The Washington herald., 1907-03-01

1 Joined forces with her cousin, and be
/ tween them they gave the prospective
/ heiress small peace
Obstinacy. pure and simpIe-that was
/ what allied JOsefa. So said her two elders
/ In c0nciaye. There could not possibly be
/ anybody in Melvins way. Josefa had
/ been sent To school, the strictest possible
/ boarding school, when she was barely
! thirteen Since she came back from It
/ none of the youngsters round about had
/ done more than speak civilly to her. Not
| one had so much as come 10 the house,
/ except Clayton Trigg. who was a far-0d
! cousin. and had come to buy yearlings
/ and fat lambs In virtue equally OF his
/ kinship. and sudden shower. he had
/ stayed 10 dinner and after il had shaken
/ hands cordially with both the ladies of the
/ house. All BE had said to Josefa was that
! if she happened TO be at the county fair
/ next fall. he hoped she would look at his
/ saddle horses. MUggins and Mil Boy, as
/ he was sure they would win the blue
ribbon.
/ At fair time. with Josefa still obdurate.
/ Mrs Clayton had doubts as 10 going. but
/ AErs Dalton overruled the doubts. Thus
/ the three went together in the Dalton
/ barOuche. and for the best part OF the
/ day Josefa was handed over to Melvin.
/ Just how she managed it she herself never
/ knew. but toward o'clock she slipped
away from him and lost herself in the
/ crowd. IL was a delicious sensation. All
| the late summer she had been telling her.
/ self she would run away II she had half
+ a chance. but how could she when she
/ had not so much as a dollar of her own
/ She almost ran. until she came 70 the
/ farther side OF the amphitheateT. At the
; foot OF the stairway she found herself
stopped. her hand strongly gripped. and a
frank, suuburncd face. with honest blue
eyes, smiling down at her, but flushing in
spite OF its sunburn.
Mrs Dalton was off with a knot Of
/ the Daughters. Mrs. Clayton stood rapt IN
( contemplation OF prize patch work. Each
/ believed Josefa safe with the other, also
/ that Melvin was a further guard. There
fore, they smiled amiably when the ring
/ master shouted that there was a new
! feature wedding I'm the exhibit Of
/ Scrollsaw, Narnish & Co, the enterprising
/ furnishing men. A popular young couple
( had agreed 20 be married IN the parlor
! arranged by the firm-who meant 20 show
+ their appreciation by making the newly
/ wed q present OF the suite. Mrs. Dalton
said 90 her next neighbor: "Oh. ] reckon
/ It's somebody from the back cOuntry-it
must be-only pumpkins and their sweet
/ hearts still tolerate parlor suites"
/ The neighbor nodded, but added. Lets
/ go and see. I come to fairs mostly TO see
l that sort Of people. They are sociological
/ exhibits. you know-better worth while
| than anything in the ring
DO you think so? Then let's hurry"
/ Mrs. Dalton agreed-but somehow. IN
/ spite Of huTrying. their progress was slow
| They came close enough at last to hear
| without seeiug-after the benedictiOn. The
crowd drew its breath, and women in II
I whispered: why, Did you everl The girl
! looks radiant-and quite the LADY, And
the fellow didn't kiss her, although the
squire babe him do it,
Here they Gomez said others. falling
| apart 10 make way. Mrs Clayton had
somehow met them-Melvin was across
the way. with Amelia Ware, her eyes
downcast, Clinging to his arm. Between
them, brIght-eyed, head up, walked Mr.
and Mrs. Clayton TTigg
JOsefa went straight to her mother
saying dcmurely. but with the least hard
drawn breath: Were going on little
trip, mother-but il won't be extrava-
gance-the money for the parlor suite-we
sold it before We earned twill more
than pay expenses. You stay with Aunt
I Ria, please, till We get back"
And then we're going to take care Of
you always Clayton Trigg interrupted.
Mrs. Dalton was too stunned to speak,
but Mrs Clayton said. composedly: Wen
Joe, I suppose you had to follow your.
nose-the Morrises always did have thei.
own way"
copyrighted. 1907, by E. c. ParceIls)