Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1906-05-12
FROsTBURG, MD, SATURDAY, MAY II. 1906.

seemingly unconscious Of the storm OF
wrath she awakened in the widows
bosom. Johns mother knew he 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
ly we'll that the girl would he at choir
practice. She fingered Il moment on
the porch. where Alicc'S father sat
smoking He was straight. blue eyeo
old man. Sylvia sat down on the steps
to rest
Il been awful busy" she remarked.
Folks will get married. and that
means wcddn' dresses I'm Just fin.
iShin Nelly Deans. and next it will be
Annie Paimc's II what | hear is so,
perhaps it'll be your Alicr's before
long" The old man sVurmcd and
asked what she meant. He wanted no
son-in-law. though he could not object
to John.
why. you won't believe it. but that
half blind. hobhlin% old .IulSon is max
in" up to the Widow kim. they say.
sic - lliiiNlNbIllf anu N'llI~ I'bhlIl HIl'l
we'll heclcd the best cook in town and
economical too. Shes good tempered,
except about Johns marryin' Alice.
and kind of hate to see her throw her
self away. But judsol'S sly old
coot Anyhow. hop" she mnrrics and
leaves John free. He and Alice have
waited lon" enough it amt right!
Well, | got to be goiu'. You tell Alice
| was here" She walked off, leaving
the old man with Il new frlr-and with
new idea in his head. That Judson.
He and .Iudsou had always contlicted.
lie gruntcd and lit his pipe"
Sprin" passed into early summer.
and in June Nelly and Harry and An
ME and Richard were married Alice.
sweet and grave AMI dark eyed. sang
at the weddings. Her rich soprano
was Indispensable John watched her
In love and despair and began to Won
der If. after MI. prudence and caution
were not sometimes vices as we'll as
virtues Would he never be free to
take Alice to his own home? Would
she never !rav" her father to come to
him! He went to see her much oftener
than had been his habit. and strange
to say. OF evenings her father diSap-
peared. no one asked where and left
them to themselves. John and Alice
We're again almost the boy and girl
lovers of ten years ago They took
twilight walks and Ion" drives unmo-
Tested and unQuestoncd and were very
happy.
With surprise John began to realize
that his mother no lon"cr uaggcd him
about his engagement nor had fits of
weeping. during which she declared
that he was EoinE to make her Il stran-
ger and n dependent in her own house.
Then one cvenin" he took courage
and maStrrfully laid before Alice II
plan to brave everybody. Finally she
yielded. though she dreaded the eX.
PLANTATION that would have to follow
One soft September evening John.
with licenS" in his pocket. drove to
her door and told her flthrr he was
going to tak" her for n drive to Lynn
Vile. ten miles away. and that they
would not he back till evening. The
old man was used to their driving and
said nothing. In fact. he seemed al
most anxious to hav" Alice go
Late in the evening they returned
man and wife. John tied the horse
and went in to have it out with Alirr's
father. But the old man. strangely
enough. was not to he found. They
waited awhile, and then John left her
to q tell his mother
When he had gone Alice sat, silent,
In the big chair on the porch. happy in
spite of the probable trouble Johns
mother would make. happy in the face
Of her fathers certain anger At any
rate. nothing on earth could make her
anything but Johns wife So she wait
ed for John and wondered where her
father could possibly be-. In half an
hour she heard Johns quick. eager
footsteps. He swung in Mt the gate
and almost ran to take her in his arms
He kissed her. and he laughed actual
ly laughcd-like Il boy Then he ex.
planned:
Hes ut my houSe-your father. 1t
seems they took advantage of our ab-
sencc to marry each other. Alice
How's that for sly? They bravrd me
to my face but they were so afraid
that we would be angry that they were
positively relieved when | told them
what we'd done. They are coming
over here tomorrow, dearest. and then
our home will he our own"
Then John, being II man, could not
just see why Alice could declare that
she was perfectly happy and still
should weep ON his shoulder. But
Sylvia was Il woman-She would have
known the reason.