The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-12-26
Acting Up"
~o
BY LINCOLN RoTHBLUM
Copyright, 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)

copyright, 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)
Mrandy jenkins folded her checked
glngham apron triangle fashion, and
tucling the corner In at the belt, rest
ed her arms on the fence railing.
II was summer time In the outlying
farm districts Of the town Of Carroll
ton and the air was redolent with the
green 0dor of alfalfa. Mirandy dis
tended her nostrlls to get the dilfusing
fragrance. On the crest of the hill,
topping the road which led past the
house, appeared none too strong
horse. II dragged with tagging feet a
rig of doubtful origin. 1t would have
been difficult to tell the occupation of
the driver who sat beneath the ragged
and sagging top If not for the sack
which lay at his feet labeled In letters
of warning size, "U. S. Mail" AS the
outfit started down grade the man
raised his crushed hat and made an
effort to brush the outstanding hairs
into place. A ribbon" tie was next
adjusted and to Its already numerous
stains were added n few more from
the dusty hands. When these offices
had been performed, he shifted the
reins from his right to left hand and
waved in recognition Of Mirandys
nutterlng handkerchief.
"Mornln', Mandy" was his greeting,
as he drew up before the gate.
"Mornin', Seth. Any mail for meT'
"Nothn', 'cept the county newspa'
per. How's y'r grandpaw|
Poorly, poorly, Seth. The doc says
he won't last much longer"
"Then we'll get married, Mandy, and
no putin 1t off again. EhT
Mlrandy blushed as If this were the
first time the subject had been
broached to her. "La, Seth, how you
do talk" was the flirtatious response
"but 1t just seems like Wen never get
there. First 1t was grandmaw who
kept us from getting married, what
with being so sick and cantankerous,
and then you lost y'r j0b-and of
course we couldn't get married I'll you
was appointed this route, and now II
be my grandpaw sick and ailin' and
eatin' up the revenue"
Seth spat out n generous quid of to-
bacco and after replacing 1t with a
fresh supply, shook his head resigned
ly. "Well, I'll be round tomorrow
Mandy-so long"
$50 long Seth. I'll be expectin
you"
And Mirandy's workworn figure
dropped MS her eyes followed the de-
parting buggy. Sentenced to the hard
manual drudgery Of badly managed
farm before securing even such ele'
mental education as the village Of
fered; sadded with aged grandpar
ents who fought Off every innovation
which might have lightened her Ia
bors, and forced by eternally present
financial straits to foregO any pleasure
which involved the expenditure OF
money, Mirandy's youth had slipped
away almost without her knowledge
until she found herself well on the
road to forty with vapid complexion
and toil-hardened hands as her only
assets. .
But In this sacrificing and >unher'
aided martyrdom, to which she had
given herself with neither complaint
nor hope for reward, there were two
pinnacles Of JOY. One was Seth, to
whose everlasting credit must be said
that none of the obstacles which had
delayed his wedding to Mirandy had
lessened his fidelity.
Mirandy crept into bed, where des'
pite the straw tick she soon fell asleep.
She arose unrested. The morning sun,
scarcely awake, suggested another
round of toilsome tasks. Perhaps
every morning It was the thought of
Seth which hastened the always rapid
dressing and the chores were well
completed as she retreated to her bed
room to "fuss up" before waiting at
the fence.
But this morning Seth was destined
to wait himself into impatience, for
no aproned figure leaned against the
gate as he drew up. So he walked to
meet her.
"Mornln, Mandy"
"Mornln', Seth. Any mail for me?"
"Nothln' 'cept the county newspa-
per. But l got letter, an SEEM as
you might as well get used to openin'
my mail now, l brought 1t to you"
Mirandy smiled at the subtle COM
pllment in style Seth dubbed "prit-
ty."
"Why, it's from the government"
Mlrandy exclaimed as she took the
envelope with its franking privilege
stamp. Anything official frightened
her, but perhaps 1t was woman's in
tuitive premonition which foretold the
bad news her face so patiently reflect
ed. 1T says, Seth,' she muttered, ut
says you got to get--you got to get an
auto If you want to keep y'r job"
And so to meet the governments
changes for efficiency went Seth's en-
tire savings. And though the new sys-
TEN augmented his salary, he soon