The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-02-25
MARCIA'S
ORDEAL
By MArtiaA
McCulloch-W W1illiAme
COpaTiUIt. 1908. bu #. C. Mcclure
Copyright. 1908. by T. C. Mcclure

Copyright. 1908, by T. G. Mcclure
s6~- .
Marcia came up the walk with O sigh
sof relief SO intense it was almost q sob.
All afternoon she had been braving it
sout, forcing herself to smile and chat
ter dutifully, listen respectfully to Cal
Iverley structures upon the world-her
World-and life in general and make
the requisite automatic responses.
Aunt Calverley was no blood kin,
only her fathers stepsister, but all the
more punctilious and difficult because
.of it Twice year she came in state
to spend the night and day after at
EGreenways. The visits always left
Marcia and her mother uncomfortable,
but this was the first whose legacy had
been true heartache.
"Don't look SO, daughter. don't be-
3lieve it." Mrs. Aston said, drawing
Marcia down beside her upon the piaz-
ia bench. She was small and fair and
blue eyed, all unlike her daughter.
Even Aunt Calverley admitted grudg-
ingly that Marcia was Alston through
and through. That meant she was
beautiful.
"As handsome as an Aston" had
been saying Of the countryside this
hundred years. AS race the Alstons
were slim and supple, dark eyed, dark
browed, with fine olive skin and clear,
healthy scarlet showing richly in lips
and cheeks; light stepping too. Marcia
in especial had the motion Of a flower
swaying in gentle breezes. There had
been something Of natural irritation,
but no surprise whatever, when Ivor
Morris fell in love with her at first
sight.
There could be no doubt Of 1t. He
called the very next day and the next
and the next, then upon the fourth;
planned picnic in the grounds Of High
Brook, his ancestral estate. He was
but newly come to it. The big house
had been shuttered and shrouded al
most twenty years. That was his ex-
cuse for asking his new friends to make
merry with him outdoors. Though he
was far too well bred to devote himself
conspicuously to Marcia when thus
playing host, by a sort of tacit consent
she was pushed forward to be the head
and front of everything. The next day
he vanished unaccountably, but In a
week he was back again and evidently
more in love than ever. He managed
somehow to see Marcia every day for. q
mOhth; then came another absence and
insthe midst of it Aunt Calverley.
Aunt Calverley was bursting with
HeWs. MRS. Alston was certain Of IL
the minute she set eyes ON her. There
was certain swelling as of pride in
her own discerning mixed with Osten-
tatious pity for the blindness Of her
kinfolk. Still she told nothing out Of
the common until after the midday
dinner, when she had begun veering
delicately to the subject of her depar-
ture. Although the length Of her visit
was always as fixed as the laws Of the
Medes and Persians, she felt sadly
sighted If in the last hours Of It she
was not begged to make it longer.
Mrs. Aston had just said, with COM
mendable show of heartiness, ''Pm
sure there's nothing to call you home
you had just as well stay with us until
Monday" when the revelation came.
81 hope / shan't never be foolish
enough to wear out my welcome any
where's" Aunt Calverley returned VI
ciously. 81 know you two will be
wantin' to go right of and see your
new neighbors. OF course You know
I've Morris is fetchin' home his wife
and twins. Don't tell me you hadn't
heard? And him here SO much! Well,
I am astonished. But men air queer
specially the Morris men. How else
did the old major have six sons and
just this one grandson? And Ives
father was the widest Of the lot.
Maybe that's why l mistrusted his son
SO from the very first. You won't
make me believe he's bringin' the wife
of his own good will and pleasure. I
believe there's been trouble between
'em, and she's brought the gentleman
up with a round turn. How do I
know? You know he has got Peggy
Henderson, to keep house for him.
On the way here stopped at High
Brook to ask Peggy If she reckoned /
could get her daughter Fanny to- come
and quilt for me next fall. Peggy was
so fustered couldn't hardly get q
sensible word out Of her. I've had sent
her a telegraph: Comm home Satur-
day. Prepare adjoining rooms for Mrs.
Morris and twin children p
"Why didn't you tell us yesterday Z
I would love to have made q cake for
those children. Peggy Henderson's
cake is always as heavy as she Is"
Marcia interrupted so gayly her mother
gave her look Of adoring pride. "Now
it's too late" Marcia ran on. "Do stay
over Sunday, Aunty Calverley. The
Morrises will surely come to church.
I'd like to know what you think Of
her" -. :. as
But there was no turing Aunt Cal
verley away from talk of Ivor Morris.
His sins, actual and potential, beguiied
her into staying. until sundown, al
though she had to drive ten miles.
Marcia endured it all wonderfully
just how she never quite understood.
She did not break down even at her
mothers wistful comforting - only
locked her fingers hard and said, gaz-
ing far away into the glowing sunset:
"Why shouldn't it be true, mamsiel I
Ivor Morris has looked love at me and
spoken it. but never word Of mar
riage''-
"He- he called me mother the very
last time saw him. Mrs. Aston said
tremulously. II tell you he 10 not
wicked'- IS .T
''No; perhaps only weak" Marcia
said, drawing her mother within her
arms. sHe worships beauty, and am
truly very pretty, mother. He is Inn
pulsive too. | know for the time he
loves me with all his heart. Maybe
ne has loved his-I mean somebody
else-with all his heart. Maybe also
ne will keep on doing it all his life,
And love him, mother. But he has
saved and spared me this much-he
has never given me the chance to tell
him so. Now know why, Let us
mi k-n %oN. - IA L. n