Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-03-12
ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND. FRIDAY MORNING. MARCH p 1926
NIT, and had crooked father and a

rise up she says, whisperin'- like. So
l shut the door, she a-workin' her
hands together like one possessed. It's
about Melindy,' she went on. He's
been and got a tombstone for her.
'WhoT asked !, as II didn't know,
but my knees knocked together and l
felt bit sick. Mortimer Barbour
says she, My grandson, Johnnie. was
after birds nest In tree over In his
yard. The limb broke and down he
went right onto the roof of the old
courthouse, that hasn't been used for
years. 1t went in under him like tin
der, and as soon as he could pick him.
self up and found no bones broke,
what should he see but new white
gravestone, a-settln' up quite pert in
a corner against some rubbish. He
went up to 1t, and he says as true as
the Bible he saw Melinda Barbour,
cut on 1t, and the date she is a-goin'
to de- I don't believe IT, says !, but
was all a-faint. and had to 60 and
make us each cup Of tea. so we could
bear up under 1t.
"As soon as I said 1 didn't believe 1t
Mis- johnson said we'd 60 ourselves
and see. And we did 90, Mortimer
bein' away in the fields. and got into
the courthouse. 1t was toward dark,
and we shook with the cold, though
1t was a warm day in June Wed
brought bit Of candle with US. and
Mis- Johnson lit 1t, and then we saw
land sakes, child, how scairt you look
don't get so near the fire, honey, you'll
be all ablaze. Where was II Oh, we
saw the stone, just as Johnnie said,
real gravestone Of white marble, and
on 1t the name. Melindy Barbour
with the date September 8, 10, be-
low 1t. But the rest we couldn't make
out. He's going to let her live three
months, may heaven forgive him., says
old Mis- Johnson, meanin' different
from what she said.
"rhe next day l went to Melindy,
and told her the whole truth. And
would you believe 1t, she said she
thought Mis- johnson and had no
business prying about other peoples
affairs. II he had bought me thou
sand gravestones I'd have him Just
the same says she. So they was
married the next day In the meeting
house, but Melindy was white az
ghost, and she trembled so she could
hardly walk. They went right away
on the cars, and we threw some old
shoes after 'em, but all the wishin' Of
Joy was make believe, and I never
saw a bride with such a white, set
face, never looking at her husband
nor yet at us.
'They was away nearly three
months; then they came back to the
old house. But folks said they wasn't
happy, that she was as cold as a stone,
and he was always at his books and
askin' me to come and see her. She
was lynn down on a lounge when /
got there. white and so thin, with big
eyes with a sorry, hungry look In 'em.
But she had on smart gown, and
was as pretty as a pictur. As soon
no We anu VI LuhCn
off my bonnet and mantilla, she says,
DO you know what day tomorrow isr
Then thought It up, and said II was
the 9th of September. The day am
to die she says In a soft, quiet way.
Then I up and asked her II Mortimer
had been lll-treatin' her, but she put
up her finger, and said Not a word
to my husband; he doesn't know I
know It, Then she said he was awful
good to her, but she couldn't get that
gravestone out Of her head day or
night. All at once It came to me how
matters was; she'd been too proud
to give him up, besides her lilxin' him,
too; and she'd been too proud to tell
him about 1t; and so betwixt the two
the poor child was almost beat out.
She asked IL I would go out to the
courthouse with her to see the stone.
She wanted to see It and was afraid
to go alone.
"Then a queer thing happened. Nor
timer had come into the next room
while she'd been talkln', and heard
tNtIy mOius htNGt buH uhJUOuJ BO
stirred up as he was when he came in.
is that tombstone what has stood be-
tween usr he said, and went on to ex-
plain that It had been ordered for his
mother He was such bad writer
that the stone-cutter mistook the
name Malviny for Melindy, and after
the stone was half done 1t was found
out, and they made him pay for II. so,
as 1t was his, they brought II to him,
and, not KNOWN what to do with It,
he'd just set 1t up In the courthouse
and forgot all about II. MelIndy, she
began to cry, and then they fell to
huggln' and kissln' each other, as II
they hadn't met for years. I tried to
put In a word to cam 'em, but they
saw me without seeing me, and heard
me without hearing me, so I put on
my bonnet and mantllla and came
away and left 'em.
after that2 Dear me, they was the
happiest couple you ever saw. They
used the gravestone for a front door
step, wrong side up, and 1t was real
pretty. Melindy was dretful proud Of
him, and believed every word he wrote
about them bugs and beetles, Just as
his mother did, which only goes to
show that the old sayin' is true, that
love Is blind"
Where to Get Them
II. n