Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-07-16
Maud Sees the
World
IA, 1 do so want to see something
BY II. IRVING KING

Ooh, l do so want to see something
~ of the world before die"
sighed Maud Claxton. "Pm tired of
marlborough people. Not you, John,
Of course; nor father and mother
but Of everybody else. l want to see
big cities and travel for miles and
miles in pullman cars.
II went on to New York once" re-
piled John Latimer slowly. "It's
big city all right; but like Middle
borough better"
II was down to Boston once" said
Maud ,refectively, "but I was so young
that don't remember much about It,
Anyway, want to travel and see the
woodland what's more, I'm going to
some day. You are regular old
stick-in-the- mud, John"
1t was not often that Maud got out
of patience with John-for 1t had,
somehow, come to be tacltly under
stood that, some day, they were to be
married; but whenever the subject of
Seeing the world" came up they were
sure to disagree and Maud would be-
come fretful. John was well-to-do; his
farm was an excellent one which he
cultivated by the latest and most mp
proved methods and machinery, and
made money out of. He liked his
work, he liked Middleborough-and
above all he liked Maud CIaxton.
Maud's case was presently agra
waited by the appearance in town OF
ri MondnutlIn OF
village tavern and soon knew every
body in MARLBOROUGH. He gave his
home address as New York and
talked Of eminent people, London, Los
Angeles and Paris. Just why he had
shown up in marlborough he did not
say. When the villagers tried to
pump" him on the subject, though
their guesses were wide apart, he
would wink one eye and intimate that
they were more than half right in their
surmises. He seemed to have plenty
Of money and the manager of the local
bank told several people, who told
several others, that he had investigat-
ed his financial standing and 1t was all
right
Maud appeared to make a decided
impression on Mandeville-and he
made a decided impression on her. She
was never tired of hearing him talk
about the great world over the hills
and far away All the married women
in town said that she ought to marry
him. The idea Of n girl like Maud,
who lOnged for higher things, settling
down on farm with John Latimer for
all her life. They told her so, too,
right to her face; and Maud was
sorely tempted. Even her parents In
timated that here was a chance such
as she might not have again.
John saw how matters were going
and was sullen and sour, and made
himself dIsagreeable-which is not the
way to win back the hutterlng regards
of any young lady. At last the dash
ing stranger actually proposed to
Maud. She refused to give him any
decided answer; but told him to ego
and talk with mother and father" He
produced documents and gave refer
ences Of the most satisfactory kind.
He was In the moving picture bust
ness and was down In that part Of the
country looking for location" for
the filming of an "Old Home" play. He
had happened to stop Off at Middle
borough, had met Maud, and had
stayed on much longer than his bust
ness warranted He was sincerely In
love and If Maud would marry him her
slightest wish should be his law
All this was highly satisfactory to
the Claxton parents and when their
visitor had gone they called In their
daughter and advised her to accept
Mr.. Mandevllle's offer Of heart and
hand. "You could not do better" said
Mrs. Claxton, land you will have Il
chance to see the world"
1t was evening and Maud wandered
out to favorlte spot Of hers where
an old elm dropped Its branches over
a broken wall. The peep-toads were
calling from the hollow and thou
sand odors stole on the night breezes
from the neighbOrlng woods. But
Maud's head was filled with gorgeous
visions The peep-toads were an or
chestra playing in a palace and the
woodland odors were shaken out from
the silks and velvets of a gorgeous
thrOng. Suddenly her eye caught a
light shining far of across the fields.
It was the light from Johns farm
house. She gazed for a moment and
then started to run. Across two fields
and over two stone walls she sped and
knocked at Johns door. He came and
let her In wonderingly.
She sank into a chair and told him
all. "Well, Maudie," said John at
length, IF you really must see the
world | tell you what I'll do. You
marry me instead Of that Vaudeville
Teller and I'll take you to New York,
washington and Niagara Falls on our
wedding trip"
"Oh, John, will your she cried
Joyfully. "Then l shall see the world
and have you too"
When Mr. and Mrs. Latimer re-
turned from their wedding tour Maud
threw herself into the same chair she
had occupied on the eventful night
when the trip was planned and said:
well, ! am glad to be home once
more. You don't catch me leaving
marlborough agaln--not for long
time at least. The great world isn't
what it's cracked up to be-"
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