The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-11-21
A Good
Change
BY Martha McCulloch Williams
copmiobt, le06, bv Ruby Douglas

thisu in the wagon along with Uncle
Jim's folks, if that would n done you.
Go with a Batson. indeed! Remember,
miss, your grandfather went 10 the
legislature" Mrs. Hicks said wither-
ingly to her daughter Amelia, Who
pouted and answered sullenly;
y wish he'd died first Then you
couldn't he always throwing him at
everybody until were laughngstocks.
And Billy Batson has got the finest
horse and the incest buggy around
here. Any girl Sophy Weldon even (
would jump mt the chance 10 ride in It.
You'd want me to jump, too, If it
wasn't for that snenky preacher. |
tell yea right nov you needn't try to
make me marry him. | won't do II! |
won't! WON'T
Hadn't you better wait till you're
askedT' Mrs. Hicks asked. with her
finest sarcasm.
Amelia laughed II laugh not pleas
ant to hear i amt fool not If |
am your daughter" she retortcd. Il
know what you're plotting, you two,
Huil luul YOU whit nm lpf sun III
law. 81 you can boss the church. as
you've always hosSed things here"
Amelia Hicks, | am ashamed Of
you" Mrs Hicks cried severely, then,
with "A Smile: But maybe | deserve
H. | took Your father rather II listen to
my missionary call And this Is what
get for II n thankless tooth
sharper n a serpent's child"
Amelia gigglcd That's about tho
way you commonly get things" she
said irreverently. Now, You listen To
me. ma You hate old maids so do ]
and Billy Batson is the best chance
I'll ever have in my life. He's going
To court ulr Tins trip | know ii never
mind how. If you dent let me 20. he'll
court somebody else
Lord grant IT," Mrs. Hicks broke in
ferVently Amelia frowned. You
think then. | might put up with your
Brother Gillian she said bitterly.
But I'd die Ia even be an old maid
first. the sourest. ueliest that ever
turned sweet milk"
oh do hushg' Mrs HEX interrupt
ed fretrully. but turning away her
head 10 hide fickeriug crafty smile.
"If nothn' will do you but 10 sink to
the level of the Batsons, why, | sup
pose. | must LET you But you must let
IRE talk to Billy before You start"
what for Amelia asked suspl-
ciously. Her mother laughed sourly.
For NJ great matter" she said.
you may hear every word | say.
Does that satisfy YOU"
Looks like it ought TO-" Amelia said
ungraelously But, understand, you
amt going to mention Gillam."
"Of course not. Pearls amt to he
cast before swines," Mrs. Hicks said,
with a toss Of her head.
Amelia eyed her distrustfully for n
long minute then walked off, mutter-
Ing 10 herself, If only she sticks to
her word she cant do any great
harm.
Amelia thought she knew her moth
err, parteulai II rs regarded the depths
of her deceit blt she stared in dumb
amaZement At Billy Batson's reception.
No May mofn5ag ever smiled more en-
gagingly on him than Mrs Hicks. She
shook hands with fervor and asked In
her suavcst voice after the health of
his family She was Also hearty IN ad-
miraton of his spanking turnout and
wished him all sorts of a good time
the full worth of his money in pleas
IRE Then She added artlessly that She
1, Il 10. 4 f.tp a
menagcrie of one elephant power was
as near as she had come. A pity. TO
be sure, No, she had no scruples 1t
just somehow never quite suited for
her to 90 when circus day came round.
Somebody had been sick or there was
work To do. Mr. Hicks had gone-men
always went but that didn't mean
stopping II pillow, as would have been
the case had She insisted. OF course
she would have had to have the mules
and r0ckaway. Now that she was a
widow she had not felt it was just the
thing to do. A circus seemed somehow
TO require having man along Maybe
she would go next time-her nephew
Freddy Drawne was growing up SO
fast
Then Billy said boldly, with n sheep
ish glance toward Amelia, "Oh, maybe
you'Il have son-fn-law, and II he
don't take You, why. ask me to thrash
him for you"
"If you're willin' to do that for me
maybe you won't mind dom some
thin easicr-lettln' me 20 long with
you and Amelia today. It's dreadful
lonely stayin' at home and watchln'
ali the neighborhood go by" Mrs.
Hicks said, with pIaintive smile.
Billy gasped. but could not refuse.
Amelia stood thunderstruck. She
turned half about, meaning to say she
would not go, but glance at her
mothers face stopped her. Her mother
was counting upon rebellion In her
daughter If Billy saw her fly into a
tantrum he might well be scared off
SO she controlled herself and Chamber
ed up into the buggy, outwardly smil
ing, but inwardly gritting her teeth.
The buggy was high and the seat sc
narrow it barely held two persons. Bill
~ had to kneel upon the floor, steady
ing himself with the relns as best he
might 1t was more than aggravating
He had the fastest horse on the road
and had counted on giving dust TO ev
erything else there, no less than OF
having the prettiest face In the county
at his side. Now he drove at almost
a foot pace, partly because Of the add
ed weight, but much more because hs
wanted to keep away from sight of his
acqualntances.
Naturally conversation languIshed
For awhile Mrs. Hicks kept up O
sprightly chatter, but after a mile OIL
two even she fell silent. Amelia sal
with cllnched hands, ready to cry be
tween anger and modification. OF
course Billy would be angry. He had
a right to be. Not with her, to be sure
but, then, how could she expect hin
to discriminate? Her mother, she
knew well, had the name of being