The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1908-09-24

Mrs Taney moved sluggishly through
the latter part of the work. 80.
What is the matter, mother?" said
Lefty.
Mrs. Taney laughed feebly.
don't know. feel like a clock
that is nearly run down"
Lefty made no reply. The child
had lately been absent, almost indif.
terent, while her mother talked, ap-
parently wrapped in her own
thoughts. Could it be, the mother
thought. that Lefty also was forsak-
Ing her? Mrs. Taney had only had
one other daughter-the baby who
died. The other children were sons.
all OF whom except William had gone
to the West and married there. She
often had wished they would ask. her
to visit them, that she might see their
children. But they never did it.
While they were hanging out the
clothes that afternoon, Mrs. Taney
heard tap three times repeated on
the orchard fence. Letty's face col
ored. She dropped the clothes and
ran down behind the apple trees. AS
she came back. her mother. saw her
thrust a note into her pocket. Mrs.
| Taney grew sick at heart Lefty with
a secret! Lefty carrying on clan
destine love affair,
While Mrs. Taney stood do,ibtinr
whether to ask the child for her con.
hdence, Lefty had disappeared. A few
minutes later the girl went down
the road in her clean dress and sun
bonnet. 1t was but a trife. yet 1t
stunned the jaded woman as a sharp
blow would have done. The other
farmers daughters kept up a per-
petual. vulgar flirting and secret
courtships. But Lefty was her own
one ewe-lamb. delicate and pure.
Mr.. Burke, coming over the fields
that afternoon with, his hatchet and
bag of specimens, was amazed to see
Lefty standing on the road in eager
conversation with a man. "a coarse.
red-jawed, beery. fellow" was his
angry verdict. The Fellow" talked
long and earnestly, then took Letty's
hand and pressed it fervently. Burke
turned his back on them and struck
across the fields. The girls mother
should hear of this at once, he said
to himself, decidedly. Then he slack
ened his pace. What was 1t to him d?
Why should he vex himself about this
girl, or meddle in her loTer affairs I?
He went slowly back to the hills. But
the blood rushed with a strange beat
through his veins
In an hour Lefty was back and at
work with redoubled vigor, to make
up for lost time. Her mother scanned
her innocent, meek face, with a
breathless terror.
Surely there was no guilt thereI
She would not doubt her; she would
not ask a question.
Il have dressed the table with
flowers, the mother said, land made
a cake-a real brides cake. I hope
William won't be angry. But this is
so different from weddings in Vir-
ginia. Oh, Lefty, If you and I could
only go to the old house and sleep
for one night in the room which was
mine when / was a child! / think
just that little thing would give me
years Of life"
There they come!" cried Lefty, as
the big Crawford carriage was seen
dashing up the road. She grew very
Epale, and shrank back. The girl had
always been afraid of her brother
William; and his wife, she suspected,
would be as hard a ruler, and more
vulgar one.
But Mrs. Taney led her to the
porch.
"You must welcome them, Lefty" :"
she said, .,
The bride watched them from the
carriage window with keen, Jealous
eyes. Her father had given her
hint as to her future course
You've made a good match,
Sophy," he said. "Bin Taney's got
as long purse as any man In the
! country, and the farms comfortable.
But the old woman an her da'ater i'll
be drawback. They'll. try to ride
over. you Tough-shod. likely. Just
take'your stand at once Let1em see
you'll be mistress in your own house"
Trust me for that. rappy." said
Miss Sophy. -
The whole Crawford family had ac-
companied her to see how she would
hold her ground.
When poor Mrs. Taney stepped for
ward, therefore. her thin face redden-
ing and her hands held out. the bride
received her welcome with a careless
: nod.
Il hope you will be happy in your
new home, my dear" said the gentle
lady.
"Oh. no doubt. ma'am! gener-
ally hold my own pretty we'll. Come
|. in. pSppy: Come, Sue; want you 70