Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-08-10
BY Joanna Single

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Sylvia Maine stretched out a gaunt
arm and slammed down the window of
her little dressmaking shop.
Looks like spring wanted to git In
here, too" she remarked precariously
through the mouthful of pins which
she was deftly transferring to the
folds of the cleaning white satin gown
draped on the lovely girl who stood pa
tiently before her She continued:
The laycock buds n all Dustin out,
and the wind smells good enough to
eat, but l can't have 1t BLOWN your
hair into my eyes and settin' these
folds skewin'. You'd have conniption
at If your weddin' dress didn't set
good, and SO would l. 1t would dis
grace me- I've made every weddin'
dress In this village for fifteen years,
all except Mandy Buffers. which was
city made though don't Just say that
had anything to do with her bein' d.
vorced In a years time" Nelly laugh
ed as she replied:
I'm not sure that I'd know 1t II 1t
didn't at. Sylvy. Is 1t silly to be SO
happyf Here Harry and I've been en-
gagged only year, and our folks all
like 1t, and now his grandfather leaves
him all that money. and everything's
perfect" She blushed with shy pleas
ure to the roots of her beautiful blond
hair. The withered little spinster dress
maker sighed. Her only love had In
anger married another woman and had
been unhappy till his early death.
TITS silly not to be as happy as the
Lord will let you be, Nelly. don't let
myself git too old to forgit that, You
and Harry be AZ happy as you can and
be good. There-ain't that sleeve
sweetf l got to git this dress Of yours
done this week SOS can git at Annie
Paines Her weddin's in June too. It's
the Lords own month for 'weddin's
and there had ought to be another be-
sides yours and Annie's In this vii
lage." Nelly's resplendent image In
the glass made her ask absently:
what other wedding do you meanT
John Kings and Alice Whites"
Nelly considered the fit of her little
girdle before she said carelessly: 81
why, they've been engaged forever.
Everybody's used to it. guess they
are themselves. or they'd do something
about 1t! know Harry would not
wait that way for me-he-he cares too
much"
Nelly at twenty saw no romance In a
ten years engagement, but Sylvia
knew that no woman gets used to be-
Ing always engaged and never mar
fted She took the last pin from her
mouth and explained:
''Its his mother aud her father that
stand IN the way. They are selfish old
coots to stand In the way Of the chill
dren's happiness Even II Allce's ia
Their had any one to look after him I
doubt whether Alice who Is the sweet
est thing that ever lived, could get
along with Johns mother. She's
heady old piece If she Is smart and
handsome, and she likes her own way
too well to want a daughter-in- law to
have first place In the house John has
earned and built with his own hands.
His father was no earthly account, and
folks do say all Mrs King married him
for was to spite Cornelia Jones, who
was dead In love with him and was
never married on that account, they
say" Sylvia took the soft satin care
fully Off over the girls pink shoulders.
Nelly's sympathy was aroused, As she
dressed she made a laughing proposal.
"Well, something ought to be done.
and it's work for you, Sylvy. You're
always setting things straight for peo-
pie. Why don't the old folks get them
selves out of the way2 Why, they
might get married-they might marry
each otherl You attend to it--you've
done harder things-and I'll help you
out"
As the girl stepped out into the sun
shine Sylvia sank into chair.
"She beats timer she muttered. But
II amt bad idea 1t amt half bad
idee, and / wonder at myself for not
thinkin' Of It,"
Z Meantime Nelly sauntered toward the
King cottage. where Johns mother
was at work among the flower beds.
The widow was a tall, slim old lady,
as neat as wax and still handsome in
a warlike sort Of way, with very black,
snappy eyes, white teeth and thick
gray hair. Nelly stopped and leaned
over the fence.
GOOD morning, Mrs King" The old
lady came along, with her trowel, to
smile at the pretty girl. She was ex-
tremely fond Of any girl who was en-
gagged or not likely to want her son
John. Nelly chatted away.
1--WE been for the last fitting of my
wedding dress. Sylvy's a geniusl She's
perfectly lovely! When is-John going
to be married, Mrs. KingT she inquir-
ed innocently. The old lady stIffened,
but Nelly continued: PPM so happy
that / want everybody to bel aylvy
says that Cornelia Jones lg setting her
cap at Alice's father, and I hope she
gets him. 80 Alice can come here with
you and John. She would take the
work or your hands, and she's 10
sweet But I'll be rather sorry for Mr..
White. Corneiia Ii such a desperate
old maid and no cook or housekeeper
at all, and he's 80 good looking and
well of that be deserves better wo-
man to take care Of things. Well, men
are queer. and she certainly must have
been awfully pretty once"
Mrs. King snorted.
'She was never mite pretty, to 10Y |
mind. She set her cap at Johns father |
when we were girls, but she didn't get |
him. Oh, must you goY'
Nelly said goodby and went her way. |
unconscious of the storm O.
wrath she awakened In the widows !
bosom. Johns mother knew be would |
marry some day In spite Of her, and
she dreaded the day.
Toward evening Sylvia went to see
Alice White, though she knew perfect |
y well that the girl would be at choir
practice. She fingered q moment on |
the porch, where Alices father sat |
smoking. He was a straight, blue eyed |
Did man. Sylvia sat down on the steps |