The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-10


When George Lyndhurst was nine
teen years old he was a freckled-
faced clerk in a village grocery at
a salary of seven dollars week. lie
wasn't twenty when he fell in love
with Mary Parker Her old father
said George would never amount to
shucks and forbade him the house.
At twenty-one George had his salary
raised to nine dollars a week, and he
and Mary Parker, at once eloped and
were married.
THE idiots will bring up in the
poorhouse within two years. growled
Mary's father.
Thirty years later George Lynd
hurst was worth 100000 and had
trouble on his mind. 1t was about
his daughter. Jessie,
We'll, ma, what do you think ?"
he asked his wife one evening.
lis there going to be another ware"
Il had a call at the office today
from a young man named Burt Giea-
son"
Yes. I know him"
.'Iie said he was in love with Jes-
sic and she with him. and he wanted
my consent to a marriage"
but you didn't give it,"
Not much! What's been going on
around here, anyhow? l hadn't heard
anything about Jessie being in love
We'll, she's been sort of keeping
company with that young man for
several months. but / didn't think
there was anything very serious about
it. There are other young men that
cali here"
Seems to me you ought to have
suspected"
Il couldn't be peeking and listen
ing. l had a talk with her awhile
ago. and | cautioned her about get
ting too thick with young Gleason
He's in a music store at nine dol
lars aweek."
Dear me"
And his father is only carpen-
ter"
You don't say"
And the boy will never be able
to earn SIS a week -
',Of course not"
And | told him SO And now Tam
going to tell Jessie and ! want you
to back me up in IT, She must not
throw herself away on a young man
whose sole capital, as near as I can
find out is head Of curly hair
"Of course III back you, said the
wife. but, see here! don't say "A word
TO her Maybe she's not in love, but
If she is you'll arouse opposition. The
talk you gave the fellow today may
show him that his case is hopeless
Let's get her down to the country to
Aunt Betty's for Il few weeks, and I'll
work il as smooth as grease -
There's consistency for youi a hun
dred times over Miss Jessie had heard
her father brag how he had began
life on seven dollars week, how he
had fallen in love and determined 10
possess the girt; how her father had
thrown him down, and how he had
lived to show the old guy how money
could he made. They had set par
entail authority at defiance and taken
each other for better or verse and
yet were Conspiring TO head daugh~
ter away from the same thing
OF course. Miss Jessie knew that
her lover was going to call On the
father and put the question, and, Of
course she was informed OF the re-
suit. There was a great chance for
her to play the martyr or heroine
but she accepted neither role On the
contrary, she quietly replied
When the time comes we shall
get married"
But when Will the time come ."
Il can't say. Father and mother
are Matching some plan TO prevent
When / know what il Is / can answer
your question"
A week later the mother sat down
with the daughter and said viii CON
siderable anxiety In her tones
Jessie, | think your appetite has
fallen away
Yes, mother"
And yon sigh in your sleep"
Il think / de"
And you are absent-minded.
Yes"
And You have thinking spells that
last half an hour sometimes.
i know il"
Il was going to have the doctor
prescribe a strong tonic, but | hap
pened to think OF Aunt Betty.
shes a dear old soul"
Indeed she is. and she's got a nice
farm and everything comfortable
around her"
How / wish could visit her for
few weeks"
You do? Why, that is the very
thing ! MAS going to propose ! was
talking with your father only last
evening"
And he was willing for me to go?"
Not only willing but anxious"
Dear good father"
And you can so in three days
The next evening, when young Mr.
Gleason and young Miss Lyndhursr
met by appointment, thre was gig
Cling ana chuckling and chortliug.
What luck" she said
II s HcTcc, he answered.
But who proposed it?'
They did"
What geese"
Great opportunity here for the
moralist TO warn parents not TO to
conspire against their children, lest
the said children beat them at their
own game. but it is passed over in the
confusion of trunk packing and max
ing start for Aunt Betty's
And now for a secret good half
Of the pictures shown at the "mov-
les" are stray pictures taken here
and there and a play built around
them The man with the camera il
T = where; and he finds ready sale
for his pictures
He was at Aunt Betty's when Miss
Jessie arrived In a farmers wagon.
He made his snapshot for the be
ginning of a play Later on he took
her as she rechned in "A hammock;
then in the barnyard among fowls,
then climbing the apple tree then as
she welcomed young Mr. Gleason,
then as they sat or wandered together
then as they drove away together
behind Aunt Bctty's old white horse
to get married by a country parson
on the varanda of his house
The camera man had To take Il
dog tTot for two miles To get that last
shot. II showed the smokehouse at
work and The chickens Srra tebfrsr g,,~