The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-03-31

| i WASN'T honest. Iuedu-lt WAS PVS-
| sible-I mean, I did"
Paul stood for a stupefed moment.
staring at her. Then he cried aloud
with Joy.
"YOu care n0wi" he exclaimed
you have cared all the time!" Then.
as he tried, very gently, to take down
the trembling hands with which she
had suddenly covered her face, he
| realized that his own were shaking.
| too.
"Mary," he said brokenly. II won't,
IL you really don't want me to. But
II you do-you won't make me wait
any longer, will you? I've starved
for you, too"
you won't ever have to starve
again." said Mary with great sob,
and took down her hands herself.
It was very late that evening, when
Jane Manning. remembering that she
had not .set back her chairs" against
a possible storm-though there was
not cloud Tin the sky--went out on
her piazza to make sure everything
was all right for the night. She
stopped in the middle of her pleasant
task and stood stock-still. The moon
shone very clear and bright and on
the wide granite doorstep of her
cousins house opposite, she could see
two persons-a man and a girl-stand-
ing very close together. their arms
around each other. Then the man
bent his head. and it was long, long
time before he lifted it again.
Good night. sweetheart" she heard
him say at last, and then saw him
turn and come down the walk. his
young face lighted with a radiance
that did not seem to come wholly from
the moon.
"Great Glory! CALCULATED Cousin
Jane aloud, and without conscious pro-
family.
Paul heard her, stopped for min
ute, and then walked rapidly toward
her.
rs that you, Cousin Jane" he called.
fixing up the piazza? Here. let me
help you!" When complete order was
restored. he blocked her entrance into
the house for minute, standing with
his back against the door.
Mary is going to marry me-" he
said. his voice ringing like hallelu-
jah. fright off. We've going away for
few weeks-till get stronger. and
she gets rested-to some quiet place
by the sea- And then we're coming
back here to Lady Blanche farm
coming home together. Oh. God. how
happy ami"
81 dunno's blame ye," said Cousin
| Jane.
His mothers house was dark, and
Paul did not feel sorry. In the morn
ing. of course, she must be told. and
Mary's father-but tonight How
ever, when he noticed faint light
shining from the upper windows of
Carte Blanche. he went close to the
little building and called
blanche! May 1 came up?"
"Yes-I've been hoping you would"
She was sitting in low rocker,
nursing her baby. He crossed the
room softly, and sat down on foot
stool beside her.
"Marys going to marry you," she
whispered.
"How did you know?"
"How could help knowing, looking
at you? I've seen that look in mans
face before"
"Oh. you poor little thing!"
"Hush Don't speak that way! I
don't feel like that about it! And I'm
so thankful-so happy-that I've seen
it in yours. too"
They sat for long time together.
after the sleeping baby had been laid
back in his cradle. And meanwhile.
the woman who had never had lover
ting down in the old chair. took up the
Bible that lay near it, to read in it, as
always, before she went to bed. It
fell open at the last chapter of
Proverbs:
"Who can find a virtuous woman"
read Cousin Jane, 'for her price is far
above rubies. (. Her children arise
up also and call her blessed. Her
husband also. and he praiseth her.
| Give her the fruit of her hands and
let her own works praise her in the
| gates"
The Bible slipped from her lap, I'M
noticed, and Cousin Jane sat for
long time with happy tears rolling
down her cheeks.
II suppose that woman in the Bible
may have had her faults" she said
aloud at last, same as Mary has.
shouldn't be mite surprised If she
had a tongue and temper and
backbone and didn't forgive and for
get very easy. though Solomon doesn't
mention it. Seems to me there's some
likeness between the two. Mary's hen
faithful to the trust her dead mother
left her and denied herself to do for
her father and her little b-oih-
ers. She's ben strong and wise
enough to say mo- to a rich man she