The Washington herald., 1907-03-01
A SOCIOLOGICAL EXHIBIT
BY MARTHA McCULLOCH-WILLIAMS.

II Josefa had not had the Morris nose.
things might have happened. The Nor
ris nose, understand, was more than d
feature-rather, a hallmark of sorts
throughout Rabun County. Whoever
owned it was held bound not only TO
follow il, but to keep it going in the
social lines marked out by Great-grand-
father Morris. a gentleman whose spirit
had been as high as his nose.
She was not high-spirited. but instead,
meek and lowly in mind. as became her
very moderate fortune Her mother, a
born Morris, had married badly. Al
least the family thought so. and had
never scrupled TO say that poor Billy
Clayton never did but one sensible thing
namely, dying before he had quite
wasted his wife's dowry. She had
brought him land and money-and the
land remained, only little farm. 10 be
sure but big enough 20 maintain the
widow and her child
Il would take managing. of course
but the Widow Clayton. she that was
Annie Morris. was born manager. That
was exact truth. In proof, take the fact
that when Josefa was eighteen she had
been fairly educated. kept always in
wholesome comfort, and had had all
along clothes quite as good as any of
her richer cousins. Moreover. the house
Was trim and trig. and the small farm
shipshape-in much better condition than
the shiftless master had left it.
What wonder then. that Cousin Anne,
who never whined or asked for any
thing-advice least of all-was well liked
and wholly respected throughout the
whole family connection?
What wonder, either, that Cousin Maria
Dalton, also "a born Morris. who. having
no children, was a chronic joiner and
Daughter Of whatever came along, took
a violent fancy TO Josefa2 Maria Dalton
was mighty proud Of the Morris blood.
and dotted especially upon great grand
father. She had copy Of his portrait
over the mantel in her front parlOr and
had coaXed Lemuel Morris. his eldest
grandson, into giving her his commission
in the Continental army. That. TOO, Of
course. was framed and hung up beside
the portrait. Inevitably. the next thing
was 10 entertain her fellow Daughters
upon the occasion when State chapters
foregather. And that meant having Cousin
Anne and Josefa help i'm the entertaining.
Notwithstanding neither of them belonged
10 50 much as one chapter. There were
reasons, Mrs. Dalton was careful 10 ex-
plain to the visitors-COusin Anne was the
greatest home body, and JOsefa. staying
with her dutifUlly, had no need Of belong
ing
"Nes-Josefa is going 10 be my heiress
believe so in blood, she conhded 10 the
lady president That person pricked up
her ears. Mrs. Dalton was rich-and the
lady president had a son. a lawyer. just
starting 70 practice In the county town
He needed a wife badly-especially one
with expectations and family influence
And he was right on the spot having
come along with the chapter, not only by
WY of escort. but as speaker Of the Occa-
sion. He had seized upon il as a chance
10 show his enthusiasm for local history
His mother, Mrs. Melvin, was inclined to
regard the fact in the light of a special
providence She managed to speak with
him quietly. a little apart. before he read
his paper and was delighted to hear him
throw into the reading solid chunks of en-
thusiasm for Rabun County and its glo-
Ti0us past.
Before the assembly broke he had met
Josefa, and talked with her a good half
hour. Next week he called on her-and
the next, and the next Mrs. Dalton
was early taken into his confidence, and
of course was his warm advocate. YES
AS YOU say, Josefa is q Morris. out and
out-all but the name-and Wen change
that she said, smiling at him. And
remember you are going into politics.
want you to be Senator at the very least
No matter how high you go, JosefaH dc
you credit. She's going to make the finest
sort of woman, IL she is so quiet But
don't you fool yourself thinking you can
get her just for the askng-that is not
the way with the girls of the Morris
blood. Court her Ike a man, and don't
take No. If she gives il 10 you the first
time"
Jack Melvin listened, yearniug TO grit
his teeth. He was not the least bit in
iove-Josefa was not pretty. for ali she
was so fresh and wholesome. and he
craved beauty above everything Besides
there was Amelia WaTe-but he dared not
let himself think Of her. Since they could
not marry, he meant TO marry this Jo-
sefa. 1t made him laugh only to think of
her saying no to him-how could she
when she knew nobody else, save a few
awkward country fellows?
Imagine his state OF mind when Josefa
did say ''No"-the first time. the second,
the third-and each time more and more
as though she meant it. After the third
laughed laugh of indulgent pride when
he had finished, but said emphatically:
I don't blame Josey-nOt a bit You've
got the name of being a dreadful firt-
whether or no you deserve it, I amt say
ing. Other folks are saying Judge Wares
girl is crying her eyes out about you.
And she amt the only one-but that don't
matter I'll go over and stay all night
with Cousin Anne tomorrow. You come
out the next day. think you'll find
things changed a bit"
Woman disposes. man proposes. some
times fate intervenes. Josefa stood with
fate in this particular wrestle. She said
No again-and in a way that told Jack
Melvin, at least, the game was up. But
Mrs Dalton held on stOutly 10 her plan
Cousin Anne had fallen in with it ardentlv
for all her thrift, she had "a whole lot
of family pride. Moreover. she wanted
Josefa TO get the Dalton money. So she