The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-11-20

deal more native ability than her mother gave her
credit for. But her mother was getting out of all
manner of patience with this behavior on her part,
and she felt that before long the question must come to a
crisis. She trembled with apprehension when she
thought of the last, decisive battle. and hoped, as
did her father. that "somethin might happen.
John Simpson had been her lover so long that he
seemed to feel entirely sure of his position without
taking the trouble to have any definite understanding
about it. To all intcnts and purposes. they were
engaged. - and yet he had not asked the al-important
question IN SO many words. This made Serenas
position particularly embarrassing. because she could
not feel free to take John into her confidence in refer
ence to Parks and his unwelcome attentions. as she
would naturally have done had there been a full I'M
derstanding about prospective matrimonial questions
between them. John knew that Parks admired her.
but he never once thought of being Jealous. or of
the possibility of a rivals stepping in and winning
that which he had come to consider his own beyond
doubt or question any time he saw fit to assert his
claim TO it. Serena was only eighteen. and as he had
not settled all his plans for the future as yet. there
was no need of being in a hurry.
1t was now drawing near to Thanksgiving, and Mrs.
Thomas decided that there was no sense" in letting
matters run on in this way. Parks and Serena ought
to come to some sort of understanding. and the
sooner they did so the better for all concerned. She
felt confident that if an opportunity was given to
Parks he would make good use of it. and she also felt
sure that Serena could not resist the eloquence and
ardor of his wooing when he got down to business. "
She had come to consider the girl so lacking in indie
pcndence and stamina-"in backbone, to quote her
favorite phrase-that a stronger mind like Parks
would find little difficulty in swaying her will to its
influence. as the wind sways a reed. All that seemed
really lacking, therefore. to round out her plan to
satisfactory completion. was the right kind of
opportunity. This she determined that Parks should
have. and that as soon as possible. Procrastination
was the thief of time, also of chances like the one
now opening SO alluringly before her unambitious
daughter. she reflected. She did not believe in wasted
opportunities.
A little thought over the question decided her plan
of action. She would have a Thanksgiving dinner-a
select affair: Just a few relatives and Parks-and
she would move Heaven and earth to secure for him
sometime that day the too-long-delayed opportunity
to ask Serena to marry him.
Accordingly she began a sort of preparatory siege of the
cnemy's position by losing no chance to say sarcastic
and disparaging things about John Simpson. and speak
ing in terms of high approval of Parks. She also con-
trived to make Serena feel. without putting it into words.
that she confidently expected that she would be gov
crncd wholly by her wishes in the matter. The girl
had never yet dared to openly disobey or question
br AUTHORITY and II NOT Ite1y that