The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-12

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 de- lighted to hear him throw into the reading solid chunks of enthusiasm for Rabun County and it's glorious 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 confi- vocate. "YW;--as you say, Josefa Is a Morris, out and out-all but the name and we'll change that" she said smll- ing at him. And remember you are going into politics--I want you to be Senator at the very least. No matter how high you go, Josefall do you cred it. She's going to make the finest sort of woman, if she is so quiet. But don't you fool yourself thinking you can get. her just for asking-that is not the way with girls of the Morris blood. Court her like a man. and don't take No if she gives 1t to you the first time"
 Jack Melvin listened. yearning to grit his teeth. He was not the least bit in love-Josefa was not pretty, for all she was so fresh and wholesome, and he craved beauty above everything. Be- sides, there was Amelia Ware--but he dared not let himself think of her. Since they could not marry, he meant to marry this Josefa- 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 coun- try fellows?
 Imagine his state of mind when Jo- sefa did say Mo- the first time, the second, the third-and each time more and more as though she meant it. Ar ter the third rejection, he went to Mrs. Dalton. She laughed a laugh of in- dulgent pride when he had finished, but said emphatically: T don't blame Jo- sey-not a bit. You've got the name of being a dreadful firt- whether or no you deserve it, I ain't saying. Other folks are saying Judge Wares girl Is crying her eyes out about you. And she ain't the only one--but that don't mat ter. I'll go over and stay all night with Cousin Anne tomorrow. You come out the next day--I think you'll find things changed 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 to her plan. Cousin Anne had fallen in with it ardently--for all her thrift. she had whole lot of family pride. Moreover, she wanted Josefa to get the Dalton money. So she joined forces with her cousin, and between them they gave the prospective heiress small peace
 Obstinacy. pure and simple--that was what allied Josefa. So said her two elders in conclave. There could not pos sibly be anybody in Melvin's way. Jo- sefa had been sent to school. the strict est 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 to the house. except Clayton | Trigg, who was a far-off cousin, and had come to buy yearlings and fat l lambs. In virtue equally of his kin 1 ship, and a sudden shower, he had stayed to dinner, and after 1t had shak- en hands cordially with both the ladies of the house. All he 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, Mug gins and Mill Boy, as he was sure they would win the blue ribbon.
 At fair time, with Josefa still obdu- rate, Mrs. Clayton had doubts as to go- | ing, but Mrs. Dalton overruled the doubts. Thus the three went together l in the Dalton barouche, and for the l best part of the day, Josefa was handed i over to Melvin. Just how she man. | aged it she herself never knew, but to-
 ward 4 o'clock she slipped away from | him and lost herself in the crowd. IL was a. delicious sensation All the late l summer she had been telling herself | she would run away if 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 to the
 farther side of the ampitheatre. Al