The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-08-06

I ties itr' said Alfred Say
8 v 8 low, loudly.
4 Il + If bolt from the heay'
1o< ems had descended in the
midst Of the little group seated about
the breakfast table it would hardly
have created more CONSERVATION.
Julia Saylow, stout and impressive,
put down her coffee cup with de-
liberation and eyed her husband in
open-mouthed wonder.
Violet and Mignonette pushed back
their chairs as if a second outburst
would precipitate immediate flight,
and looked anxiously at their mother.
Only Willoughby, the nine-year-old
scion of the house, retained his COM
posure to any extent. He was accus-
toner to violent surprises in his daily
walk and recovered himself quickly.
''Why not?' he asked, boldly.
Because you can't-that's why" re-
turned his father sharply. "You all
hear me, don't you?"
1t was quite evident that he had been
heard, although no reply was forth
coming. The girls feebly played with
their food; Julia's face underwent
various changes of color, which finally
settled into an aggressive red; and the
boy broke into long whistle Of be-
wilderment.
''Will, you may leave the table,"
said Mr.. Saylow. sternly.
Willoughby gazed thoughtfully at
him for a moment, then seized slice
of toast and vanished. He had seen
that in his fathers eye which remind.
ed him of an almost forgotten hour of
sadness, closely associated with the
tingling recollection of strap. So he
went
''He meant it." he ruminated as -
slipped away; 'yes, I'm sure he meant
it! What's got into him?''
Saylow was not an imposing figure
as he folded his napkin and rose to
depart. A thin, undersized man, with
much gray in the light brown hair and
struggling beard. He stopped slightly
from close attention to his desk, and
there seemed an air of physical weak
ness about him, in strong contrast to
his portly wife and bouncing daugh-
tiers.
But his usually kind gray eyes.
wrinkled at the corners with his per-
petual smile of Cancellation, were now
quite fierce, as he stopped with his
hand on the door knob and looked sew
erely at Julia. "You heard me" he
said with emphasis.
When the sound of his quick little
nervous steps was heard fading away
in the passage the feminine tongues
were unloosened.
The repression Of Julia now burst
forth. "My dear children" she be-
gan, rapidly, but impressi-ely, II trust
you observed that controlled myself.
I thought it better to say nothing in
reply, nor to open an argument. There
will be no argument-we shall 60 as
I have planned. vi, you may invite
Edgar; Min, you may order the wag-
onette. from the stable. We shall go.
Tell Willoughby. We start vt eleven"
''Of course We will co." cried vi Il
knew we would all the time. Let's
get the luncheon ready
Trips to the lakes. five miles from
the town, had become weekly occur
rences. Alfred had sat down to a lone
ly midday meal so frequently that he
could scarcely remember the number.
And these meals had been occasions
of trying thought.
.sIt cannot go on" he had said to HIM
self again and again. Il do not see
what Julia is thinking Of. 1t is too ex-'
pensive. The bill from the stable is
something enormous-and they get
boats and men to row them and hire
fishing tackle. I can't bear to say
anything-they enjoy themselves, 1
suppose-but Julia should know bet
ter. She is so thrifty in some ways
and so improvident In others. I do not
understand it. I am SO out of the
habit of finding fault at home that I
don't know what to say. I shall lose
my self-control some day; 1 know
SHALL"
And he had. No one bit he knew the
volcano smouldering under the erup-
tion-it was but the hiss of the puff
of steam from the safety valve of the
boiler of surcharged mind, anxious
and worried and shrinking-hating to
give offence and having to.
Saylow attended to his business that
morning with certain feeling Of ex-
alted emancipation. He had asserted
, himself He had not intended to be
so cross, but his voice had sounded
different from what he meant it should.
Still, they had said nothing, anu it
would be all right by dinner time, and
he would exert himself to be very
pleasant.
'"Going?" queried Willoughby, in
great astonishment, when he was noti.
fed. why, father said we couldn't"
''Ma says we are, and she is the
one," answered vi. 'He didn't mean
anything. Hurry up, Will, and 60 over
to Edgar's."
"The boy shook his head obviously.
81 don't know about this" he said, eau
tiously. "He did mean it. They say
pas awful in the Office when he gets
cross"
"Oh, come on" laughed his sister;
che is a dear, harmless old thing, and
will be all right by tonight. Run
along. We are going to fish to-day,
you know. The wind is just right"
Tell Mr.. Saylow that we will be
back about six o'clock" called Julia
to her maid, as they drove away ia
style behind a pair Of grays. "Give
him a good lunch, Margaret
1T is a lovely day. I almost wish
they had gone," sighed Alfred, as he
walked into the house at noon. Il had
to do it, though. will try to make it
up to them in some other way-why,
where is everybody? Hullo, Julia,
where are you?"
s"They're gone sir. Mrs. SaylOw said