Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-01-07
WHEN HE
CAPTURED
A BRIDE
BY GREGORY GREEN


4 still have her choice, re-
naming unmarried" said
the old lady emphatically.
Little Miss Durfree smiled for she
knew the old lady's frankness. At
thirty, she was still unmarried. She
had been belle once; her face told
her that evening that she was still at
tractive, in spite of the hint Of line
at the edge Of the mouth, and Of n
thread or two of gray at the temples.
Once little Miss Durfree had been In
love, madly In love. But he had gone
away West, and after while his let
tiers ceased. Then she had plunged
into work, never regarding her other
suitors with any seriousness. She
was the busiest mortal alive. In the
morning she did her housework, and
sewed, and marketed; In the after
noon she read the newspapers,
skinned the latest book, sewed some
more, dressed, visited the sick, put up
conserves In season, and did the thou
sand odd tasks that any woman can
find to do. And the thought Of get
ting married had simply never oc-
Cured to her since Jack went away.
She really was an old maid. She
could not have torn herself away from
her round of duties.
III any man wanted to marry me,
he'd have to lead me Up to the altar
by force" she said.
1t was three weeks after the old
lady had gone away, shaking her head,
that Jack came home. He had been
gone seven years, and he was the talk
of the village, with his money, his
good looks, and the fact that he was
still unmarried. He called upon little
Miss Durfree almost as soon as May
Durfree had heard Of his return.
If the heart beneath the prim dress
was beating faster than usual, little
Miss Durfree gave no sign of 1t. Jack
shook hands, sat down, and talked like
an old friend. Sometimes Miss Dur
free. looking up, found his eyes fixed
upon hers In a puzzled way. At length
he broke the comparative silence that
had grown up between them.
May" he said, why have you
changed so much1"
81 changedT she asked In surprise.
Yes. You have been telling me all
about the things you do; they seem
to fill your life. Well-you used not
to be like that"
How do you meant" asked Miss
Durfree.
"Well, you-why, May, don't you re-
member how we went to the picnic
and walked home together and talked
poetry to each other all the wayH"
But that was eight years ago, Mr..
McCallum. People grow staider as
they grow older"
"But-May, listen You have filed
your life with a lot Of inanimate
things that mean nothing. You have
become enslaved to them. They don't
represent anything. There ought to
be more humanity in your life"
Miss Durfree rose. II know you
mean WELL" she said Jelly, but have
chosen my life"
He rose also. He took her by the
hands May" he cried, don't you
see that l love you still? l have al
ways hoped some day to return and
ask you TO be my wife. / felt / had
no right to continue writing To- you,
when | had no prospects. May"
She took her hands from his. mo,
II Is impossible, Jack" she said, with
touch Of tenderness nevertheless.
But whyT"
81 am what l have made myself
loved you once, and will admit like
you now as much as any man alive.
But-well, | am cut out to be an old
maid, | think. | couldn't face the
prospect Of beginning new life. II
any man married me It would be by
force"
II will carry you away captive" he
began, half seriously.
She smiled, ~ hope we shall always
be friends" she said. There was
tinality In her tone.
Jack went away. He saw her sew
eral times afterward. But 1t was true,
what he had realized: Miss Durfree's
heart seemed to have been frozen
years before. She was really an old
maid by instinct. Jack McCallum had
this view confirmed by the old lady.
"It's great pity" she said, but
some women are like that. l don't
know that there's any cure, except
marriage"
rs that a curer asked Jack, be-
wlldered.
"A certain cure,p said the old lady
declslvely. Never known to fail"
But you have got to marry them to
cure them, and II they refuse to be
marriedT
That's the point" said the old lady
rehectively. How are YOU 9oing to |
make themf"
And you think there's no chance
for meT
81 think" said the old lady, that
May Durfree cares for you as much
as she Is capable Of caring for any
body. But she doesn't love you. She
couldn't love-now. What In the world |
did you do to her, Jack, before you
went away? Broke her hearth
IF 1 had thought that" he an
swered, II would have married her,
money or no money"
ITS the safest way" said the old |
lady.
In spite Of the old lady's warning
Jack tried his luck again. He de-
clared his love. Little Miss Durfree |