El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-01
The REIGN
OF REASON
lContinued from Ninth Page)

bewiIderment in her pale. stern, law
yerlike face
started back from the door l had
opened.
Come in. Adellne." she said; come
In Like as not it's no news to you that
this poor fool 1 brought into the world
wants TO marry n low down girl over
there in the hollow. without a second
gown to her back and no more raising
than one OF my beifers."
Jimmy did not stir.
IF he could get himself up to tell me
%. he's likely told everybody else first.
You needn't say nothing. ] don't want
to know what you know or what you
don't. but l want to tell you-you are
young and foolish-that you've done a
right cruel thing IL you've given him
encoura cement In his folly, or II you
ever do. can't believe he ever would
have named such a thing to me n
somebody like you hadn't give him
some sustainment.
Il felt a guilty thud in my breast as
Ahose luminous pale eyes fixed them
selves upon me. | had not meant To
give encoura cement, but 1 saw now
that Cousin Betsey was probably right
and that my liking for Ellen had help
ed Jimmy to the courage shown in this
declaration. lie had an immense re-
gard for nv opinion
james" she said. look at me-" Jim
my raised a haggard. pain dazed face
~James, I'm going TO say before Adeline
what I've told you Id do II you won't
give up this-girl. VIII you give her
upT'
Jimmy half gasped. Mother" he
began. then stopped: a dead silence. It's
tensity was painful. Ike physical SEN
sation. Mother, IL you'd just know
. her, If
Il knew her father and mother be-
fore her. before you was born. My
father kept her grandfather from
starving TO death. More's the pity. since
1t brings this shame upon me now.
Her mother was a namcIess brat. I
know her enough.
Nom. nom: you don't. Ellen's not
them. She'd make the hest Wife
much you know or care about her
making a good wife. You can't take
me I'm. You're in love with her"
Nom; no. NAV. I'm not that be
witched''-
''Will you or won't you give her up?'
Jimmy staggered to his feet and 10
the door.
Mother. mother" he repeated slowly
under his breath as IL il were a sort OF
prayer.
stop" she said. "Adeline''-she
took me by the arm-"I say TO you that
II he marries that girl he is no son of
mine. and I'll never treat him as one.
dead or alive
The door closed behind Jimmy and
Cousin Betsey sank into a chair and
let her hands fall as they would. one In
her lap and one at her side. knelt be
side her and tried TO stanch my tears
Cousin Betsey had all a mans prefer
ence for an International atmosphere.
and the first thing she said was to tell
me to bring her knitting
-Oh, why. why" said, did you say
such a terrible thingr'
"I said IL because | thought IL would
stop him IL anything would" she an
swered. with a firm mouth. though her
fingers were a little shaky as she han
died her needles.
But IL IL doesn'tT
IF II doesn't. be knows what to look
for
Cousin Betsey. I've seen her. She
seems nice. l believe she would be a
good wife,
-Adeline. get up, I don't want to
hear any more fooIishness. I'm the
one that's likely to know who'd make
. good wife for my son IL It's a good
wife you are both so bent on I've
taken care Of him a good many years"
Don't you love him7 Don't you
want him 10 be happyT'
'Of course I do. That's why I've
done what l could to stop this thing"
The needles were clicking well by |
this time.
But IL he marries. and you do As |
you say. you'll make him miserable"
III do what I say. I've had to say l
II for his good. and I'd have 10 do IL l
not to he liar. HoSsomever. there's /
no use living through the thing before !
II happens I don't seem to see Jimmy /
getting himself UP To go and disobey l
me He'd never have the spunk." And 1
Cousin Betsey. with that almost appaII- l
ing good sense so characteristic Of her.
insisted on returning to the serene tone /
OF everyday life. She treated Jimmy
for the "a hours that I was still with
them in exactly her usual manner.
which was placidly kind. so far "a IL
was anything. though IL took less ac-
S"uhi va hiih is IN 4hbif ihudi sutttg
than probably even the humblesi Of u
In his place would have preferred.
Jimmy was much depressed but he
was in awe of his mother AMI felt !
bound TO pull himself together and re-
spond to her attitude a. far as possible
IL was an evident relief To- linn wheD
he and ] were once more started on
horseback for the station. AMI Ia Was
at liberty in the woods To- Ice as Inisera-
BILE as lie liked. lie longed to- have me