Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-01-26
Two Old Loves
and Two Young
By JOSEPHINE CUMMINGS


20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndieate.)
From her chair on the cool, rose
shaded side porch, grandma could see
Toby coming slowly down the road.
She became greatly absorbed in her
book. Toby lodged behind the tall
hedge, and STOPPING, crept along be-
hind its cover until he came within
ten yards Of the porch. Then he tip.
toed noiselessly over the lawn to the
porch steps.
"'Lo Liza" he whispered hoarsely.
MY soul, Toby" exclaimed grand
ma, how you scairt mel"
The old man chuckled. He seated
himself on the lowest step, took off his
wide-brimmed straw hat, and wiped
his perspiring forehead with a large,
blue gingham handkerchief which he
took from inside the hat.
well. how're you today, LIAR he
asked. "Hot, amt it2"
Grandma glanced apprehensively to
ward the open dining room window.
Then she leaned down and spoke
quickly in low voice.
toby, didn't l ask you not to come
here any more for a while2 Why
d'you do itT"
But don't you like to have me
Gomez" asked the old man, In a hurt
tone.
1T isn't that, Toby, you know 1t isn't.
It's my granddaughter. 'Llzbeth. Since
she came home from finlshin' school,
you know, her head has been filled
with queer ideas. And she thinks, Toby,
that you're not-yOure-" Grandma
hesltated uncomfortably, and her face
flushed.
"Oh, know, Liza. She thinks /
amt a proper person for you to be
'soclatln with. She thinks I'm a worth
less old goodfor-nought Well, may
be l haven't got the hifalutin', pol
ished manners she learned at boardin'
school, but"
TITS that young man of hers, the one
that comes here In the big automo-
bile, you know. An her mother kind
Of encourages her along in these ideas.
So. Of course can't say anything,
Toby"
Him, that young Teller is Squire
Beebe's son, amt he2 l thought So
Well, II he's as shrewd at drivin' bar.
gains as his dad Is, don't think she'll
be doin' so bad by herself The
'squire's shrewd one He nearly got
the best o, ma .taday s-,zs-,-t-s=sss-
"Say, Liza, just dropped in to tel
ye albit ,of news, Thought maybe ye't
be Interested"
what is It, TobyP"
II bought up the old Clarke farm
yesterday"
'Tobyl" cried grandma. mot that
lovely, big Clarke place, out at the
crossways? With all the lovely or
chards, and the truck gardens, and all
Oh, Toby, I'm so gladw
'Yep, that's the place You see, af-
ter old man Clarke died. the young
feller never made It pay. I've had
my eye on 1t for long time, an l been
saving up. The other day l heard he
"uutCu W SCH Vut, ulu kO 10 lJtnNtTt
or somewheres. So | liked right out
yesterday and made him an offer. Old
man Beebe heard about 1t, too, guess,
for beat him out there by about half
an hour" Toby chuckled, and famed
himself with his hat.
81 guess Uncle Toby amt such a
good-for-nought, after all, heyT'
Course you're not, Toby It'll be
just fine. Think how happy you'll be,
with all those gardens and orchards I"
mo won't, Liza" He leaned near
er and his voice grew suddenly ten
der. Liza, I'll never be happy till /
have you"
why, Toby You mustn't say
such"
Listen, Liza" lie spoke earnestly.
You're not happy here, are your Oh,
l know. can see { you don't get
along well with 'em. Let's get away.
Think how happy we'd be out there.
Let's elope, Liza !"
Toby Why, the idea We're too old
to be so silly"
But we can't get away any other
way" pleaded Toby. IL can't navigate
one Of them new-fangled devil wagons,
but I'll bring the old carryall out here
to the back gate tonight at eight
o'clock, and we can go right out to Par
son Bennet's In fine style. What say,
Liar"
Grandmas cheeks were bright pink
and her eyes shone brightly.
1T sounds like foollshness for two
old people like us to be sitting here
planning to run away and get married,
but" she sighed, 81 guess It's the
only way, Toby"
"Oh, scamper along now" she cried,
quickly "Here comes that young Mr..
Beebe to see Marian. Don't let him
see you. Good-by."
Remember, eight o'clock, Liza" he
said. He squeezed her hand quickly
and disappeared behind the hedge just
as a big black ear slid up to the front
door.
Grandma sat still long time upon
the rose-covered porch, dreaming hap
PLY Of wide, full orchards and acres
Of garden; the scent Of fresh.cut hay
came to her on the breeze. She was
very happy.
II her eyes could have penetrated In.
to the cool, Swallowed gloom Of the
parlor and seen the two young people
sitting very close together upon the
sofa there-if her ears could have
heard their eager, lOw-vOlced CONVEX.
satlon. she would have been surprised