The Press., 1919-02-20
Acting Up'' By LINCOLN ROTf4BLUN6
 Copyright. 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper

Syndicate.)
 Aiirandy Jenkins folded her checked gingham apron triangle fashion. and, tucking the corn~r in at the belt. rest ed her arms on the fence railing.
 It was summer time in the outlying. farm districts ot the town of Carroll ton and the air was redOlent with the green odOr of alfalfa. Mirandy dis tended her nostris to get the diffusing fragrance. On the crest of the hill. topping the road which led past the house, appeared none too strong horse. IL dragged with tagging feet rig of doubtful origin. It would have been difficult to tell the occupation of the driver who sat beneath the ragged and saggng 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 r:,ised his crushed hat and made an effort to brush the upstanding hairs into place. X ribbon" tie was next adjusted and to its already numerous stains were added few more from the dusty hands When these offices had been performed. he shifted the rens from his right to left hand and waved in recognition of MirandyS huttering handkerchief.
 "NIornin'. Mandy" was his greeting. as he drew up before the gate. "Mornin', Seth. Any mail for me" "Nothn', 'cept the county neWSpa' per. HoW'$ y'r grandpaw?" "Poorly, poorly, Seth. The doc says he won't last much longer" Then we'll get married, Mandy, and no putin it off again. Eh?" Mirandy 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 we'll never get there. First it was grandmaw who kept us from getting married, what with being so sick and cantankerous and then you lost y'r job-and ot course we couldn't get married til you was appointed this route, and now it he my grandpaw sick and ailin' and eatin' up the revenue"
 Seth spat out a generous quid of to- bacco and after replacing 1t with fresh supply, shook his head resigned ly. "Well, I'll be round tomorrow. 1 Mandy-So long,"
 you"
 And Mirandys wOrkwOrn figure l dropped as 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; saddled with aged grandpar' ents who fought off every innovation l which might have lightened her M- | bors, and forced hy eternaiiy present l financial straits to forego guy pleasure ! which involved the expenditure "] l money, Mirandy's youth had slipped l away almost without her Knowledge, l until she found herself well on the l road to forty with vapid complexion l and tOil-hardened hands it's her only 1 assets.
 But In this sacrificing an2a 1hher' l aided martyrdom. to which she ha' l given herself with neither complaint l nor hope for reward, there were two , pinnacles of joy. One was Seth, to whose everla sting credit must be said 1 that none of the obstacles which had ] delayed his wedding to Mirandy had 1 lesSened his fidelity.
 ] Nirandy crept into bed, where deS' | bite the straw tick she soon fell asleep
 She arose unrested. The morning sun
 scarcely awake, suggested another 1 round of toisome tasks, Perhaps 1 every morning it was the thought o1 Seth which hastened the always rapid l dressing and the chores were well l comnleted as she retreated to her bed 1 room tn fuss up' before waiting at l the fence.
 l But his morning Seth was destined | to wait himself into impatience, for
 no aprnned figure leaned against the | gate as he drew up. So he walked tC J meet hrr
 "Morniu. Mandy"
 "Norlin. Seth. Any mail for meF
 "Nothn' 'cept the county newspa
 per. But got a letter an seein' as
 you might as well get used to openin
 my mail now. l brought it to you"
 Mrandy smiled at the subtle com pliment In a style Seth dubbed 'prit
 ty"
 "Nhy, It's from the government.
 Mirnndy exclaimed as she took thu
 envelope with it's franking privilege
 stamp. Anything official frightened ! her, but perhaps 1t was woman'S in ruitive prrmonitior which foretold ths ! bad news her face so patiently reflect :, nd. "It says. Seth" she muttered. "i
 says you got To Get-you got to get ar
 auto if you w mt 10 keep y'r job."
 And so to meet the government! .hangrS for efficiency went Seth'S en
 tire savings. And though the new sys
 tenn augmented his salary. he soo1
 found Ina, ,he price of gasoline rel
 higher than that of oats.
 Ii was again summer In CarrOlton
 Mirandy was very happy this morning
 for had not the wedding date been SC just six months off? Six months is : very short time when one has beer
 waiting nigh on twenty yenrs. "NIornin' Mandy"
 "MornIn' Seth. Any mail for me?' "NOthiu fen me county heWSpil
 per-" and then with q mock air of sur
 prise "I declare, why here's lette
 for you." just as If he had not nearl,
 yielded to the temptation to open i
 ever since 1t had been placed in bi
 mail sack at six o'clock that morning
 A letter for mel" echoed Mirandy
 Buf Mirandy's astOnishment at get
 ting letter did not equal her amaze ment as she read Its contents. Or
 the letterhead of. an attorney. 1t ran
 Your uncle, Ezekiel Barrett. ha.
 died ntestate. As sole surviving
 heir you are entitled to the $500 ht
 has left. Our solicitor vii! visit yo,
 shortly to secure the necessary signa
 ture.'