, jest TO
make trouble between John an Kathy.
She told Kathy bout it herself. an
from that time on Kathy was terrible
polite an distant to John. But he had
plenty O. spunk, an he asked her to
marry him Jest the same. guess
Kathy didn't leave him in no kind O.
doubt as to what her feelin's was on
that subject lie waited six months
an then. bless you, he asked her
again. But Kathy's, feelin's or her
pride hadn't changed, an 'twa'n't
very long after that till he went west,
an bout a year later we heard he
was married SO Luella King was left,
after all.
Il used TO wonder sometimes II
Kathy wasn't sorry she'd sent John |
away.
Jest ten years after he'd went away |
John come back, a widower, with two |
little twin girls. an a nice sum IN the |
bank. l can tell you they was more !
in ills village than |
Luella King that took a powerful sight |
O. int'rest In them 'Tore little mother
less twins" Aunt Mary laughed over
the recollection. 1T didn't do no
good for John didn't have eyes for no
one but Kathy. an she had eyes for
ey'ry one but John; an the long an
short OF II was that John proposed, an
Kathy refused him fat was all out
o. patience with her. Kathy Green
wood, says l, what do you mean by
refusin' a man like John LucasY
Aunt Mary Todhunter.' says she,
7 couldn't be stepmother to any
body's children.
They need a stepmother. Kathy,'
says I; a good one
"Kathy's eyes tw.nkled. but she
said. real sober There's plenty TO say,
"Barkis is willin'," Aunt Mary An
couldn't scold her after that.
"Kathy went on her way serenely,
an was Jest as pleasant an friendly
as could be whenever she met John,
an he jest settled down TO takin care
D. his little girls, an the other women
gradually lost hope-all but Luella.
We'll. Johns little girls grew up in
The course o. time. an had beaux. An
Dein twins, they had to be married the
same day, which they did bout six
months ago. Kathy was invited, an,
will you b'lleve It, John proposed to
her that very night. after the weddln
was over. an"
"She accepted him" / said.
Eyes, she did. right then an there"
Aunt Mary answered, though !
couldn't see for the life e me but
what she was the childrens stepma
lest the same They was married two
weeks later for John thought they'd
waited long enough.
90 course. everybody wondered, an
talked bout 'em, but It
iidn't seem TO bother Kathy an John
It all. They was perfectly calm an
perfectly happy.
81 was in TO Kalky's one day not
ong ago when Luella King come IN.
Jest thought 10 myself she was schln'
10 say somethin' mean TO Kathy, an
iure enough, pretty soon she brought
he talk round 10 Kathy's marriage.
How could you brilg yourself TO do
{, Kathy,' says she, after waitin' all
hese years?
We'll Kathy says. right slow an
Iweet. I thought I'd rather have be
owed consort" than "spinster' en-
yraved on my tombstone
"Luella she never said a word but
The rose right up. an walked out O.
he house an she amt spoke 10 Kathy
since
"'But don't mini tellin' you, Aunt
Mary Kathy said when Luella was
gone. (Kathy allays was honest as the
lay is long,. I don't mind tellin' you
hat I'm so happy I wish I'd said yes
70 years ago."
But is she honest enough to tell
Iohn?" asked. as Aunt Mary stopped.