The herald., 1912-06-13
SHE DID
HER DUTY
MARIA B. SHIRLEY

maids, and some old maids object to
the title us term of contempt. They
prefer to be called maiden ladies.
don't. I'm an old maid and proud of
1t. / don't bother about my age neither.
I'm fifty, and if any one goes sacheyen'
round to find out how old | am | tell
'em. l say I'm half u century old.
i haven't any use for those persons
who are mealy mOuthed about speakin'
right out when there's anything disa-
greeable to be said If my friend needs
Information I'm a-goin' to give it to
her or him, whichever 1t is. ! don't
propose to let friend suffer from
wantin' to know somethin' that no
body has the courage to tell 'em. Its
risky, | admit. But what's the credit
o. doin' somethin' that anybody is will
in to do? l heard Name Perkins SON
in-law roastin' her awful. l went to
her and said: Name, I've got some,
thin to tell you you'd ought to know"
Then | told her. She thanked me very
much. Neither her sOn-in-law nor her
daughter has spoken to me from that
day to this. But l done my duty.
One day l was ridin' in a railroad
train-parlor car. | always use parlor
cars. They're not 50 dirty, and hate
dirt as l hate poison. Just out of the
city the train stopped at d suburban
town and a fine lOOkin' elderly gentle
man got In with a young girl not more
than nineteen. They was evidently
Just married. for there was a weddin
party on the platform to see 'em on.
They threw rice at 'em, and the elderly
groom laughed and tried to dodge it,
and all that, maxim 'em laugh at his
antics. When the train rolled out they
hollered. "GOodby, pop! Look out that
some young Teller don't steal your bride
away from youw And he shouted
back, If he does I'll kill him" We
rolled out of the station, the laughin'
and the shoutin CROWN fainter and
fainter till It was left clear behind.
The old gentleman chatted a little
while with his bride. and l saw him
take her hand in his affectionately, al
though / couldn't say whether he took
her hand or she took his'n. She looked
up in his face lovingly. then Struggled
down beside him.
But it wasn't long before the old
chap took some papers out or his
pocket and began to look 'em over.
His poor wife turned and looked out
of the winder. / felt dreadful sorry
for her, but l thought she deserved
what she got for marrying an old
! man.
In about an hour we reached a city
where the train stopped, and a young
fellow came into the train with suit
case. He went up to the old man and
his bride and took of his hat politely.
They were evidently acquainted. The
old gentleman was very polite himself
and gave the young one his seat, TAX
in another further forward. 1t wasn't
long before it occurred to me that he'd
better have taken a seat back Of 'em.
He'd scarcely left 'em before such 60
ms on l never did see before. The
young man fust set holdin' the brides
hand, but it wasn't long before he had
his arm around her waist. Then, pre-.
tendin' she was tired. she lay her head
on his shoulder.
What that old fool I'm front was
THROWN temptation in the way Of his
girl wife for ! couldn't see. 1t made
my blood boil to look at 'em. The
bride wore one o. these fashionable
hats as big as an umbrella. and there
wasn't the slightest reason why the
young man beside her shouldn't kiss
her under it without bein' seen. But
every lady knew well enough what be
was dom.
/ stood it just as long as l could
then, seem that nobody was settin
with the husband, l got up and took
a seat beside him. 1 did 1t when the
train stopped at a station so it wouldn't
be noticed.
"Fine day. SIR" said to the gentle
man.
"Yes, madam, a very fine day" BIZ
answered.
"If you like Wen turn the seat ove'
and ride backward"
"What for?"
"Well. 1t would give you a better
view Of what's goin' on between thai
young wife O. yours and the Teller yor
give your seat to-"
He turned square round and looked
at me steady. "What they doin'?' hi
asked.
Hes kissin' her under that umbrel
la hat o. hern."
"You don't mean it."
I was surprised that he took 1t 81
eool-like. 81 thought l heard you sa!
when you got on the train that II an!
young Teller stole your bride ava!
from you you'd kill him."
Did say thatT
Eyes. you did. There's no use de
nyin' It,"
"Have you told me this, madam. t,
incite me to nfurder?'
"No; because thought you ought t,
know what was goin' on between you
young wife and that other Teller"
THANK you very much for the in
formation. l am that young LADY,
father. She was married to that 'youn,
felier' this morning. His mother, VIII,
Is very Ill, lives In the city where b.