The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-03-31
cHArrEe ID coyrIyrED.

'SThen what's the matter with your
Mrs Barclays voice rang with I'm
patience. Il never saw you act like
you do tonigbt-neveT in my life"
II didn't know anything was wrong
with noe. mother"
you act queer. I declare you do. .
asserted Mrs. Barclay. You general
~ have lot to say. Have you and
Frank had falling outY
Dolly gave her shoulders a sudden
shrug Of contempt.
mo; we got along as well as we ever
did"
II thought maybe he was little
mad because you wouldn't dance to
night, but surely he's got enough sense
to see that you oughtn't to Insult
Brother DilIbeck that way when he's
visiting our house and everybody
knows what be thinks about dancing. "
''No: be thought did right about it. +"
said Dolly.
''Then what in the name Of common
sense is the matter with you. Dolly?
You can't pull the wool over my eyes.
and you needn't try It,"
Dolly faced about suddenly.
II reckon you'll sit there all night IN
less / tell you all about it," she said
sharply. Mother, Alan Bishop was
there"
"You don't sayg'
"Yes. and asked me to let him take
me to church tomorrow evening"
"Oh, he didY'
Eyes; and. as didn't want father to
insult him, -
''You told him what your pa saidY'
mo; just told him father didn't
want me to receive him any more
Heaven knows. that was enoughy
"Well, that was the best thing for
you to do" Mrs. Barclay took a deep
breath as II she were inhaling a de-
hcious perfume Its much better than
to have him plunge In here some day
and have your father break out like
be does In his rough way. What did
Alan sayT
HE said very little. but he looked it.
You ought to have seen him. Frank
came up just about that time and In
vited me to have some Ice cream, and
had to leave him. He was as white
a. sheet. He had made an engage
ment with me to sit out a dance. ard
he didn't come in the room again till
that dance was called, and then he
didn't even mention it. He acted so
peculiarly ! could see 1t was nearly
killing him, but he wouldn't let me
bring up the subject again. came
near doing ii, but he always steered
round it,
Hes a sensible young man." de.
clared Mrs. Barclay. Amy one can
see that by looking at him. He's not
responsible for bis fathers fooIhardy
venture, but IT certainly leaves him
In bad fix as a marrying man. He's
had bad luck. and he must put up witk
the consequences. There are plenty Of
girls who have no money or prospects
who would be glad to have him, but
Mother" broke In Dolly as If she
had been listening to her own trou-
bled thoughts rather than her mothers
words, ''he didn't act as If he wanted
to see me alone. The other couples
who had engagements to talk during
that dance were sitting IN windows
and out Of the way corners. but he
kept me right where was and was as
earafpiiv naIife as II we he'd irst hAaz
introduced. was sorry FOR MIN anu
mad at the same time. could have
pulled his ears"
Hes sensible, very sensible" said
Mrs. Barclay in tone Of warm ad-
miration. "A man like that ought TO
get along. and reckon he will do we'll
some day"
''But. mother" said Dolly, her rich.
round voice rising like a wave and
breaking in her throat, ''he may never
think about me any more"
swell, that really would be best,
dear, under the circumstances"
BEST" Dolly blurted out. How
can you say that, when-when"-
dolly, you are not really foolish
about him, are your Mrs. Barclays
face dropped into deeper seriousness.
Dolly looked away and was silent
FOR a moment Then she faltered: II
QVu kuON. llOlueI. IL III ulldib IL
keep on feeling like do now I'll never
get over It,"
"Ah, but you'll not keep on feeling
like you do now" consoled the cider
woman. "Of course. right now. just |;
after seeing how hard he took it. you
will kind of sympathize with him and /
want to help him; but that will all /
pass away. 1 remember when | was I
about your age | had a falling out I
with VIII Despree, young man my
father didn't ike because his GRANDPA /
ther had been an overseer. And, do |
you know, thought l would actually i
kill myself. l refused to eat bite and !
threatened to run away with Will TO /
this day | really don't know what / /
would have done IL your grandfather
hadn't scared him away with shot
gun. WIN kept writing notes to me.
/ was afraid to answer them, but my /
father got hold of one and wen. after (
him on a fast horse. Wits family !
heard what was up, and they kept (,
him out In the swamp for few days,
a - a