New-York tribune., 1896-05-31
IN THE FIRST PERSON.
BY MARIA LOUISE POOL.
CHANGE.

X. i
10 me as he used 10 SEEM
ua gazed at me over the edge OF the olpper'
"Where's mother" l asked quickly
II d'know." he answered tic,
woe Going 10 pass him. when he put out MS
hand. ,. "v,a+ does
that man WANT ..,, ,,.hor
bestated felt as II couid not 'e' i"'"
wrat was Mr.. Mavericks errand' f"'he' '''
were full of a hostile curiosity x..,
.yvho. docs he WANT" he repeated. You
better send him away. I've had ehoue" Va -
actions Wilhelminy--goin' of n preIe"ui" ~
,e.r, 10 sing-'n' turnin' q cola shouiue' ~ ~
-, corn,n hack 'thout amountin' TO anF'hins'
Won ain't neither one thing nor aho'"e' "o"
~, there's Bids been sensible enough 10 take up
with a gal that amt got no SHY nouoieO"
eal too. ami one that knows she car III" "''0
a feller like Bid every day. You oio'l 'a'' ~
n,..hin, 70 pease yer fa,her-yor didn't care
how yer father got 'long-'n spent io'9 y, "'O
nm ve Rut what's he got for it? Nothin jest
nothn'. Git out. ~. WA
This las, with a kick toward Lotus WIN ""N
inst walked In from the other ROOM
stood unite etill. Father looked at me as II ne
.ss ma And was there not an odor of whisKey
on his breath This last suspicion immed'a'eN
,,,,, from mo I could not try TO explain anything
70 him What could explain
ooh I'm 60 sorry" | began weakly; 'heh l
s,opped before the fury in his face.
"sorrv"' he repeated with great soorn. iou
,A, sorrv neither You don't care. II you hau
cared you'd got engaged to Bdweil 8 Wah'eu se
IN Pooh, Jest g If you caref what oeco"ie VI
me ANYWAY, ~ what you keepin up wrl'ih 10
that singin' feller for? You hear from MI" real
often You think I'm blind n don't know noth-
in? Not by long chalk.
A quickly moving figure was seen in the yard
"rhere's Mvra-she knows when she's well OF
she does tell you il makes me thunderin mao
10 have YOU turn out SO; and we not KNOWN
which way 10 turn.
Father set down the tin dpper with clash IN
the iron sink Then he hurried out OF the mouse
in a way to avoid Myra, who trpped in with her
fat. swee. smile on her face. and asked with
pretty vivaciousness:
"Where's Uncle Lem? thought seen Uncle
Lem in here"
She glanced at my face, wnlch WIS neioeN
irving to get under control.
"Mercv, What's the matter? Has anything
happened?'
"No." answered. nothing has happened. If
vonu excuse me I'll flni mother. have visitor
in the parlor."
But Myra FASTENED to the door. saying that she
hadn't meant to stop and must hurry right
along.
said nothing to detain her. ran through the
sitting-room and pantry trying to find mother.
looked from the window and saw her going
through the orchard.
In a moment was at her side. I caught hold
of her hand.
"Mother Mother cried. you must let me
go, You must give me back my promise. On,
Ncr
/ can never forget the face she turned to me-
Now know that 1t full Of grief and disap-
nt-disappointment in her daughter.
She waited a little before she spoke. Then she
said calmly:
Yes give you back your promise. You must
do as you think best. You Are grown woman.
You must do you think best"
did not stop to tina nix her. Ny only feeling
trst then was that Of reease-freedon,.
A moment later l opened the parlor door. Mr..
Maverick had been standing by the window. He
turned quickly toward ME. He looked much
moved he grasped my hands.
"You have changed your mind! he exclaimed.
I have never been quite able to understand
what 1t was that Influenced me then. that came
almost like an audible voice commanding me.
PERHAPS It was because Of the look in my COM
panion's eyes--the look from which l shrank
Insead Of saying yes, l said mo" in a loud.
hard voice: and snatched my hands away.
Mr.. Maverick grew pale.
Il have resolved" he responded In a very low
tone
Then. notwithstanding my wish that my eyes
should not meet his glance. they did meet 1t. and
were held just as my hand might be held in
unyelding grasp.
Il have resolved ne repeated.
roada I stO ot
him Though could not remove my gaze, felt
my resolution not to assent to his proposition
growing and intensifyng. and I becoming
angry. What eort of force was he trying to
upon me?
knew little or nothing Of the occult talk Of the
day. A sort Of fright began to mingle with my
anger Every instant that yielded was making
my resisting power less-and would not yield In
o vague sort Of way was telling myself that this
was why this mans eyes had always seemed 80
peculiar TO me.
Then a faint film came over ms own vision; my
eyelids became heavy, | could not keep them up
But would not let them fall. I made an effort
which appeared to take every particle of moral
and physical strength I possessed. 1 moved;
looked toward the window; saw the blessed sun
light outside; heard robin murmur on the lilac.
put my hand to my forehead.
Confusedy | was aware that Mr.. Maverick
uttered some kind Of an ejaculation. His voice
sounded fierce.
l was not looking in his eyes now. had es-
capped, and he knew had escaped
He moved quickly nearer to me. He tried to
take my hands again. but they were clesped be-
hind me.
"siiss Armstrong" he exclaimed in half-whis-
per, "surcly-surely you must krow that love
you. You must know that"
trembling l could not tell whether l
feared this man more than l hated him. How
could have thought Of allowing him to do me n
favor?
l did not reply. l thought that could hot
sptak. l turned my eyes again toward the sun