The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-10-01
20 argue with a man who insists that


two and two are three"
"That my reasoning Is correct We
have here positive proof" said Eu
gene, glancing at his sisters. Here
are Allie and Mert. Neither Of them
has two ideas above a goose-"
80, you wretch" cried both girls In
a breath--
"And III wager II the three Of you
are alive twenty years from nOw,'
added the imperturbable Eugene.
that they will both be mstresses OF
model homes like this, mother, and
be happy and contentcd with their
homely spouscs and their chuckle'
headed children, while yOu--"
"Stop, enough" cried all three OF
the girls this time
"Will," proceeded Eugene, "be plod
ding along single-handed in a dingy
studio with fame as far as ever be-
yond your grasp and domestic happi
ness your unrealized dream"
~ shall not, said judith positively
"Pcople will only know you by that
time as the bachelor cousin OF judith
Mansfield, the famous artist, wht
lives an independent life"
Her uncle by this time was noddin.
in his huge willow chair, but her aun
sat bolt upright and looked steadily
down at her knitting.
"YOu are very foolish gill, Judith,
she said at last. II wonder IL yol
know how foolish and ungrateful yol
are?"
81 know appear so to you, aunt,
said Judith. with quivering lips. $50
ten years you have been a mother tt
me. 70 leave the home that has beer
so dear to me is-far--harder than
you can ever know" She was obliget
to pause for some moments. "But my
destiny can never he worked out here.
"YOur destiny should be marriage
We all knew that you have slightet
two splendid opportunities"
Judith sank back in her char will
an expression Of disgust
IL cntrcat you not to mention that
subject, aunt" she said in tone OI
respectful impatience. 1T is ex
tremely distastcful to me-"
"And may l inquire wly?'
"Chiehy because marriage is too sa'
cred a thing to be publicly discussed
"Your uncle is asleep and ! am sure
you need not care for Eugene and the
girls"
"No, indeed, mother" cried Ell.
gene, giving his cousin a quizzing
glance. "She need not mind us at all
for, as has been said, am but cyni'
cal bachelor and my sisters are sc
busliy engaged with plans for trap
ping some unwary man for themselves
that their small minds have no space
for the affairs of Others"
II confess" said Allie, with a petu
liant air, II cannot understand how
Eugene can have so poor an opinion
Of his sisters, while he himself is SC
magnanimous, so high.minded, and
incapable Of intrigue"
"It all lies in nutshell, however"
said Eugene calmly. II am a man
and therefore incapable Of"
being just to Others" added inertia,
inspecting the toes of her tiny shoes.
Il will say, though, as we are discuss.
ing the matter, that Judith's views
strike me as being a little peculiar.
II either Mr.. White or Mr.. Stanton
had asked me to marry him, l should
not have refused as she did,"
"How do you know l refused either
OF them?" asked Judith, with glance
OF displeasure.
From their wOebegOnc cOnntc.
nances after the ball | am certain
that you refused both of them at Lot.
tie Ashton's party. And they are con-
sldered excellent catches, too"
The color mounted rapidly to Ju'
ditl's cheek, and she drew her straight
black eyebrows together with an ex
preston that rcpelled curiosity. Eu
gene lay back among the cushions OF
his luxurious chair and watched heI
with an odd look in his half-closed
eyes. He was a handsome man, thir
ty years old, and widely Travelled. His
half.sisters were much younger, Meth
er OF them being twenty yet.
"Let US drop the subject" said Ju
dith, glancing with Il suppressed yawT
at the clock, which pointed to 1890.
ut had as we'll be discussed now "a
later" said Mrs. Seymour, as she fin
ishcd her twentieth pair OF slippers
to be distributed among the GONZALES
cent patients at the hospital. u
Judith chooses to remain single while
other girls marry she knows that sh'
is at liberty to make her home here
In a few years our hreSide will b
lonely enough"
"With the girls married and he
bachelor stcpson at the antipOdas,
explained Judith.
"Probably not at the antipodes, bu
certainly married." said his step