Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-10-25
WANTED A MAN.

EeU uuetdCuCS LID oJ co, uo"nSooei Lac
heart beating like triphammer.
Well might it beat fast He hadjust
asked Squire Malcolm for his daugh-
ter. The squire was choleric person
at the best of times, but this morning
his humor was fendish. Orestes, of
course, did not know that.
There was a reason for the mood
slight to be sure-but any reason was
sufficient when the time came for one
of the old gentleman's RACES. He was
nearly as proud of his melon patch as
of his daughter, and felt it personal
insult if anybody else presumed to
have melons earlier. Yet here were
those miserable Dawsons, outlanders,
city-bred at that, sending him mel.
on, fully ripe, with their compliments
and all because he had laughed at
Dawson and his gardener when they
had talked to him about a certain
extra early kind.
Now it would be quite ten days be.
fore he could return the sending.
"Want my girl, eh2 Isn't there
something else7 Don't be mealy
mouthed. Ask for my eyeteeth-or
the farm, and all the money I've got
in bank !" he reared at poor Orestes,
who stood nervously shifting his feet.
"By George, sir, I'm amazed at your
moderation OF course, I've raised
Edith just a-purpose to see her throw
herself away. Don't interrupt me,
sir I know all you're going to say
you love her and don't care bit that
she'll have more money than any 9TH
er girl around. I've heard that from
better men than you are. l tell you,
as I've told them-she's not for any
such cattle. l want her myself yet a
while--when I give her up it's going
to be to man. Be of with you now,
sir-and don't let me see you here
again-not unlesa you're willing to
swear there shall be no more of this
nonsense.
I'm going" Orestes said hoarsely,
turning half about. "But what you
call this nonsense is going to last
with me and with Edith, too, l believe.
Well wait year, to let you come to
better temper. But Pm going to
see her-across your gate.-every lit
tie while. I won't ever set foot on
your land again, though, unless you
ask it.
"Do you think III have such scand.
alous behavior" the squire shouted.
A hand fell over his lips. Edith had
come up behind him.
"Unless you will have it, shall 60
with 'Restes right straight off," she
said, with a set of the mouth, and a
lowering of the brow, that made her
her fathers daughter. In sufocating
anger that forbade speech the squire
waved the pair away. Edith would
not go. She held out her hand to
Orester, saying: "I'll be at the gate
toright-we'll settle things there. "
Then as the young fellow strobe of,
she fetched cool water to battle the
squire's head, famed him and made
him sit under the grape vines, saying
| no word to him until he had come to
a semblance of reason. When she
saw his head droop thoughtfully, and
his cane make faint plunges into the
surf, she whispered: Don't fret your.
self sick, father. You know you can't
really say anything against 'Rsstes-
he's as good as he's ugly"
"He's molly-coddle-brought up
at his granny's apron-strings, the
squire interrupted.
"Then I like molly-coddles-and
I've been brought up to know men, y
she said, running away to see about
dinner. The squire looked after her
with scowl that softened at last to a
sigh. he thought the world Of her
| love was indeed at the bottom Of hif
scorn for poor Orestes.
| Fate had hard lines ahead of the
squire. Edith went duly to the gate
every Wednesday evening at shutdown
end spent an hour there in earnest
| talk with her sweetheart. Even the
squire could not bring himself to ig.
more Orestes completely when they
met but he never went beyond the
gruff nod, all thethree Sundays before
he was laid by the heels. Obstinacy-
of man and beast-broupht that about,