The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-04-05
S !. ASSOCIATION 1897 .

him. plying him with Questions. and
making much of him in their interest in
the things be told them. To their old
fashioned country simplicity he seemed
q wonderful creature. man whose life
had been filed with the stir Of large
events and the interest Of strange hap.
| penings, and in their unworldliness they
envied him his experiences far more
than the success which wis their prac-
tical result. a past SO full Of adventure.
Of endurance, Of achievement. Of life
appeared to the bucolic mind richer
treasure than mere gold.
Then. before Anthony could grow
inflated with his victory, and self as
sertive and arrogant. and so spoil it all,
the tea bell rang and changed the cur
rent of thought and conversation.
What do you think of him, my
dear?" Mrs. Wilmer found occasion to
whisper to Mary Beverley as they seated
themselves around the table.
He Is interesting and original. Mary
replied at once He is very strong
man; and he doesn't crate upon me
as much as thought he would ut first. :
He grated on her horribly before the
evening was over. When the company
reassembled in the parlor after tea, he
sought her side once more, attracted in
spite Of himself and OF his already wan
ing resentment. A pretty young woman
with very sweet voice had gone to the
piano, and was playing softly. The rest
were gathered near, urging her to sing
and combating her objections, which
were couched in graceful language. but
..s,le.i on solid foundation, since her
napper was still almost in her throat.
Mary leaned back in the corner Of the
sofa. watching the flames curl around
the great oak logs, and wondering idly
whether her little boys were in bed, and
whether Miss Cornelia had remembered
TO make them wash their hands and faces
and say their prayers properly before
going. She usually attended to these
things herself, for Ran was still too
young to cope with either religion or
soap unaided. and she was careful
mother.
Anthony watched her from under his
until pupil and iris were indistinguish-
able in color or expression.
Suddenly he bent forward and said the
thing be should not:
Il hope You don't bear me any grudge
for buying the old place, Mrs. Beverley.
know the old families hold ON to their
land like death, even when it isn't doing
them cents worth of good and is bring
ing them dollars in debt every year. I
know. too. that when you can't hold out
any longer and the land comes to the
hammer you think it's devilish hard
case. and curse the fellow that buys it
for an interloping BLACKBOARD. and
would cruelty him If you could. You
ought not to feel that way, you know; it
isn't common sense, or the way to push
things and help your section
Mary, thus accused by implication of
narrowmindedness and small, con-
temptible meanness. was naturally in
dignant. They had extended sufficient
courtesy to him, she thought. to have
exempted them from this indictment.
Turning her dark eyes full upon him.
she replied, quietly and coldly:
"You dolnot understand us at all, Mr..
Anthony, If You imagine us so contempt
bly, small as that. We love our lands.
of course, and it is ke0n distress to
have to part with them; but we are not
so petty as to resent on an outsider what
is, after all, the result Of actions OF
faults Of our own. Ii our lands come in
to the market. they are open to any and
every, purchaser, and your opinion Of rs
must be poor indeed If you think
grudge against those becoming possessed
Of them rankles in our breasts ever aft
erward.r
Anthony felt snubbed, without know
ing exactly wherefore. In his conscious
ness Of their relative positions he had
seemed to himself to be putting in q plea
against all possible hard Judgment. and
had rather despised himself for caring
how she felt about the matter. It
seemed natural that she should feel sore
about the land. and he had simply depre-
Gated the soreness and suggested that
any such feeling was unreasonable. For
the life of him he could see nothing Of
fensive in his remark, and yet she clearly
was offended. He thought that for I
woman Of her age and intelligence she
was lacking in common sense.
On Mary the impression made was
deeper. She was annoyed BY the tact
less bluntness Of the speech and by the
low estimate Of human nature it showed.
and in addition it revealed coarseness
Of fiber that repelled her. Women usual
ly form their estimates of humanity from
instinct or subtitle diyination, and Mary's
Instincts were all antagonistic to the
man beside her. He might rough hew
great actions, but there was in him none
Of that delicacy Of touch. that fineness
of perception which make small actions
great
With instant rebound from what dis
pleased her. her mind returned to the
formed at the opening Of
their intercourse, and the modification
Of the time between was blotted out
which was really an injustice to An
thony.