Live Oak Daily Democrat

The Mothers' Wooing

By Alice Louise Lee

Were better managers than their husbands.

I'll tight-lacers.

Abde 'Iut tefrom.

Ih ne 'et safyontsbut far turgeod a dea?

Now we two do ttttohohams.

AM Wthet la ther the fourth time.

Appreciations, as to the of this fourth.

Mrs. Agnew has the how far who ran to borrow wife around says Eliza.

On contrary I with Atulka' She green and Zed ain't no gritted her teeth and needles stout as th' mule Eliza Willet.

Came on her son's fate tied my line of life to set have folks say Mrs. Willett and Mrs. Agnew mournful Zed'll such lot 'em that Mrs. Lansing's when I have said few things will look in the late winter or try little so last first time and time's his or tarle it lit with soot Jinny to , it or ta did .

Eliza was agitated. "Oh, Atulka acts somethin' awful!" she moaned. "She says she will run away to Boston to her Aunt Atulka's, and I just bet she will!"

Atulka possessed a pretty face, an imperceptible hump in her shoulders and a very perceptible hump in her temper.

Mrs. Agnew rocked and looked calmly at her emotional friend. "How old is Atulka?"

"Twenty-one, come next September."

"Yes," remarked Betsey meditatively. "Under age. Now, you know that Atulka hain't a thing to carry her to Boston on except her two feet."

A relieved expression stole over Eliza's face. She was not one to deal out money freely.

"And what's more," continued Betsey, "she knows her aunt is dreadful dressy, and she'd cut a pretty figure in Boston without a decent dud to her back." Betsey finished impressively.

"And you see to it that she don't have unless she'll marry Zed."

Mrs. Willet sat bolt upright. "Why, Betts, you don't mean"—

"Yes, I do," interrupted Betsey. "It'll fetch her if anything will." And the friends were closeted together in close conversation for an hour longer.

The farsighted Betsey gave Zed a full month in which to think over his prospects concerning the meadow lands. Then she forced him to a decision.

"That man Skinner was here yesterday," she remarked casually, "to see about buyin' the medder lots. I told him I'd let him know in ten days what would be done with them medders. I told him I was thinkin' of givin' 'em to my son, but if he didn't want 'em," significantly, "I'd sell 'em to him."

Zed's upper lip twitched, and he took a firmer hold of the nape of his neck, but he made no reply until nine and one-half days later. Then he stopped, swill pail in hand, and asked gruffly,

"Ma, when you goin' to begin that there house on the medders?"

"Just as soon as the frost is out of the ground," replied Betsey swiftly. "Fer it's got to be used by the last of September."

She had won. She hastened to tell Eliza. The latter was pleased, but she looked actually pale.

"Ain't my plan with Atulka workin'?" asked Betsey anxiously.

Mrs. Willet groaned. "Workin'," she ejaculated. "It's workin' me to death. Why, that girl keeps me all of a-tremble. I don't know where we're comin' out. Last Monday she says, says she, 'Ma, if I marry Zed I'll have Aunt Atulka git me a black silk coat, lined with white satin.' Listen to that, Betsey Agnew! And I give in. Tuesday she come in and says: 'Ma, if I marry Zed you've got to git me a bow of furs. I won't have him without 'em.' Just hear that, Betts! And I give in. And yesterday she says: 'Ma, I'm goin' to have one of them long lace fishers. Aunt Atulka says they're all the rage.' And, Betts, I give in. Now, where am I goin' to stop givin' in?" Mrs. Willet applied her handkerchief to her eyes and wept.

"Yes, yes, Eliza, I know it's hard," responded Betsey, with the light of victory in her eyes. "But it's worth all that to have our own way where people think we can't. Now I must hurry along and hire the carpenters. By the way," with her hand on the doorknob, "I'm goin' to send Zed over Sunday night to set up with Atulka."

