Mexico Missouri message., 1910-09-22

At the breakfast table Grandma
Singleton had said to her grand
daughter. Miss Ethel Singleton,
whom she had brought up from a
child of eight to the age of nineteen:
In about an hour l wish to have
a talk with you on a certain matter,
so please don't leave the house"
'Ts It about our going somewhere
this summer" was queried in reply.
The old lady gave the girl look
over the top of her spectacles that
set her heart jumping, and after half
a minute answered:
1T may be even more interesting
than that"
ooh, do you mean that we may go
to Burope?"
Il will see about It."
"Oh, you dear good thing! Just
felt that you had a surprise for me"
And you felt right" was the grim
reply.
Miss Ethel had the strongest suspi-
cion of what was coming. She had
choked up at the first words and
could eat no more. She was simply
giving her grandma taffy and pre-
tending that she wasn't in the least
frightened. She went around to the
head of the table and kissed the old
lady and patted her on the back and
then went away singing, but she
didn't fool anybody.
The hour passed. Grandma had
put on her Sunday cap and taken a
seat in the parlor. On the table at
her elbow was family Bible to help
add dignity to the situation. Her
lips were pursed and her feet were
crossed.
We'll, dearie, we will talk about
Europe" said the young lady as she
came floating in.
"And his name is Henry Brown"
replied the dame in her deepest
! tones.
'Why-what-who?"
And you are engaged to be mar
ried!"
Why, Grandma Singleton!"
I've found out all about 1t, Ethel,
and you needn't carry the pretense
any farther. Up there at Vassar you
met a person named Henry Brown
and fell in love with him. You are
engaged. You have been intending
to tell me about it for the last two
weeks, but you couldn't get up the
courage"
But how did you find out?" asked
| Ethel, dropping all thoughts of de
| Tense.
Same as Sherlock Holmes finds
out things. I'm seventyfour years
/ old, but I'm no back number. This
meeting has been called to ask you
what you have to say for yourself.
You needn't take hold of my hand
nor kiss me nor shed tears. want
to know who this Henry Brown is?"
TITS Henri Brown"
"Oh!"
And he's very, very nice young
man, and his family is a very, very
nice family. We are not exactly en-
gagged, but almost. l was going to
ask you about it."
"Well, we won't have to talk about
it five minutes. You can never
marry Brown with my consent, and
you can never marry any man with
the tomfool name of Henri. You
went to Vassar to be educated, not
to fall in love with some sissy of a
young fellow. Write to him today
that the foolishness has passed"
ooh, grandma, but we love each
other!" walled the girl.
Its only calf love-"
Its the awfullest kind of love.
We shall both commit suicide If we
can't marry. If only you could see
him once-if you knew how noble he
Isl"
"And his name is Brown-Henrl
Brown!" murmured Grandma.
But thousands of Browns have
been great men, and the name OF
Henri, when you write 1t, looks dis
tlnguished. Maybe he'll change it.
though, If you don't like it Maybe
he'll call himself Claude or some.
thing"
Listen to me, Ethel When / was
a girl of your age, had beau
named Brown. After winning my
heart he threw me over for a widow
vowed vengeance on the Browns
forever after. If you marry a Brown
you must ledfO lulb uOuSeB duu yOt
needn't expect dollar Of my money
That's nat"
"oh, grandma, it win kill met
surely, will!" were the words that
came out between sobs, but they had
no effect
Fall In love with White, Black
Green, Smith, or Perkins, and may
not have anything to say against IT,
replied the old lady, but l draw tht
line at the Browns. l was Tilted FOL
a widow, and that widow had I
broken nose at that"
Miss Ethel wept She went into
decline. She thought of suicide.
A month later grandma and he
, granddaughter were at a hotel in tn
} Berkshires So was Henri Brown