Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-12
HISCOURTSHlP
By HELEN R. MARTIN.

Author g "Tillie: A Mennonite Maid"

| riuu tO SlI you. Wtll, guess
 mebbew Mrs. Morningstar retorted.
 "It's a wonder you wouldn't look high
 CT, Abe Morningstar.
 q have wonderful tired, nom, of
 hearin' of this lookin' higher I got
 my age-Pm man-and it's my own
 affairs if I look high or low for my
 wife. Eun!ce she suits me all right. Even if she won't have no aussteuer and ain't got nothin' comin' to her,
 she's anyhow not one to spend at the clOes or to run, and she's so handy at
 the work I'd never have to hire fur
 her. So if I am loOkin' low, ain't
 doin' so bad, talin' it all in all If you
 and pop would only stop kickin I'd
 soon git ker to pass her promise. And
 l tell you right here, mom, I'm goin'
 to marry her, anyhow-whether yous
 like it or whether yous don't. So yous
 might as well stop your kickin.' To
 be sure it would make me less work persuadin' Eunice if yous would stop kickin'. She's awful stubborn headed about it."
 Mrs. Morningstar sniffed contemptu- ously.
 "Och, but men is dumm things! Her stubborn headed about takin' you!- when she's been maxim eyes at you and trying to git you ever since you was in long pants already and, she was in long frocks"
 q ain't took notice she was tryin' to git me-" Abe answered sullenly. T cant never git her to be even sociable with me. And before she'd go buggy ridin' or to circus with me! Cert'nly that was because she had afraid of yous."
 "Well, Abe, seein' this here's the way you feel and you bein' my own son that way, I'll put to aside my regrets and leave her have you. I'll tell her tomorrow"
 Abe was astonished at his easy sue cess with his mother. He had antici- pated complete routing
 will you make it all right with pop?" he eagerly and gratefully in. quired.
 With subtle diplomacy she answered that she would.
 It was not until the next evening that she brought herself to broach the subject with Eunice.
 When the evening chores were fin ished and the girl was about to take her lamp to go up to bed, she stopped her and made her sit down with her in the kitchen.
 'I got to speak somepin to you," she began in tone of sullen reluctance, her whole person bristling with the an- tagonism she felt against her enforced Me and pops been talkin' it over, and We cOnceited we'd tell you that you'd worked pretty good and steady fur us and now that you're got your age and ain't got no more claim on us we wouldn't like to see you out on the world neither, see in how we brang you up like our own. So we just cOnceited that rather'n let you unprotected on the world we'd keep on bein' parents to you, though, to be sure. we thought to look higher fur our Abe, him bein' our only son."
 Eunice, sitting opposite her at the kitchen table, was looking at her rath- pr vaguely. But at this reference to Abe her eyes lost their absent gaze, and she met her foster mothers eyes with fixity which the latter found al- most discOncerting.
 She made no reply, but waited in si- ence for Mrs. Morningstar's ramblings to come to focus.
 "To be sure, our Abe could do a lot | better. But then, seein' you've got him sos he thinks he wants you, why, us we're not putin no hindrance in your 1 way. You kin have him"
 She looked for some joy or gratitude | from Eunice, but the girl continued to regard her fixedly and without reply | ng.
 We mean it." she said testify. i You're got the dare to marry him, i ;ecin' you want him so bad To be | sure. guess it's hard fur you to take t in that we're leavin' you have your way"
 Still the girl had nothing to say.
 "Well?" cried Mrs. Morningstar i'm What are you got to say 'ur yourself? Cant you even speak addy Cthank yoU to a bodyT'
 ''I wonder what you expect me to iay"-the girls soft voice at last an- wered The woman's rough tones-"tc hank you for offering me your son?'
 That's little enough to expect any low" Mrs. Morningstar retorted.
 Eunice rose slowly and stood resting Ter hand on the table. Had you any hing else tO say to me?'' , You needn't go right aways. Set while" she commanded. There's ome things we'd better talk out now ve're at it."
 What things?" Eunice asked hesi- atingly. not sitting down.
 "Och. I'd like to know how soon you nd Abe thinks yous would like to tand up to say Yes Cget marriedl. and then you'll want to be buyin' your and when yOus want to go D houSekeepin'-t things like them"
 We need not discuss those things. will not marry Ale
 Mrs. Morningstar stared at her ua- 'Omprchendingly. Eunice waited. What d'you say?-
 T will not marry Abe.'
 Och the woman said impatiently, what's the use fOOlin' time away with and taIkin' so dummy asr n-- F.E-ns-.- .-.-aH.s- "A