The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-01-11

the room, however, and scarcely had
the door closed behind the last one of
the Nine Pins" before Frances again
threw herself down on the couch.
you have no idea how hard it is for
me, mother!" she walled, her head
buried in the sofa pillows. Every
| Cay after school the girls go down to
Drew's for ice-cream or up to Ruth's
and have gay time, while | have to
leave them and trudge home to say
those stupid lessons to Professor
Shaw. Then the evenings are full of
good times, and am never in them"
There was a note of resentment in
the young voice, and the mothers
face contracted as if with physical
pain You can go out any Friday
evening" she said, gently.
Eyes, but the things | want most to
go to always seem to come in the mid
die Of the week." objected Frances.
The girls are so disappointed be-
cause l can't go Wednesday night.
| don't mind so much on my own
account, either, but I hate to have
the girls say, or even think, unkind
things of you"
They will not replied Mrs Mat
tocks, if they are the nice girls
wish and think my daughters friends
to be-"
The lines of decision about her
mouth deepened a little and her
slender figure Strengthened in the
chair You are too young to go into
so-called society in this town. The
other girls are all one or two years
older than you, and they do not in
tend to go to college You do. You
have definite aim before you. and !
do not consider it possible for you to
do justice to your work of preparation
and endure the late hours and ex-
citement of the life that your friends
lead They cannot do good work in
school, can they?'
Not first-class work. admitted
Frances, slowly. She had risen to
sitting posture now and her tone was
softer although her eyes were aveTted,
ana her expression was still not many
degrees removed from sulkiness. But
it is SO hard not to do as the other
girls do!"she complained.
Her mother sighed. 1t alawys came
back to the unanswerable argument,
and she was tired of it ALFRED men
tally and physically. She leaned her
head back against the chair cushion,
and gazed with unseeing eyes out Of
the window. Perhaps, after all, she
reflected, she was making a mistake
with Frances Frances was young,
and entitled to the pleasures Of youth
II Charles had only lived, so that they
could have talked over their daugh-
ter's training together! 1t was hard
to decide what was best-alone She
put out her hand involuntarily, as if
to meet the firm warm pressure that
had never failed her in the past
OF one thing she was sure, however,
that the school and social life could
not be combined, That she had done
wisely in forcing Frances into the
| former she was not so sure.
1t suddenly occurred to her that this
Frances ambition--it was hers! From
the time that Frances lay, a baby, in
her arms she had dreamed and plan
ned for the college education that had
been denied to herself. She had even
laid aside or graduating dress the
beautiful pieeapple tissue her sister
had brought her from China, and re-
joiced in the delicate fairness of her
little daughter as she lovingly fingered
the rich blue Of the flny texture
It was she. not Frances, who had
sent for and poured over the cata-
logues of the various colleges for
women. She had been especially at
tracted by this new principle of self
| government that was proving such a
success in the colleges; it was so
conducive to self-restraint, self-re
lance, and the finest things that go to
make up character. She wondered
how Frances would thrive under it
Frances, who had had everything de-
cided for her all her happy, sheltered
life, from the choice Of a college to
that of pair of gloves!
Perhaps. very likely, she had not
done her duty by the child in making
her so dependent. Perhaps-and the
mothers heart contracted at the
thought-Frances was not worthy of
the high calling of a college education,
so wonderful thing did not seem to
the llnowledge-hungry soul Of the
woman.
Suddenly her nebulous thoughts
crystallized into a definite resolve:
she would put her daughter to the test,
and see of what stuff she was made.
She rose to her feet and to her own
| amazament her voice rang clear and