The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-06-21
CHAPTER III.

tana City. The west and the east were
met in confict-the old and the new,
the stale and the fresh And, if the
bitterness was dissembled by the COM
batants, not less keenly was it felt, nor
less determined was either faction to
be relentless.
The sole non-combatant was Mrs.
Bines, the widow. A neutral was this
good woman, and a well-wisher to
each faction.
Il tell you it's all the same to me-"
she declared, Montana City or Fifth
avenue in New York. I guess 1 can
do well enough in either place, so long
as the rest of you are satisfied"
1t had been all the same to Mrs.
Bines for as many years as a woman
of SO can remember. 1t was the lot
OF wives in her day and environment
early to learn the supreme wisdom of
abolishing preferences. Riches and
poverty, ease and hardship, mountain
and plain, town and wilderness, they
followed in no ascertainable sequence,
and superiority of Indifference to
each was the only protection against
hurts from the unexpected.
This trained neutrality of Mrs. Bines
served her finely now. She had no
leading to ally herself against her chill
dren in their wish to 20 east. nor
against Uncle Peter Bines in his stub
born effort to keep them west. She
folded her hands to wait on the others.
And the battle ragged.
The old man, sole defender of the
virtuous and stalwart west against an
east that he alleged to be effete and
depraved, had now resorted to sar-
casm-a thing that Mr.. Carlyle thought
was as good as the language of the
devil.
and here, now, how about this
dog-luncheon?" he continued, glancing
at New York newspaper clutched
accusingly in his hand. 1T was give.
l see, by one Of your Newport cronies.
Now, that's healthy doin's fur a two
listed Christian, amt it? 1 want to
know. Shappyronging a select COM
pany of lady and gentlemen dogs from
soup to coffee; pressing little more
OF the dog-biscuit on this one, and
seem that the other don't misplay its
tlnger-boWl no way. How I would love
to read of Bines standin' up, all in
purity velvet pants, most likely, to re-
celve at one of them bow-wow func-
tions-functions, believe, is the name
of it?'' he ended, in polite inquiry.
young man broke in, soothingly; "you
mustn't take those Sunday newspapers
as gospel truth; those stories are print
ed for just such rampant old tender
foots as you are; and even if there is
one foolish freak, he doesn't represent
all society in the better sense of the
term
Eyes, and you'll" Uncle Peter broke
out again, reminded of another griev-
ance. You know we'll enough your
true name is Peter-Pete and Petite
wnen you was baby, and Peter when
you left for college. And you're
ashamed of what you've done, too, for
you tried to hide them calm cards
from me the other day, only you want
quick enough. Bring 'em out! I'm
bound your mother and Pish shall see
'em. Out with 'em!"
The young man, not without embar-
rassment, drew forth Russia leather
card case which the old man took from
him as one having authority.
Here you are, Marthy Bines!" he
exclaimed, handing her card; "here
you are! read it. Mr. P. Percival
Bines.' Now don't you feel proud of
havin' stuck out for Percival when you
see it in cold print? You know mighty
we'll his pa and me agreed to Percival
only fur a middle name, jest to please
you-and he want to be called by it;
only jest Peter or Peter p at most;
and now look at the way he's gone and
garbled his good name"
Mr.. P. Percival Bines blushed fu-
riously here, but rejoined nevertheless.
with quiet dignity, that a mans name
was something about which he should
have the ruling voice, especially where
it was possible for him to rectify or
conceal the unhappy choice of his par
ents. "
'And while we're on names,'' he
continued, do try to remember in case
you ever get among people, that Sis
name is Psyche, and not Pish.'
The blond and complacent Miss
Bines here moved uneasily in her pat
ent blue plush rocker and spoke for the
first time, with grateful glance at her
brother.
eyes, Uncle Peter, for mercy's sake,
do try! Don't make us a laughing
stock!"
"But your name is Pish. A PERSONS
name is what their folks name EN-,
amt it? Your ma comes acrost
name in a book that she likes the
looks Of, and she takes it to spell Pish,
and she ups and names you Pish, and
We all calls you Pish and Pishy, and