Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1905-02-17
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llRRY's PERVERSEHESs
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BY MAE MARTIN.
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| ~ 49, 49, %sGY W. Sy w.
MOI HERE was so much talk
4 about Professor Chesney
10 II 8 before he arrived that
III IL i Larry declared herself sick
&Qa of the subject. Augusta,
having spent several weeks in his COM
pany the previous summer at the house
of their mutual friend, Mrs. Marston,
| felt she had a prior right to nina
mortgage on him." Larry said, in her
girlish impertinence. Gertrude. who
had met him several times, and was
considered very clever, called him "a
congenial spirit" Mrs. Austin, know
ing his social standing and large in
come, declared him to be "a model
man; One in thousand" Mr.. Austin
pronounced him "a right down good
| fellow" Even Jim Annsley, their
cousin and adopted brother, expressed
appreciation of him.
Larry was the only one of the family
who had not met him, and with her
usual perversity made up her mind not
/ u lIhe MIN. lie was AAC0 III
MATES, which only scored against him,
In her eyes.
| The Wednesday the professor was
expected Larry went for a long walk;
she met Ned Erskine and Harry Win
throp, two young artists with whom
she was good friends. and enjoyed her
self very much, getting in barely in
time to dress for dinner. They were all
| assembled around the table when she
slipped into her place, and there was a
reproof in her mothers voice as she
said:
MY third daughter, Larinda, Pro-
fessor Chesney."
| If there was anything that her third
daughter hated it was being adj
dressed by her baptismal name. OPP
posite to her she saw tall, thin man
with brown hair and a short brown
beard, and mustache thickly streaked
with gray, broad forehead, and near
sighted gray eyes that looked kindly
at her through his spectacles.
He was little surprised at the hos
tile expression in the brilliant brown
eyes, which surprise deepened into
establishment when, in answer to a
low-voiced remark from Jim, the young
lady replied, also in low tone, but so
distinctly that he heard every word:
IL think he is an old FOSSIL"
Several of her friends came in during
the evening, and she devoted herself to
their entertainment completely ignor
ing the professor. When she kept up
this behavior for nearly a week it at
tracted the attention of her family as
well as that of the visitor; and when
gentle hints were scorned, Larry was
severely reprimanded.
What is your objection to him?"
asked her mother. $40 me he appears
most kindly, estimable gentleman-'
"Ughr' cried her spoiled daughter,
with a gesture of disgust. "If there is
one thing that l despise more than an
other, it is that word 'estimable.'"
'.You are exceedingly impertinent,"
answered Mrs. Austin, who was. now
very angry Il insist on your being
polite to Professor Chesney, and doing
your share toward entertaining him,
or / shall certainly complain of you
to your father
A little ashamed and wholly angry,
Larry whisked out of the room. almost
into the professors arms with such
force as to rather stagger him.
With a hasty Excuse me-" she sped
along the corridor and up the stairs,
while the ''estimable gentleman" stood
and looked after her.
''An old fOssilr' he r,urmured, with a
slight smile, stroking his beard.
Shortly after this, to the surprise of
Ill, Larry suddenly changed her tactics,
and at dinner one day addressed the
professor. He answered courteously,
and very readily joined in all argu-
ment between herself and jim. Her
remarks were bright and amusing, il
somewhat crude, and the brown eyes
and changeful face were very attrac-
tive. In the evening she played and
sang for him, and was as sweet and
bewitching as the heart of man could
desire, much to the surprise of some
and the annoyance Of others OF her
family.
Unable to account for the change in
Larry's manner, the professor never
theless found her very agreeable; and,
though never neglecting any one else,
1t sooa became evident that she was
the attraction.
Larry was curIed up in deep win
dow sill overlooking the park, basking
in the sun, for she WAS veritable Per-
sian in her love of sunlight. when Pro-
lessor Chesney came into the room.
II am going away tomorrow. Miss
Larry he said. MY pleasant visit
has come to an end all too soon.'
Tomorrow echoed the girl, sitting
up straight. Il am very sorry you are
going.'
And much to her own surprise, she
realized that the remark was perfectly
sincere.
Il am glad to hear you say that said
the professor, trying to keep his voice
steady. ut makes it little easier to
say something that is in my heart
Then he told his story in warm.
eager words, very unlike his usual
calm ones-words that stirred Larry
strangely. There was queer express
sion on her pale face as she stood there
before him.
Professor ChesEey,". she said. with
quiyering lips, Il am not worth the
love you offer ME. You'll realize that
when I tell you that have only been
pleasant ana civil TO you all these
weeks not from any liking for you, but
toto plague the Others
Thoroughly ashxnled. she bent her
head. unable TO meet his eyes.
You mean that you have deliberately
played par. all these weeks You,A
whom / thought SO frank aud traes
How could you do It? Then you've
not the slightest love for me in your