The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-02-21

tone little plan that she had Just
formed.
When she had finished, her husband
said, Capital, my dear, only l fear
you can't carry it through success-
fully" while Professor Hamill, with n
twinkle in his dark eyes that denied
the gray of his mustache and hair,
looked straight at Mrs. Mead. and
said:
Now l am sure that you are the
same Jennie Ewing [ used to know,"
AT that moment Sadie came modest
ly into the room. Her pretty manner
and gentle voice seemed to fill Pro-
lessor Hamill with surprise. He
looked at her and looked at her again.
in wondering way, as if he did not
quite believe his eyes.
Sadie, conscious OF his gaze, could
not suppress feeling of satisfaction
IN attracting so much attention from
this distinguished looking gentleman,
and when, little later, her mother
excused herself and left Sadie with
her father to entertain their guest
SIZE was very careful that her language
should deserve no criticism. She
felt the professors eyes resting on her
more than once with what seemed to
Iet increasing appreciation.
When they were gathered around
the table, spread with snowy damask
and decked with the daintiest china
and shiniest silver, Sadie found her
self plying the other girls, who could
not have Professor Hamill at their
house. She quite plumed herself on
the sweet picture he would carry away
with him of their little home. The
table was pretty; the boys were look
ing handsome and behaving well; the
conversation was agreeable-altogeth
er, she reflected, everything was at
its very best.
At that instant she was startled
from her revery by her mothers voice.
But, seriously, Professor Hamill, :"
she was saying, speaking of the
Tempest, isn't it good deal
fake to try and make out that Shakes
pcare meant so much by that simple
little song he has the fairies sing?
Not but what 1 think Shakespeare is
way up-I consider him the daisy
writer of the world-but it does make
me tired to have people search out
meanings that he never put there,
that's all!'
Sadie glanced quickly at her father.
whose eyes were fixed upon his plate,
then ut her mother, who seemed ali
unconscious of having said anything
unusual.
Professor Hamill answered Mrs.
Mead gravely.
ooh, of course" said she, when he
had finished. you're n wh1rler
when it comes to argument and no
mistake, but you know there's some
thing In what | was saying, al! the
same!
Hal choked at that word "whirler"
from his mothers lips. He tried to
smother his laughter with cough.
but failed. Then he excused himself
and left the table, followed iRnomin-
iouslJ by Frank, whose face was pur-
pie.
"The boys appear to be all broken
up over something" remarked their
mother, calmly. 81 used to have
those fits of laughter at the most I'M
heard-of times when / was young. 7
remember once in church, especially.
when / laughed so I thought I'd hurt
myself"
Sadie almost gasped She, for one,
felt no desire to laugh. Her color
came and went. At one moment she
was covered with modification; Mt the
next she believed her mother to have
lost her reason. Then, filled with hot
anger at the unkindness of it all, she
gazed reprOachfully at Mrs. Mead
only to be thrown back upon herself
by that lady's sweet unconsciousness
But through and over all ran the
sense of shame at the knowledge that
Professor Hamil's high opinion of
them all was rapidly being brought TO
nothing.
Mrs. Mead, meanwhile. talked
almost constantly, and scarcely uttered
the shortest sentence without using
some bit Of slang.
She remarked on this thing or the
other that "mado her wrists ache"
she spoke Of u book she had been
reading which wasn't half bad " and
another that was immense. She
lamenied tho fact that certain per.
son was "a little of, D." and mentioned
another who, she said. was "stricfIv
in IT. Once she even answered
something the professor said with.
Now you're shooting! That's exactly
what j think"
Then she turned TO- Sadie.
Why, my dear, 20 she said. "you
aren't eating n little bit Try some
Of your cake-the chocolate is the best
Its out Of sigbtl"
Sadie had never felt anything like
tho horror it gave her to have those
expressions Of her own come tripping
from her mothers careful tongue.
She was Thankful when her falhnr