Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-12-19

English Lucy and gone to educating a

were sometimes made, silently gnashed
MS teeth, then said savagely that "if Guy
chose to teach Maddy Clyde, he did not
see whose business it was" and then
rode over to AikenSide to see the teacher
and pupil, half hoping that Guy would
soon tire of his project and give 1t up.
But Guy grew more and more pleased
with his employment. until, at last, from
giving Maddy two hours of his time, he
came to give her four, esteeming them the
pleasantest of the whole twenty-four. Guy
was proud of Maddy's improvement, prais
ing her often to the doctor, who also mar
veled at the rapid development of her
! mind and the progress she made, grasp
ing knotty point almost before it was
explained, and retaining with wonderful
| tenacity what she learned
1t mattered nothing to Guy that neigh
| hors gossiped; there were none familiar
enough to tell him what was said, except
the doctor or Mrs. Noah; and so he heard
| few of the remarks made so frequently.
AS IN Honedale, so in Sonmerville, Maddy
was favorite. and those who interested
themselves most in the matter said Mr..
Guy might perhaps be educating his own
wife, and insinuating that it would be
great come up" for Grandfather Mark
hams child But Maddy never dreamed
of such a thing, and kept on her pleasant
way, recting every day to Guy and 60
ing every Wednesday to the red cottage,
whittier, after the first visit to Uncle
Joseph. Guy never accompanied her. Jes-
sic, on the contrary, went often to Hone
dale Uhprn OF laoor taS
her coming, stealing up closely to her,
whispering softly Daisy is come again"
From the first Uncle Joseph had taken
to Jessie, calling her Sarah for while,
and then changing the name to Daisy
Daisy Mortimer, his little girl" he per-
sisted In calling her, watching from his
window for her coming and crying when
ever Maddy appeared without her. At
first Agnes, from her city home, forbade
Jessie's going so often to see a lunatic;
but when Jessie described the poor, crazy
mans delight at sight of her, telling how
quiet and happy he seemed if he could
but lay his hand on her head, or touch
her hair. she withdrew her restrictions,
and, as if moved to an unwonted burst Of
tenderness, wrote to her daughter Com
fort that crazy man all you can; he
needs it so much.'
A few weeks after there came another
letter from Agnes, but this time it was to
Guy, and it's contents darkened his hand
some face with anger and vexation. In
cidentally Agnes had heard the gossip,
and written it to Guy, adding in concu-
sion: "Of course l know it is not true,
for even if there were no Lucy Ather-
stone, you, of all men, would not stoop
to Maddy Clyde. l do not presume to ad-
wise, but 1 will say this. that now she is
growing a young lady, folks will keep on
talking so long as you keep her there in
the house; and it's hardly fair toward
Lucy"
This was what knotted up Guys fore
head and made him, as Jessie said, real
cross for once" Somehow, he fancied,
latterly, that the doctor did not like
Maddy's being there, while even Mrs.
Noah managed to keep her out of his way
as soon as the lessons were ended. What
did they mean? why did they presume to
interfere with him? He'd know at all
events; and summoning Mrs. Noah to his
presence, he read that part of Agnes let
ter pertaining to Maddy, and then asked
what it meant.
1T means this, that folks are in con-
stant worry for fear you'll fall in love
with Maddy."
81 fall in love with that child"' Guy
repeated, laughing at the idea, and forget
ting that he had long since accused the
doctor of that very thing.
"Yes. YOU" returned Mrs Noah. "and
faint strange they do. Maddy is not a
child she's nearer sixteen than fifteen, |
is almost a young lady; and if you'll ex-
cuse my boldness, | must say | amt any
too well pleased with the goin'son my
self not that don't like the girl, for | |
do. and don't blame her an atom. She's |
as innocent as newborn babe, and | |
hope she'll always stay so; but You, Mr.. |
Guy. you-nQw tell me honest-do you |
think as much of Lucy >Atherstone as you
used to, before you took up school keep
in'?"
Guy did not like to be interfered with
and naturally high-spirited, he at first !
few into a pa ssion, declaring that he
would not have folks medd.ing with him.
that he thought of Lucy Athorstone all !
he time. and he did not know what more
lo could do: that twas a pity if a man
could not enjoy himself in his own way,
providing that way were harmless, that
ned never spent so happy a winter as the
ast; that
Here Mrs. Noah interrupted him with:
That's it, the very it: you want nothing
better than to have that girl sit close to
YOU when She recites, as she does; and
)nce when she was workin' out some Of
hem pluses and minuses. and things, her
slate rested on your knee; it did, | saw
It with my own eyes and then, let me
ask, when Jessie is drummin' on the
piano. why don't you bend over her, and
YOU do when Maddy plays; and how does
It happen that lately Jessie is one too
many. when you hear Maddy's lessons?
She has no suspicious, but / know she
lin't sent off for nothin'; | know you'd
rather be alone with Maddy Clyde than to
have anybody present; isn't it soE'
Guy began to vince. There was much
ruth in what Mrs. Noah had said. He
lid devise various methods of getting rid
IF Jessie. when Maddy was in his library,
Jut it had never looked to him in just the
light it did when presented by Mrs
Noah, and he doggedly asked what Mrs
Noah would have him do.
First and foremost, then, I'd have you
d. hat |