Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-09-28
A STRONG;
MAN
McCulloch-W Williams
Copyright. 1905. bY Martha McCulloch-
Williams


"Humph! I'd as lieve marry a fu-
neral aS6yilton Roy" Granny Bunch
said, her short nose in air.
Sunshine laughed aloud. Sunshine
was otherwise Anne Trevor, heiress Of
Ways End, and Granny Bunch was
Mrs. Richard Lee. Sunshine was tall
and twenty. Granny Bunch was short
and stout, with fresh, rosy face. The
two were cronies despite the forty
years between them, also despite the
fact that Granny Bunch was bent on
matching Sunshine to her mind.
They lived half mile apart, and
Sunshine did the visiting for the most
part She was not yet mistress at
Ways End. Her stepmother, Nine.
Trevor, had a life estate there and
was as austerely urrsoeial as Granny
Bunch was hospitable. She had also
grudge against Granny in that she,
too, had views as to Anne's proper be-
stowal. Granny was all for marrying
Sunshine to her grandson. Richard
Lee Sd, whereas Nine. Trevor held
1t little short Of her stepdaughter's
Christian duty to take Wilton Roy,
her nephew. He had come with her
to Ways End and lived there. He
was dignifed, sober and sensible, ex-
actly the husband for such piece Of
quicksilver as Anne. The match would
be In every way ideal Wilton had only
a modest competence, along with
capacity for handling fine fortune.
Thus Mime, Trevor to her inmost
self, thus also obscurely, with much
wrapping about of fine phrases, to
Sunshine. She hated bitterly Richard
Sd and did not scruple to say out
right that he and bis fat old grand
mother were rank fortune hunters, lay
ing traps and pitfalls for Anne's un-
wary feet. Anne's usual answer was
to mount her horse and gallop away
to her dear Granny Bunch. II Rich
ard Sd happened to be there when
she arrived, why, 30 much the better.
He was younger than Sunshine by
a whole month and fancled himself
madly In love with her. He had been
eourtina her since they were fifteen,
with the usual interludes-eollege esca-
pades and summer firtations. Sum
ahine knew all about them. for Granny
Bunch was Richard 8d's conhdant.
"You mustn't mind. honey" she had
said to sunshine. Indeed, you ought
to be obliged to these other girls-they
are taking out such lot Of the fool
ishnsss. By the time Dicky Is through
college he will have come to know him
self In q measure. Then he'll find out
over again what be knew In the be-
sinning-that there is nobody in all the
world like Sunshine"
It was Dicky's story-the tale Of his
latest enthrallment-that had led to
Granny Runch's revilement of Wilton
Roy. Sunshine had said demurely she
did not understand how men could be
10 different. Wilton Roy had told her
he should never make love to any girl
but the one he meant to marry And
then Granny Bunch had exploded. She
hated the superflne Wilton.
Zone couldn't very well marry a
funeral-marrying a minister 10 about
the nearest thing to It," Sunshine said
renectively, Granny Bunch eyed her
narrowly, then broke into a laugh, say
ing:
Honey. you nearly fooled me then.
Honest now-don't you find him
mighty wearing"
Not slwayai he has hts uses" Sun
SHINE said. "He says an undisputed
thing In such a solemn way and after
I have heard him awhile almost any
body else is refreshingly brilliant
even Dicky dear"
"Dicky Is no genins=he'h never set
the TgeL afire-but he Is n man-an
athlete, strong as a mule. gentle as q
lamb" Granny Bunch retorted.
Sunshine laughed. "Tell him In your
letter I send him a kiss-for bis grand
mothers sake" she said, "Tell him.
TOO, / have named the pup he sent me
for him, and ask him II he does not
think his namesake deserves a new
collar"
II know he thinks yes. l shall write
him to bring the collar, not send It,"
Granny Bunch said, eying Sunshine
lovingly. Sunshine held up her hands,
crying:
What! Take him from his studies
for whole week! You mustn't think
Of 1t, Granny! Dieky dear hasn't any
too much scholarship nowzzcertainly
none to lose"
"a hang for books and lectures and
all that fiddle faddle," Granny said
stoutly. THE boy Is not there to cram
his hoad with such stun. / only want
the place to mold him aa II helped to
mold his fathar and grandfather. II 1
thought 1t could make a prig of him
ike-well. somebody / might name-he
should leave tomorrow"
II see you are an obstinate person
likewise opinionated. my dear Mrs.
Lee" Sunshine Knocked In Nine. Ire
vor's own manner.
The two were laughing 30 heartily
they did not hear Wilton Roy ride up
to the open hall door and kept chat
ting madly Of things they would not
Aave had him hear for a kingdom.
Whether or no he heard, he gave no
sign whom he came In ten minutes
later. But on the way home and oil
through that evening he beset Sun
shine to marry him. pressing her until
sho was almost driven In sheer weari.
ness to accept,
Wilton was a good stratoglst; no did
not fall into the two elderly womsn's
mistake OF running down all possible
rivals. Indeed, he ignored rivalry and
talked OF his love and long devotion.
He had never talked 50 we'll, and tKefs
was ring IN his voice that impressed
her.
As II Fate were on his side. the
morning was rainy. The day wearing
on brought a deluge that shut In Ways
End and utterly forbade stirring
abroad. The rain held three days-a
regular autumn freshet. How Anne
got through them she never under
stood. Wilton pleaded manfully and
Nine. Trevor deliberately left her
alone whenever she ventured into the
big parlor, the library. the long halls
or the inclosed back piazza. Anne did
not know IT, but Wilton had said to
his aunt:
II have got to clinch things at once.
Mrs. Lee is teaching Anne to laugh ut
me. II let that happen am lost. Az