Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-10-07
A STRONG
MAN
BY Martina
McCulloch-William
Copyright. iaus. IN Martha McCuii0cL-
Williams

neral as Wilton Roy" Granny Bunch
said. her short nose In air.
Sunshine laughed aloud Sunshine
was otherwise Anne Trevor. helress OF
Ways End, and Granny Bunch was
Mrs. Richard Lee. Sunshine was tall
and twenty. Granny Bunch was short
and stout. with II fresh. rosy face. The
two were cronles despite the forty
years between them. also despite the
fact that Granny Bunch was bent on
matching Sunshine 10 her mind.
They lived half a mile apart. and
Sunshine did the visiting for the most
part She was not yet mistress at
Ways End Her Stcpmothcr. Nine
Trevor. had life estate there and
was ms austerely unSocial rs Granny
Bunch was hospltable. She had also
grudgc 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
II little short of her stcpdaughters
Christian duty 10 take Wilton Roy.
her nephew. lie had come with her
TO Ways End and lived there. lie
was digniiied. 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
n modest competence. along with a
capacity for handling II fine fortune.
Thus Nine. Trevor to her nmost
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 his fat old grand
mother were rank fortune hunters. lay
ing traps and pitfalls for Anne's I'M
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 he there when
she arrived. why. so much the better.
He was younger than Sunshine by
whole month and fancied himself
madiy In love with her. lie had been
counting her since they We're fifteen.
with the usual interludes- college esca-
pades and summer fl,rtations. sun
shine knew all about them, for Granny
Bunch was Richard 3d's coniidant.
"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 a lot of the fool
ishness. BY the time Dicky Is through
college he will have come to know him
self In measure. Then he'll find out
over again what he knew In the be-
ginning that there Is nobody In all the
world like Sunshine"
II was Dicky's story-the tale OF his
latest enthralmcnt-that had led to
Granny Bunch's revilement of Wilton
Roy Sunshine had said demurely she
did not understand how men could be
so different Wilton Roy had told her
he should never make love 10 any girl
but the one he meant 10 marry. And
then Granny Bunch had exploded. She
hated the superfine Wilton.
zone couldn't very well marry a
funeral marrying a minister Is about
the nearest thing TO t." Sunshine said
refiectively Granny Bunch eyed her
narrowly. then broke into laugh. say
ing:
Honey. you nearly fooled me then.
Honest now-dont you find him
mighty wearingi"
Not always: he has his uses" sun
shine said. He says an undisputed
thing in such n solemn way and after
! have heard him awhile almost any
body else is refreshlngly brilliant
even DIcky dear"
''Dlcky is no genius-he'll never set
the river afre-but he Is man-an
athlete. strong as a mule. gentle as
lamb" Granny Bunch retorted.
Sunshine laughed '"rell him In your
letter send him kiss-for his grand
mothers sake" she said. Tell him.
too. have named the pup he sent me
for him. and ask MIN II he does not
think his namesake deserves new
collar
u know he thinks yes. | shall write
him TO bring the collar. not send It."
ohtAf
lovingly. Sunshine held up her hands.
crying:
''What. Take him from his studies
for a whole week. You mustn't think
OF IT, Granny. Dicky dear hasn't any
too much scholarship. now-certaInly
none 10 lose"
"a hang for books and lectures aud
all that fiddle faddle" Granny said
stoutly. THE boy is not there to cram
his head with such stun only want
the place 10 mold him as II helped to
mold his father and grandfather II
thought II could make n prIg OF him
like-weil. somebody I 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.
fIha twn svara lanohtuar 40 hon rfflv