Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / Feb. 1, 1918, edition 1 / Page 3
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A Double Anniversary ousan Edqy 41 N CopyHofct OW, I wonder what that means?" said Ethan Crane. He had Just come back with the weekly paper and one letter from his tramp through the snow to the post office. Old Mrs. Crane had brought in the Uighted candles and piled an extra log on the fire. I Ethan ore open the envelope and :read he inclosed card: 'Miss Angela 'Hanna. At Home. January 1st.'" i "La !" said Mrs. Crane. "She wants you to call there." ; "Get out," said Ethan, with a sudden access of sheepishness. "Why should I go there?" "Well, why not?" asked Mrs. Crane. ''It's what the city people do, Tm told. They make a big cake and draw a pitcher of cider and set down in their best clothes to see company. Angy i Hanna Is dreadful enterprising; she means to lead In the fashions." , "Am I to call there?" asked Ethan, i "Why, of course," said his mother. "What else does It mean? Miss An gela Hanna at home." "She's at home most days, ain't she?" said Ethan musingly. "There was never anything of the gad-about in Angela Hanna that I ever heard of." "Oh, but this here's a new kink I" 'exclaimed Mrs. Crane. "An extra-spe-iclal day for calling don't you see?" j "I'd calculated to take the oxen to jSnldge Hill and grub stumps out of Ithe clearln on New Year's day," said Ethan. J "The next day will do Just as well ifor the stumps," said Mrs. Crane, en couragingly. "You might as well be lout of the world as out of the fash 'lon." Deacon Perkins received one of Miss Hanna's cards and so did Squire Hart. In fact, there wasn't a widower jor old bachelor or eligible swain in all iFairvlew who was omitted from her list. "I ain't as young as I was," said iMiss Hanna to herself. "It's high !time I took steps to establish myself." ! Miss Angela Ilanna had just passed her five-and-f ortieth birthday ; she was ! stout and ruddy, with the very best set of teeth that the Fairview dentist Icould supply, and a perpetual smile 'riveted on her lips. She was very tired of living alone and sewing on vests to earn her pin money, and she had determined, on this particular oc casion, to make a bold stroke and win a husband. She attired herself on New Year's day in a green satin dress, cut low in the neck and short in the sleeves, pinned a bunch of holly at the left side, and puffed her newly tinted hair in the most elaborate style. "I do declare," said Miss Angela to herself, "I don't look a day over twenty." Deacon Perkins was the first to ar rive, an old bald-headed man, with a complexion of leather and the keenest of twinkling black eyes. "I got a letter from you, Miss Han na," said he. "I s'pose you want to consult me on business." "La, deacon, what a very strange Idea," giggled Miss Hanna. "No, in- "How Came You Here?" Screamed Miss Hanna. deed! I only wir,h to promote soda bllity during the festive season.' "Well, then, I guess I'd better be goln'," said the deacon. I hain't no time for no slch foolery." "Don't be In a hurry, deacon," urged Miss Hanna. "I do wish to consult you." "About what?" frowned the deacon, looking dubiously at the purple shoul ders and arms of the lady. "Marriage," said Miss Hanna. "Would you advise me, dear deacon, to commit my future Into the hands of another?" "Eh 1" said the deacon. "Had an of fer?" "Yes," said Miss Hanna, driven by his directness into an absolute He. "Then, If I was you," said the dea con, "I'd accept It, 'cause it ain't likely you'll have many of 'em." "But, deacon," she stammered, "what If I don't love the man? What If I love another who " "Then don't accept him," said the deacon; but, suddenly becoming elec trically aware of his danger as Miss Hanna moved her chair a little closer to his, he added, "My horse Is gettin' dreadful oneasy outside. I guess I'll be goln. No, thankee" as. Miss Han- CIIIXIHXXXIXXXXXXTIXXXXIX1 Benjamin Franklin's New Year's Resolutions CO endeavor to speak the truth in every instance, to give nobody expectations that are not likely to be answered, but aim at sincerity in every word and action; the moat amiable excellence in a rational being. CO apply myself industriously to whatever business I take in hand, and not divert my mind from my bus iness by any foolish project of growing suddenly rich for industry and pa tience are the surest means of plenty. T RESOLVE to speak ill of no man whatever, not even In a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse'the fault I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions, speak all the good I know of everybody. fTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTITTTTTTI L J s ' tf Jr jr, 'J'i' Wi va;-. 