Eliza groaned afresh. "Of course it's got to be done, but it'll mean another silk dress out of me, as likely as not, before she'll set up."

Zed met up Sunday night with his usual brevity; that is, he sat in one corner of the large parlor and blinked at the carpet. He held himself down by means of his toes hooked around the hind legs of the straight-backed chair.

Mrs. Willet, with a low grunt of satisfaction, had received him and immediately retired and closed the door. Her satisfaction began at once to evaporate, however, for upstairs and down Zed grinned appreciatively until the door flew open and Atulka projected herself into the room without so much as casting her scornful eyes on Zed.

She seized a chair in the farther corner, pressed her nose against the window casement and stared fixedly out into darkness, chewed gum.

Zed sat patiently until the hands of the clock pointed to ten.

He cast a last glance at the hour specified and then took his silent departure.

He nearly fell over Mrs. Willet, whose ear had been applied to the keyhole that she might report to Mrs. Agnew the following day.

Mrs. Agnew was so urged to report, and September until the wedding.

Appet lip had been told denied dis- s a cants had Woet had ult.

No, it won't ruin. "My, ain't I glad it's only two weeks more," murmured Eliza pathetically. "The clothes that Atulka has got out of me. They make folks open their eyes, though, I tell you." Eliza found a crumb of comfort there. "But I just feel as if I was comin' on to the town."

"Well," returned Betsey calmly, "I guess that dress I got rewarded last week up to Auburn will take a trifle more out of me than Atulka's clothes have out of you, and the new house. You ain't the only loser."

"I know it, Betts," fretfully. "But I'll be all fired glad when it's over."

"I can't help wonderin'," was Betsey's ambiguous response, "what they said."

Unexpectedly Zed enlightened her that very afternoon.

Zed had been doing an unprecedented amount of thinking for weeks and a little planning. He was proving himself the worthy son of his mother, but had his mother known it she would have been far from pleased. On her movements Zed had kept a wary eye until the previous week. The day Mrs. Willet and Mrs. Agnew drove to Auburn together he, feeling secure, had brought together pen, ink and paper, hooked his feet around the legs of his chair and with perspiring face toilsomely indited a letter. It was the longest he had ever written and proved to be the most satisfactory.

"Ma," said Zed, coming into the pantry, "Liza and Atulka want to go to the circus Wednesday at Auburn. You know it's Atulka's birthday, and we want to celebrate."

Betsey was delighted. Mrs. Willet was delighted. There turned on the world socially and particularly for two days. Eliza earned delight as to Wednesday with Betsey be to ask their arrangements for the wedding. She hurried at the tents o s after Zed and Atulka hand in hand. Two world. Ah ads ate! The due n h ring Septem w, ta t T aedne whet.

they heard the sound of kisses at the front gate. Mrs. Willet and Betsey. "There; that means that Atulka's home, and I must go right get. Why, wait, Eliza, I'll carry you over."

Betsey was interrupted by a rap at the door. Zed. Eliza. Set down, seat. Betsey opened the door. Skinner entered the house name and by stature sh of Auburn and had notw was pleasant to look at. Inside the door, seating! the women. He t. against the r.m o to- to which he held w one shoe.

"Ladies," he began. "uth tion, "I am fee it form youl er that toir not be home et tosht at."

Mrs. Willet sat still satless hard "Atulka's (rhel Atulka?"

Mr. Skinner bowed to Eliza tion. "She has just T t."

He drew out his watch Y.. is just now pulling into Bos.

Eliza threw up both hands ed pal. "Into Boston. In a weak voice. "loa 4 there?"

"By mheans of a • Mr. Skinner gravely ah: in afterthought to H.i- by your son."

Betsey sukkals Learer Mr. Sk.ntey heavy etuphsss he' just watt td r:. Mr Shitter Mr Astew fopeg. Vh wavtoehn "alonn shril 1t hatlse a He h: not ques she ol th The Grs day I e sot thee Aa Sktaet.