The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1900-03-24

: SIS she as good as Clara?" she asked
: with a meaning smile.
Charley Moore's face flushed little
but he quickly answered: II was no
making any comparison between them
They are both perfect, but each in he
own way"
"Your lines have fallen in pleasan
place, Mr.. Owen" she said, "for Pop
lar Ridge is noted for its hospitality ant
enterprise. They get up dinners ant
entertainments and picnics out there
that we of x have never been able tt
equal. You will be charmed with the
country, and I hope you will find it tt
your interest to settle there permanent
ly Now, if you young gentlemen will
excuse me, l will attend little to my
household"
She rose, and with slight bow float.
ed gracefully from the room. Her sor
hastened to open the door for her, and
as she passed him, she smiled in his face
with all the glory of proud mothers
love beaming from her blue eyes.
"What pleasant home,' thought
Roscoe. GLOW often have | been the
guest of those who considered them
selves perfect in good manners, yet
where did | ever before see such grace
full courtesy blended with such warm
Affection" Then speaking aloud, he
said:
81 do not blame you for loving so ten
derly your beautiful mother"
Charley Moore seated himself on an
ottoman and answered, seriously:
mo, Mr.. Owen, could not help it if
/ wished to; but don't wish it. Thank
the Lord, I'm not one of those over
manly men who is ashamed of loving
his mother"
Mrs. Moore soon returned, and the
time flew pleasantly by as they convers-
ed unreservedly until the supper hour.
Around the board they assembled, a
pleasant grounA- Mr.. Moore asked q
short blessing over the repast, which
was a neat and nutritious meal, but far
less bountiful than nightly loaded the
Hardisonian table.
"We don't set out such spread as
Hardison," said Charley Moore, laugh
ingly, 'for the house servants would
have to call in help to eat it if we did;
but we won't starve you"
''How long can you stay with us, Mr..
Owen?" inquired Mr.. Moore.
There it was again; that expression
indicating that it was considered a fa-
vor to be allowed to dispense this lib
eral hospitality. Roscoe replied to the
effect that he had thought of staying
two or three days, as he wished to get
ready for the opening of his school.
They so evidently took it for granted
that he was to remain with them dur
ing his stay, that he could not object.
The next day he spent in the town
looking for the articles he desired
to purchase, but he failed to find them,
and concluded to go to Memphis on the
next mornings train. The town of X
seemed to him the dullest place he had
ever seen. There appeared 10 be moth
ing to be seen and nothing to be done.
There were no libraries, no museums,
no parks, no drives, no bookstores,
nothing but billiards and whisky for
amusement. In all the twenty-odd
stores he did not meet half dozen Gus
toners, and the citizens seemed to oc-
cupy their time in lounging in front of
their doors, smoking, reading the pa
pers and whiting. Charley Moore told
him that on Fridays and Saturdays the
stores were all crowded and everybody
was busy; but that now it was cotton
picking time, and everybody was in the
field. He went to Memphis, purchased
books and clothing and returned to
X.
The last evening he spent with the
Moores was exceedingly pleasant. Mrs.
Moore was very kind and motherly to
him, and it had begun even now to
seem perfectly right that he should
consult with her and ask her advice, al
though they had so lately met and she
seemed so absurdly young.
Just before he left the next morning,
she said to him:
"Mr. Moore left word for you to con-
sidered this your home whenever you
are in x, and l also hope you will
come here" She gave him two
notes to deliver; one for "Mrs. Hardi-
son" and one for "Miss Constance Har-
dison."
An uneventful drive brought him to
Poplar Ridge, where he remained until
late in the evening, making arrange
ments for board and the opening OF his
school. He was determined to remove
himself as much as possible, from the
influence of that infatuation which he