1 ptsJ' J, if! .. ..: -v Vj J na took up the plate of cake "I don't never eat nothln' except at reg-lar meals. Good mornln' I" And thus the deacon escaped. "Eh I What's that noise? If it's the cat Jumping at my canary again but it sounded more like someone laugh ing and cats don't laugh. Who's that comin' up the walk? Ethan Crane, I do declare I Well, he's a likely young fellow not as rich as Squire Perkins, maybe, but Oh, come in, Mr. Crane. Come In. I am so glad to see you. Lovely day, Isn't it?" Ethan Crane sat down with his hat In his lap. "I received your card, Miss Hanna." "Oh, did you!" said Angela, with a smile. "To tell the truth," said honest Ethan, . "I wanted a little talk with you." "Indeed I" said the lady. "Won't you come here and set by me on the sofa? It's more sociable like." "Oh, yes, If you like," said Ethan, obeying her gesture of Invitation. "You see, my mother is getting feebler every day, and we feel the need of some younger person at the farm. And I'm twenty-eight now, and the place is In good oraer, and I've money at interest, so that I've pretty much made up my mind to marry." Miss Angela let the puffed and friz zled head fall on his shoulder. "Dearest Ethan 1" she exclaimed. "Yes exactly," said Ethan Crane, moving as far away as the arm of the sofa would allow. "So, If you thought that your niece, Mirandy, would have me" "My niece, Mirandy I" gasped the elder lady, the Immovable bloom never altering on her face, although her heart beat wildly and her lips blanched. "Yes," said Ethan. "I hoped to meet her here today." "No!" said Miss Angela sharply. "She's gone away; and If she hadn't, she wouldn't accept you." "Is she engaged to someone else?" stammered poor Ethan. "Yes," said Miss Hanna. "To Joshua Simpklns. But, Ethan, do not grieve; I am ready to entertain your suit, al though Mirandy despises you, and " "But she doesn't, aunty!" interrupt ed a clear, distinct voice, and Mirandy herself entered from an adjoining room. "On the contrary, she loves Ethan Crane dearly, and she refused Joshua Simpklns, as you know very well. "How came you here?" screamed Miss Ilanna. "I went to Mrs. Brown's house," said Mirandy, "and she had gone to spend the holidays with her niece at Stanford. So I came back home." "You are a dreadful minx!" cried Miss Ilanna, nearly suffocated with anger. "Gently!" said Ethan Crane, Inter posing In Mirandy's defense. "No call ing of names, please." "And you shan't stay In my house another day!" added the Indignant lady. "Then she shall come to mine!" boldly asserted Ethan. "Come, Mi randy, darling my sleigh Is at the door and it holds exactly two. We'll go to Parson Squire's and get married this very hour." So they were married, and old Mrs. Crane, who was waiting at the farm house door to receive her son, was de lighted. "If It hadn't been me," said . Mi randy, mischievously, "It would have been Aunt Angela, for she was deter mined to marry Ethan." "The Lord forbid !" said Mrs. Crane, raising her eyes. "And after this," said Ethan, as he led his bride In, "the first day of the vear will be a double anniversary he happiest of Happy New Years. Eh, Mirandy?" It Is time to be drawing up plans nd specifications for the annual reso i ution-maklng. W Alfred Ieiviox)i J RING out, wild bells, to the wild ie Hying cloud, the frosty light 'The year is dying in the night Ring out, wild bells, and let him Ring out the old, ring in the new Ring, happy bells, across the snow 'The year is going, let him go Ring out the ialse, ring in i i Y ) ' DlNG-out V V - VtAIB -rcz -Kcarj ING out the grief that saps the mind For those that here we see no more; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ringnnredress for all mankind. Ringfcalowly dying cause, Jffidncient forms of party strife; King in the nobler modes of life, With- sweeter manners, nurer laws. . r . ,1 'I l ! the want, the care, the sin, Theiaithless coldness of the times; -JRing out, ring out my mournrakJiym But ring the fuller minstrel in. Ring out false pride in place and Jblood, The civic slander and the spite$TJ 2 Ring in the love of truth and Wit Ringihthe "common love of good; .92tf? 1 X A I: l! TM i. SB 1 1 es rnaj V A out old shapes of foul disease, . i i.. u ins out me narrowing iust 01 guiu, Ring out the thousand wars of old. Ringri1 the thousand years of peace. i'. -$L wm.n Kma in the valiant man and t ree, MrThArger heart, the kindlier hand; WWs&fz KmJm the darkness ot the land, S '-Ring in dhChrisT: that is to be. m'"Hlf
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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Feb. 1, 1918, edition 1
3
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