The Elbert County tribune., 1904-12-29
Decision of
the Professor

Emily, after refusing to dance with me
q am only a brother). Il know l
look horrid tonight
20, just as usual" remarked. cheer
fully. meaning well.
But Emily. frowninP. evidently look
ed on the dark side OF my remark
II mean" hastened to add, you
are beautiful as ever"
"Oi" said Emily.
(In this connection, having regard
to brothers well-known reticence on
the subject of his sisters appearance,
1t must be considered fortunate that
the literary instincts of Lady Emily
expressed themselves at an early age
in the form of autobiography. Written
in school exercise book, in the
enormous handwriting she still prac-
tices, 1t supplies us with valuable in
formation. my name is Emily, and
shall be pretty when I'm grown u?"
So the document began, and, allhopSs
1t extended to nearly two pages be-
fore the authoress waaried of her task,
we need quote no more.)
The cause of Lady Emily's unhappi-
ness is easily explained. We had come
up from the country that morning,
and on our journey to the station by
motor car-Emily as chauffeur-we
had collided with a little nursery cart
and. cognizant of n ditch, had observ
| ed how a mother and child rested
/ in 1t, and how two other children
lodged in the roadside hedge, too well
bumped to howl.
There was no real damage done;
wheel had gone into the ditch. and the
little cart. fitting sharply, had thrown
out it's occupant. | quieted the pony,
Emily soothed the children: then we
took them all back to their home.
They had intended TO catch the train
to town, but the accident had so un-
settled Mrs. Joceiyn 1--WE knew herfor
a neighbor), and the baby having been
much shaken, she decided to return
home.
Our apologies were but grudgingly
accepted; days must elapse before
baby would have recovered sufficiently
from the shock to travel, and they
were to have spent that night at
dear friends, with other delightful
visits to follow. The disappointment
was bitter.
Emily and were very silent on our
journey downward, retreat.n>. behind
voluminous newspapers, our hearts
filed with vain regrets.
But my sisters sorrow was.
learned. even greater than mine, for
Mrs. Jocelyn's brother was none other
than certain eminent professor, a
mine of scientific knowledge, who,
dear man. had promised to deliver a
| lecture, without fee, at a bazaar my
sister was promoting in aid of-she
could not recall at the moment what
it was in aid of, but everybody was
helping.
He had not consented without pro-
tracted persuasion, and then would
only promise for the first day. But
now that Emily had upset his sister
and scattered his nephews and nieces
would he not be offended and refuse
to come at all? The prospect was
terrible. Emily was very sad.
1t is often difficult to decide at once
whether the development of an awk-
ward situation be favorable or but
added misfortune. l was resting from
my labors in the dance, when Lady
Anastasia approached me and sank
into chair at my side.
She was plainly excited-indeed,
she told me her nervous system was
shattered; nothing could save her but
an immediate ice. She had been talk
Ing to dreadful person in spectacles;
| she thought he might be a man, peo-
| pie said he was a professor.
| Il had pitied the poor man; he
seemed to know no one, and l tried
to amuse him, and-O, John!-he told
me life was product of combustion
and bridge was a waste of time!"
I urged her to take some ice cream.
and with it she grew calmer.
Life a product Oft seems almost
indelicate, John. But he got worse.
was eating an Ice, just as | am now
only 1t was pink one, and he snapped
at me that sudden cold applied to a
heated body-and you know / never
look hottie said it was tempting
providence, as If l were Eve or Cleo
patra, or some one like that; and as
soon as I could think of an excuse
l got up and ran-literally ran, John.1
Dreadful" / murmured.
But there's dear Mrs. Bath VIZ
liers-I must tell her all about l., |
she's so easily shocked. She's never
got over the loss OF her husband. y,u
know. And he wasn't a good mtn,
either. But women are so foolish when
they love. aren't they. John?"
shook my head mournfully.
"She writes poetry now ViIliers is
gone. and think she'll marry again"
Everything points to it, | agreed.