The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-30
CHAPTER 1.

fhe phases of her physical well being to
feel her every muscle firm and strong
mad to know that her flesh. her heart
and her lungs were in the best possible
oondition.
Mrs. Rodney was widow with little
money. two daughters to marry off and
= mind given to the things OF this
world. When her husband had left her
impoverished. the sense of blood ties
and family duty had induced her broth
n. Josiah Gardner. to take charge OF
her and her daughters But he had this
unpleasant fashion Of complaining
about money matters. Mrs. Rodney's
ume argument in defense of their e1-
penses was the need of getting The girls
well married. This meant marrying
them to men Of means and good social
position-rich men. anyhow. for Mrs
Rodney was convinced that money was
enough of an sscpen sesame" for New
York society at all events IF man
had. not the blood or manners Of thor
songh gentleman, skillful wife who
was lady could pilot him through the
shoals all right. Most American hus-
hands, except the few who are young
society men, do not figure very promi-
-nently in the social phases of their fam
lies. They generally have the air of
being casual and bored assistants at
functions of this kind, and not much is
expected of them except to pay the bills.
Miss Rodney was rather restive flly
and gave her worthy mother many an
occasion fer fretful dissatisfaction. She
had will of her own, and her tastes,
as has been said, were for athletic pas
times and not for society, though she
was fond Of dancing and handsome
gowns. She did not show that keen de-
sire for bagging some eligible man
which her mother would have liked.
Mrs. Rodney had not infrequently COM
plained Of this in her eldest daughter.
81 should think you would want to
get married and settled and not have
to feel that your uncle is breaking his
heart over every penny be puts out for
what he thinks is our e1travagant hv-
inc. You know, am doing ali can.
Miss Rodney would try to keep her
temper over maternal naggiEg OF this
kind and generally succeeded by de-
elining to argue the point. She was
content to go her way, and go her way
lie did. In justice to Mrs. Rodney it
must be admitted that she gave only
what entertainments she felt she could
NOT escape and keep in the swim at all.
She had to keep there. for the sort OF
men whom she wished the girls to
marry were there. and there must be
opportunity for them to meet such men,
Uncle Gardner was mt quite as mean
as he appeared to be. They generally
got what they wanted. He simply made
the matter more pleasant for himself
BY growing over things and rendering
the women unhappy.
he had gone away for the night Of
the dance and had not been expected
to return until the second day after it.
SO as to allow the house and the IN
mates tine to get back to the normal
But be had got disgusted with some
thing at the hotel and came home the
next day, full of a fault finding disposi-
tion. The women groaned in spirit at
this unexpected advent of the head Of
the family Rose. the younger daugh-
ter. was perfectly in accord with her
mothers views and helped her in her
aims as far as she could. Her uncle she
hnmored and cajoled as we'll as pretty
but not very clever girl could humor
and cajole a 2een. cranky old man
Mrs. Rodney felt that it wac little
unfortunate that the characters Of her
two daughters were not reversed. Miss
Rodney ought to be disposed first in the
matrimonial market. as she was the
elder. If she were as compliant as
Bose, this consummation would not be
% hard one to effect. But Florence
Rodney was nice to the men that she
liked rather than to those whom it was
her policy to attract Her sturdy inde-
pendent American spirit recoiled from
deliberate efforts in this direction. She
was determined that she wouldn't
marry anybody unless she both liked
and respected him. and she wouldn't
try to bring any man she c0uld not feel
toward in this way to the point OF pro
posing needlessly.
Uncle Gardner's fine. crusty spirit
was in great form this morning after
the dance. With the pleasant sense that
he was away the household had in
du,eed in a much later breakfast hour
than they .coHid when ke was at home.
He liked 20 bres,l7fi.st IT s. and insisted
on havin. his fssuii:y present at the
meal After being np la;e Che right he-
fore this was cot ;lWisys comforting
4..:-c tn do for tie women felix.