The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-05-03
1T ST.
BARNABA,S
- n By Marfba
COPYRIGHT. 1904. bg McCnlioch-
Marthd McCatieoeh- Williams

Margery's eyes danced wickedly; she
snuffed battle afar. Miss Catherwood,
waddling majestically from booth to
booth at St. Barnaba's fair, had stop
ped short at sight of her, setting her
nose at least an inch higher and sniff
ing audibly. Since they were fellow
church workers it would not do to say
Miss Catherwood hated Margery, but
even since young Warwick had fallen
under Margery's spell the elder lady
had shown herself spiteful beyond
words.
All Eppington laughed at her, of
course covertly She was in way it's
great lady, owning the biggest house,
the handsOmest grounds and nearly the
biggest bank account in the village
Young Warwick's uncle, the major,
had a thought more ready money, but
since he lived modestly, never subscrib-
ed to anything in public and gave away
by stealth more than half his income
he was no such parsonage as Miss
Catherwood, whose joy in life was to
write her name in front of a good
round sum at the head and forefront
of every important list.
Margery said audaciously that it was
Miss Catherwood's habit to let both
hands know all that even her little fin
ger did. Possibly it was that speech,
with the necessary accretions from
mouth to mouth, which first made Ep-
pington's Lady Bountiful SO high and
naughty toward Its prettiest girl
Margery Lane was easily that and
much more. There was a sweet soul
at the bottom of her velvet eyes, wit
and spirit a-plenty under her mop of
floss silk curls. All the finest young
fellows of the village were her chums
and sworn champions, even to the two
or three who had tried to be something
more. Margery's compelling gayety
shed sentiment as ducks wing sheds
water. Thus she had laughed her would
be SWANS out of signing into a con-
seriousness of what she persisted in
calling their mistakes. When she had
fully persuaded them to take her own
sane view she sent them rejoicing on
the way to court and marry other girls,
Thus in her own way she was easily
as much power as Miss Catherwood
Otherwise she would not have been
what she was at the fair. Miss Gather
wood was the fairs moving spirit. If
she had dared she would have ignored
Margery. Since she did not dare, she
wisely resolved to make the utmost
possible out of her enemy. Conse-
quently Margery had the stall which
dispensed impartially candy, cut flow
ers and literature. The girls chums
had behaved nobly in the matter of
buying, to say nothing of her lovers,
actual, possible and impossible Ma
Jor Warwick put himself at the head
Of the impossible, vowing things were
at pretty pass, indeed, when the girl
he had brought up specially for himself
was whisked away from him all in a
wink by his scapegrace of a nephew.
Melville Warwick, the nephew, had
been Miss Catherwood's protege since
he was in short frocks-this in spite
Of his own smoldering rebellion. His
mother, a gentle half invalid, was de
voted to Pamela Catherwood, and Mel
vile never willfully crossed his moth
er in anything He had worn Gather
wood leading strings with what grace
he might up to the day he was sent
away to college. When he came back
from it to find tomboy Margery a crea-
ture of infinite and tricksy charm,
withal the one woman in the world for
him, he let it be seen he meant hence
forth to have his own way. Within a
fortnight he had courted Margery open
", getting nay-say, of course, but
equally, of course, whistling it down
the wind.
"I'll give you time to find out your
own mind" he had said 1T may take
two years, but what is that beside liv-
ing whole life without your"
Now he leaned upon the flower coun-
ter so ostentatiously rapt in the choice
of rose that Miss Catherwood had to
speak twice before he answered.
What is 1t, Aunt Pam? You want a
AO0N. A~CS AAAO OO6 yO0 NAOOoC AAotC0A
some of those choice chrysanthemums.
You see, everybody wants roses, and
all the flowers ought to go. The chrys-
anthemums swamp any woman less
majestic than yourself. A dozen Of the
biggest and hairiest, please, Miss Lane.
Change? Outrageous! Whoever heard
Of change at fair p
II don't want flowers. Keep your
money, or, If you needs must spend it,
come to some of the sensible tables =
Miss Catherwood said with what she
meant for whitening glance at Mar
gerry, whs smiled amiably.
do take him away, dear Miss Cath
erwoodv' she murmured Il have done
my best to get rid of him this last hour.
II he stays longer all the rest will hate
me. You are an angel to deliver me
from such dreadful fate"
You mean / am an angel. Angels are
all masculine. leave it to the highest
authorities IL that is not true,'' Melville
said, standing stock still, his folded
arms propped upon the flower table
In - IA.