The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-02-16
A Better Understanding
BY Frank n. Spearman

the pond. Not far away their caddies,
on the teeing ground, made imaginary
drives with imaginary success. While
they chatted Miss Macy pounded the
turf idly with her driver.
Il do like you" he was saying.
She smiled, but skeptically.
Il like YOU" he continued, curious
ly. In spite of myself and yourself"
What an odd Mr.. Carter!" smiled
Miss. Macy. This is novelty"
I'm afraid it's more than that-an
impertinence. Yet I'd hate to have you
look on it that way"
"Oh, l don't. Rather an idiosyn-
Grassy. isn't it? Explain it, please, Mr..
Carter. Friday is so tedious"
For you it is-with gay Saturday
and Sunday in prospect. But for me,
with the prospect that Saturday and
Sunday 1 sha'n't get word or look
20 men chasing aEo''pd after you"
She only struck the,tdrf bit harder.
Now that you've insisted you like
me-and it's Friday-you must tell me
why" she said, ineXorably.
you are not quite ready for that,
Miss Macy"
How do you know"
eff l were to tell you, you'd simply
hang my scalp in your chatelaine with
the rest, and sleep-while l tossed in
wretchedness."
For a moment she made no reply.
"Tell me, then, why you don't like me, ="
she said at length.
That's rather more serious. l con-
fess hardly dare"
'At your age?'
She fingered the playthings on her
chatelaine as if she really were count
ing scalps. The figure amused her; but
her lips were set in defiant smile.
Il hope your paradox isn't going to be
silly" She lifted her eyebrows pa
tiently as she spoke.
NO, only rude. At 4O-since you have
kindly reminded me of it-one sees
more than youth and wit and grace in
life. There's another word. I'm afraid
you haven't spelled it yet, Miss Macy"
go on"
I've need of your encouragement.
Well, 1 see you here the center of all at
traction-every last one of us tagging
at your heeels-"
They said at dinner last night you
were certain of the open champion
ship"
You shall not upset me-" he con-
tinued, determinedly. "All the girls
are jealous-all their mothers enraged,
You are a despot, Miss Macy, clearly
enough. You can stand no end of handi-
Gaping, and hole out ahead. But
there's another side to it."
Now for i'll"
II see your mother here, too; lovely,
lovely woman. l love her, too. And |
see her suffer every day, more than |
ever suffered in my life. She ought not
to be here an hour; she ought to be in
Maclinac, but she stays here just be-
cause you want to be here, and she
won't separate from you. If you
thought of her frst-forgive me for
saying so-you wouldn't stay in Glen
Ellyn an hour. You are angry now"
She rose smiling, but dangerously.
@'Not bit; we can't sit here all day, can
we? Hershie, tee my ball. I'm glad
you've suggested 1 should temper cour-
tesy with thoughtfulness, Mr.. Carter.
! do spend too much time on the links
just to be obliging-and too little with
mamma. Let's go back by the pond.
Its quicker"
Monday morning Carter went up to
Lake Forest to dedicate a course; he
was authority about Chicago. When he
got back to Glen Ellyn Tuesday the
Nlacys had disappeared. There was no
end of pique over it; oil the fellows
were upset. Everybody except Carter
was mystified. He was only astonished;
and after finding nc scrap of word
not even from Mrs. Macy-uneasy. Re-
calling many little courtesies, he GER
tainly had some cause to feel aggrieved.
Still it was incredible that with so
appalling a case of hay fever Mrs. Macy
had gone anywhere except to Mackinac.
And with a stern confidence that he
must be right Carter took the Manitou,
determined to find the Macys.
When morning dawned on the straits
he fully expected to see the Macys on
the wharf. 1t was rude shock to his
confidence to hunt the island over and
find no trace of them. Hurried eXcur-
sions to neighboring points and dill
gent inquiry among the Chicago colony
utterly failed to reveal the missing
couple
The afternoon he started for Chicago
Carter was thoroughly depressed. &C.
ing down the boat stopped at Harbor
Springs. He had already searched the
bay resorts; yet he stood on deck, a
lonely man among jolly hundred, anx-
ously scanning the features of every
lainty woman on the wharf with the
persistence of desperate longing.
Not until the passengers were
shipped and the whistle blown did he
surrender his last hope. And then,
standing on the deck as the boat came
around - the harbor receding-by
Heavenl who was that on the pier?
Mrs. Macy waving her handkerchief.
Chicago men think quick. 1t was a
long way to the captain, but Carter
covered it in great leaps Through
groups. over tables, down flights and
up hatchways.