The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-06-13
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With Abe
@1
By C 2. LEWIS
copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syn6icate)
BY C 2. LEWIS

ECopyr1ght, 1918, by the Mcclure NewSpa
per Syn6icate.)
In the country. when a young mar
and young woman are counting, it i!
referred to as 'settin' up together"
Abe Wright and Polly Andrews hat
set up" a hundred nights in her fa
frher'S farmhouse kitchen before they
became engaged. The son or daughter
of farmer is not as apt to rush into
EiOve and matrimOny as young mar
dwelling in a town. There may not bt
as much Formally between them. but
F+hey look upon matrimony more seri
eouSly.
There are score of object lessons
daily before their eyes. A farmer, tC
succeed, must be ever rising early and
5tOiling late. His horses or his oxer
get more rest than he does. He car
know very little of the comforts and
pleasures of life and see to his acres
as well.
And if he works long hours his wife
works longer ones. Her work must be
done on time as well as his. She may
live within five miles of a village and
yet not enter it once year. He may
be subscriber to Il county paper, and
yet she cannot spare the time to read
its contents.
The two young folks saw and expe-
rienced all this and much more, and
yet the instincts and sentiments of hui
manity brought them together. They
would marry. as thousands of Others
an their situation had done, and hope
that their future might work out bet.
ter.
Hiss Polly said Eyes" to the proposal
of marriage, but the very next day she
admitted to her mother that sometimes
she thought she loved Abe and some
times she thought she didn't. She had
a1ever been ten miles away from home.
The only men she had ever come 10
contact with had been of her class, or
agents or peddlers. She knew there
was big world outside of hers, but
SHE had never peeped at it. She had a
iiJit of romance about her, and some
times she longed to see the brave men
and fair women that the books told
aaer about.
Abe Wright was going to marry and
mcguire a farm of his own. Therefore,
he whistled as he went about his work.
He had heard that girl sometimes
went back on her pledge, but he was
as sure of Polly Andrews as he was
IT the sun.
One day the girl ran over to Farmer
EFaldrOn's on an errand. She found a
strange young man there, who was
introduced to her as Brian MontgOm-
f9ry. Even If he hadn't been good
Cooking and had taking ways with
him, his name would have won her
Eavor.
How did the name Of Abe Wright
compare with that of Brian Montgom-
cry!
The one belonged to the drudger of
she Soil-the other to a gentleman of
@he world, who had gold filling in his
teeth-who wore creases in his trOu.
-sers-who disdained paper collars; and
socks at ten cents a pair were not for
aim. Mr.. Brian Montgomery, from
New York, Chicago and Boston, as he
announced, must surely be one of those
brave and gallant men she had read
and dreamed Of
When Miss Polly had departed for
,lome, Mrs. Waldron said to the cousin :
Now, Brian, you must not set out
70 turn that girls head. She is en-
gagged to a steady young farmer, and
you mustn't be the cause of quarrel
between them"
con, it will be a mild-a very mild
1lirtation," he laughed in reply. ''How
can put in 4 month here and not flirt
with the only girl for a mile around?"
And a day or two later the. young
vnan came over to the house of Farmer
Andrews and introduced himself and
made himself very much at home.
<'Do you like him, mother?" some
what anxiously queried Polly, after
their caller had departed.
isn't he what they call fresh?" was
asked in reply.
"Why, how can you say that? It is
simply that lie has self-confidence."
cone would think that he had known
,Els for a year."
But he was trying to put US at our
cease"
'Well. I dunno how Abe will take
st"
'But 1 don't see where he can find
any fault? He might talk with dozen
girls and l shouldn't raise a row with
him about it,"
Abe heard that there was a young
man visiting the Waldrons, but be
hadn't seen him. Neither had he
earned that the said young mar was
gnaking himself very much at home
at the Andrews farmhouse. The
rnotner had said to Polly:
81 don't believe that Abe knows that
Mr.. Montgomery is hanging around
aere, and you'd better mention it."