The Canton times., 1900-12-14

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now, you know"
Her answer was an affectionate hug
and: "If you only knew how funny
you look when you try to look solemn
said she.
Well, we sat down, one on each side
of her, and we propounded the social
debut. l talked what 1 believed to
be common sense. My wife said good
deal about parties and beautiful
gowns, and seasoned the lump with a
little worldly wisdom, which 1 firmly
believe she had learned out of book,
as she hasn't a particle of her own.
Maureen sat there as quiet as a
mouse and listened patiently, but she
said nothing until we came to full
| stop. 1t is trifie difficult to go on
adducing arguments in support of a
plan when nobody says anything to
contradict you.
That was what we both felt, so we
paused. Maureen still sat silent for
moment, then she spoke. had never
heard Maureen's voice with that in
Election in my life; she was actually
serious.
>"My dears," she said, and she slipped
one hand into mine and another into
my wife's, you've been very good to
me all my life" and there was a thrill
in her voice as she said it which made
my eyes grow suddenly dim. "Ive lost
both father and mother, but you have
been to me so kind that never missed
either-can | say more? But don't
make me do this thing. What is the
idea? shall be rich some day, and
[ know you think me pretty, therefore
you would like me to make a grand
marriage. l don't care if / marry or
don't, but I'm quite sure it would be
hateful to live in a dirty old city, and
I'm not going to do it, so that is quite
settled. isn't it?" Il
During the first quarter of her speech
my wife and l held our breaths-it was
so unlike the Maureen of every day
but the windup held family likeness
to speeches we had often heard, and
we felt that we were treading familiar
ground once more.
Then you won't CO." said. 4
Indeed, won't" she replied, and
then there was vision of gathered
skirts and tiny feet, for Maureen had
departed by the way she had come.
My wife and ! looked at each other
md gave a sigh of relief.
II hate the city" she said, sudden
y. "but thought it was my duty to
lake her there"
Just what l felt myself" told her,
but apparently we won't have to up-
'oot ourselves after all; you see, she
las made up her mind"
ut never takes her long to do that"
IF she made up her mind to marry
anybody, for instance. and we didn't
approve" she suggested, what could
We do?"
My face, l presume, presented q
flank, for my wife jumped up and
vent out of the room laughing.
Maureen wasn't my only care, either. ,
had son called Tom, and he was
IS wild as hawk, so need hardly say
hat he and my ward hunted in couples. =,
lie was a year or two younger than
he was, but he would have followed
er to the moon willingly had there
een a path there, and there had never
cen an escapade of hers in which Tom '
ad not had his full share. ,,
1 had had tutors for him, but one :
fter another these gentlemen had in
ormed me that-well, one of them had
lsinuated that / had better engage
ne of the wild beast tanners from
raveling menagerie, as such person =,
light succeed in instructing Tom.
or an ordinary man it was hopeless
lsk, he said, to attempt to teach him
nything.
My wife had warned me not to en-
age any young man as tutor this time. a
Now Maureen is grown up" she said. =
sour own common sense will tell you
lat it wouldn't do at ALL"
agreed hastily, and sat down to ac- .t =.
pt the suggestion of a friend who
ld proposed sending me certain %,
rof. Bryant, who, my friend said, was
lite clever at dealing with boys. !,
I'd visions of speetacles and a brain d
uffed with classical lore, of some
d dry-as-dust specimen of humanity,
I'd gave a sigh of sympathy with Tom. y"
remembered my own mad youth, and
lderstood him better than most peo- 80
e could, except Maureen.
But the boy must learn; he was GO "
g to college soon TO prepare himself
r the bar, and Re needed preliminary
ition.
Nv letter was written and duly dis
tched. my terms were accepted by 81
'rof. Bryant" and few days later m
me = telegram announcing his ar 81