Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-01-08
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UNCLE DAMS LETTER
BY JOHN hOPEWELL.

asked Jimmy Vanstone.
Ethel nodded "She declares that as
my appointed guardian she will never
consent to my marriage with you Aft
er l am twenty-one. why of course !
can do as please"
"vou won't be twentyone for anoth-
er six months"
IL know it-but we can wait, Jim.
N.Y." said Ethel hopefully.
1--WE can't wait much longer If | am
to accept a position with the Plow'
share people. They want me to sail
for Germany on the fifteenth Of Octo.
ber."
Jimmy! And today is-the fifteenth
of September" Ethel caught her
breath sharply.
-Four weeks. If Miss Weeks would
only recognize our right to love each
other and to consent to your marrying
me before sail we could spend our
honeymoon In Germany" grumbled
Jimmy.
Ethel was silent; her face was
turned away from the young man but
he could see that the pink lips quiv-
cred and the violet eyes were heavy
with tears.
Dearest" he cried sharply, don't
A commanding voice broke in upon
his words. Ethel" called Miss Felicia
Weeks in her deep tones.
Il must co. said Ethel hurriedly.
Nnr a m
uncle's letter, Jimmy"
"Oh, yes! | haven't read 1t yeti
thought we could read it together. |
almost know what the old boy is going
to say, though. Bless you my chill
dren, and bring Ethel TO see me-lm
sure she's the prettiest girl in the
world That's Uncle Danny Lorimer
the best uncle any chap ever had.
Take his letter, dearest, and then send
1t on to me after you've read it. Good
by, sweetheart. | won't say farewell
to Miss Felicia know she detests
the very sight Of me-" He dropped an
other kiss on her lips and on her wet
eyes and swinging through the gate
went down the road, vanishing almost
Immediately in the yelvety black shad
ows cast by the tall locust trees.
In the same instant Miss Felicia's
firm step crunched on the gravel walk
Ethel" she called once more and
then, discovering the girl leaning
against the gate post looking like a
slender ghost in her pale gown, "Why
do you not answer me?" she asked in
d displeased tone Why are you here?
Il have been saying goodnight to
Jimmy" said Ethel bravely.
Jimmy! Ethel, you know that | will
not tolerate that young man about the
placc-why do you meet him clandes
tinely?"
Aunt Felicia, when have | met any
one clandostinely? Jimmy called upon
me this evening and you met him in
the veranda. have told you that am
engaged to him and | have a-per-
perfect right to accompany him to the
ga-gate and say-say goodnight"
Ethels voice WAS a mixture Of fear
and defiance.
There was something awe-inspiring
about Miss Felicia Weeks. She was
tall and finely prOportioned and was in
her severe way a very handsome wom-
an. Ethel had heard that her Aunt Fe.
licia had been great beauty and
belle in her day-twenty-tive years
ago. But the once jetty hair had
turned to silver and the glorious dark
eyes had grown stern and the ripe lips
were compressed in a hard line. The
Weeks women usually kept their fig
ures and their compilations in open de-
fiance to old Father Time, and Miss
Felicia was no exception to the fam
lily rule. So now, as she came down
the walk, tall and stately in her tilmy
black gown, the moonlight full on her
fair face, Ethel marveled that one who
was so beautiful and who must have
been greatly loved by men, could be so
hard-hearted.
1 Jimmy Vanstone was everything to
be desired in the way of a nephew-in-
law--save that he wanted to marry
Miss Feiicia's niece. Felicia Weeks
wanted her niece to brighten her
lonely household She had adopted
ed in her childhood and she had pic
tured future where they would live
happily together, tasting the best that
the world could give them of travel
and pleasure. She had not counted on
Ethel's falling in love at twenty, and
she felt fierce resentment that all
her plans for the future were to be
upset by mere romance.
Miss Felicia believed that she had
left romance far behnd-and she also
believed more or less happily that she
was none the worse for the expert
ence.
so you persist in saying that you
are engaged to Jimmy Vanstone?"
asked Miss Felicia in a cutting tone
Yes, auntie."
You fly in the face of my wishes?"
Not that, Aunt Felicia! But,
can't help loving him, can II" de-
manded the girl with a fierce little
gesture.
rs love everything in the world?"
demanded Felicia scornfully. Must
my life be spoiled because you fancy
yourself in love with that young man?
Why, II you did not marry for ten
years 1t would be time enough. Think,
Ethel, of the years of delightful travel
we may enjoy! Give up this foolish
idea of being engaged to Jimmy Van
stone and"
He wants me to marry him before
the 18th of October-and go to Ger
many with him. 1t could be our hon
eymoon," said Ethel quietly.
A fierce jealousy took possession Of
Felicia Weeks. So Jimmy Vanstone
could shatter all her plans for the fu-
- do GrnI hia