The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-06-15
The Mother of MedOra |
BY Kate n. Cleary. :
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"IET ELL. I wouldn't look 50 tragic

Copyright, isai, ~ Authors s5ndieate-l

"oh, yes, you would.s sighed Ne
dora.
She tossed her preposterously long
yellow braids back over her shout
der, leaned forward in her low, bed
room rocker, and with a round chiu
popping on a pink palm gazed into
the sparkling fire with dark, solemn
eyes.
you shouldn't have become en-
gagged to him in the first place." as
serted Nell
That's easy to sayl" Medora
Verne exclaimed in some exaspera-
ton. "How's body going 10 help
becoming engaged to a fellow who
haunts you like your shadow, and
is the only presentable man within a
month of miles, and who makes the
other girls furious by giving you
alone his persistent and fattering
Rttentions?"
Nell Harmon's plain. pleasant face
looked back at her grayely.
"But you weren't in love with him,
dearl"
Medora gazed meditatively at the
slim feet on the fender. Fairy feet
they were in their pretty boudoir
slippers of blue silk and swansdown,
'T-I didn't know anything about
being in love then" she confessed,
meekly.
"And-you do now?"
Medora nodded, her white brow
ruffiing into perturbed little
pucker.
"Who is hep Do know him?"
A series of rapid little mods from
the girl in the blue kimona.
'It isn't Reuben Dever?"
81 should say notl" Indignantly.
"He's fiftyl"
'It-it can't be Gregory BowersF'
"Nell-that child!' A disdainful
toss of the yellow braids. "He isn't
grown up yet"
81 can't think of anyone else un-
less it might be Dave Rogers"
Miss Verne raised heavenward a
pair of appealing eyes.
MAY the Lord give you sense!"
she petitioned. "Dave Rogers! That
imbecilei"
Then there was no sound in Nell
Harmon's pretty room save the whis'
pering of the fire and the purr oi
the family cat. A sudden suspicion
caused Miss Harmon to sit upright
to flash at her guest a suddenly il
lumined glance.
"Medora--it's never Maurice?"
The face in the flooding fireshine
kindled rosily. The lids dropped over
the blue-blacl eyes. The reply cams
in q whisper.
-.Yes-it's Mauricei" she uttered
the name tenderly.
"Wen!" gasped Nell Harmon. Her
great astonishment held her silent
"My-my brotherl l never dreamed
Does he know?"
"Oh, you--stupid- How
should I lnow-if he didn't He had
to tell me-hadn't he? That's how
came to find out was in Lowell"
"Ohl" breathed Nell, and found nc
further word to say. But the food
gates of Miss Verne's confidence
were set wide.
"And here Maurice adores me-has
for five years, he says, but I'm sure
1t can't be that long, for | was only
in short dresses then. And" miser-
ably, "I'n die without Maurice
know | shalt And here I'm engaged
to Thomas Elder-a fussy, finical
tiresoms, old-young creature! He
won't let me off. I've tried to make
him hate me since I found out that
Maurice was the only man in the
world for me. But he won't! He
thinks I'm perfection-and will al
ways be perfection and that mamma
will be perfection when he meets
herl Shes 70 get back from Europe
on Saturday. I've told him she must
live with us. I" tearfully, "ltnov
most men detesf mother-in-laY-
and mamma wouldn't leave her owl
house for any man alive - MOI
even for mel He SAYS" in despair
ing tone, "he--he hopes so! I've tolt
him she has no money. Think o.
thati You know what mammals in
come isl He declares that doesn'
make particle of difference. ] sale
she-she was--was bad-tempered
Oh, Nelll Think of my sweet mother
being bad-temperedl He vows that,
impossible-if she's my mother
Nell-whatever am to do?"
"Well, of all the sublimated Sap
phiras I've ever met you've turne,
into the worst, Medoral If that'l
the effect of love on you, / pit,
Mauricel There-therel You littl'
sillyl AS If ! wouldn't give-oh
what wouldn't l give to have you fol
a sisteri Harkl Come in, Keturahl'
Keturah came ina tail, stout, red
faced woman, with the aspect of l
grenadier and the stride of al
Amazon.
"Are you ready, Miss Nell? Shal
/ brush your hair now?"
"Not for ten minutes, thank you,
Nell answered. politely.
When the door had closed benin,
Keturah the visitor drew the fold
of her Japanese negligee around he
with fastidious little shudder.
II can't congratulate you on you
taste in choosing a maid, Nell Tha
old creature is hideous And you
mother says She has volcanic TEN
per-"
''she is very faithful-very de
voted to me. You see. rescued he