The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-01-27

4
so often since his trouble, and tina
looks like he had some idea of TIE
eternal fitness of things"
mo. that's true" admitted Mrs
Cranston. land. really. I'm quite SURF
| there has never been an intimate un
/ Outstanding between them, and if We
play our cards right there won't be-"
The major resumed his reading. and
Mrs. CranstOn went up, the smooth
winding stairs to her daughters room
Lydia was seated before the fire. hel
beautiful and abundant hair hanging
loose over her shapely shoulders.
Il thought I'd see if Tom had made
you good fire, DEAR" Mrs. CranstOn
said gently
"Oh, yes; it's all right, mamma,
thank YOU" Lydia returned, with a
smile.
Mrs Cranston hesitated. when do
you look for Kitty to come" she asked
Next week, toward the end, l think
mamma. She wanted to stay over for
the guards ball. Then she'll be ready
for q rest here
Mrs. Cranston pinched Lydia's fire
REDEEMED check caressingiy. Don't
you miss all those things, dearest?"
Not one bit. mamma" Lydia gave
her mother her eyes trustingly. I'm
fact, sometimes I'm just little asham-
ed OF all went through since realize
the beauty of this full. vigorous life
here in the mountains. Mother, l can
have a better time on Prince. gallop-
ing heller SHELTER over these roads anG
fields, than l ever had vying with 9TH
er girls for the most dances and ia
vors in the german with a lot of boys.
Oh, mamma" Lydia laughed, "sorle-
times Pm awfully ashamed Of having
done all that when-when"-
when what, darling?" Mrs. Gran
ston's lips were compressed, her eyes
fixed half fearfully on the speaking
countenance
when there are so many of Gods
creatures here in their shells of power
ty and misery trying to rise, trying to
grow out into the sunshine of life. l
think ! could be perfectly happy if l
could only help those people in some
way. want to teach them, to encour-
age them. not to believe in their degra-
dation. Mamma, just the other day |
saw an old woman selling eggs frC N
a wagon at the gate, and in the wagon
was her daughter, poorly dressed, but
her features were finely drawn, u. Il
when l stopped to speak to them the
girl looked at me as if l were a prln-
cess. Oh, mamma, that sort of thing
cuts me. | have not done anything to
deserve that. and, poor thing. what has
she in store for her? Nothing but to
fall into the sort of life her mother is
leading
That's all true" agreed Mrs. Gran
ston, but there are different grades of
society, and we can't alter the CON-
dition." Then the speakers face be-
came more rigid. her tone tense and
tentative. And the mixing of the
elements, my dear" she put in guard
eddy. sometimes produces sad coro-
piicat.ons. You remember how JaiIie
Dunwoody married beLeath her in
Lexington and that it actually killed
her father and broke up a happy
home?"
That was awful simply awful! re-
marked Lydia. 'You know l saw her
two months afterward, and the poor
thing tried to keep me from recog-
nizing her. She told me she was try
ing to adapt herself to the ways Of
her husbands family, but could not
do it. Her husband meant well
enough, but even he seemed unable
to make it bearable for her"
Mrs. Cranston sat perfectly still she
seemed hardly breathing She wax
very anxious to have her next remark
seem casual.
Il have never heard you say before
what you thought about that marriage.
dear but never thought Halle treat
ed her father ana mother r1gnr.-
No, she didn't" answered Lydia.
Halle knew the extent of her father
and mothers pride, and she had no
right to crush it for her own selfish
love. If she had sacrificed her own
desires, and even those of her hus-
band, she would have been happier
in the consciousness of having done
her duty. | don't think self sacrifice
has ever brought about bad results
in the long run"
Mrs. Cranston breathed freely. She |
was all aglow as she bent and kissed |
Lydia good night.
Going down to the major, she said: |
1--WE had very. very satisfactory talk |
with Lydia-oh, no. not openly on that |
subject she fastened to correct as
he raised his brows in surprise. but |
In a roundabout way. We need not |
be afraid of her. IL she cares par
for George Buckley she |
doesn't know 1t. and II she should |
realize that she was drifting In that |
direction she would pull herself up"
well. I'm glad she's that sensible
said the major as his eye fell to the
paper and began 70 search for . -