Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-11-27
THEIR POVN I
Of VIEW

.umelf that he was going to be mar
r1ed.
What stunned them most was his
~way Of telling them this quite natur-
sally, as If it was nothing unusual. II
was Just as II he had been in the habit
~Gsf announcing every day of his life
aG1at he had matrimonial intentions.
1.-THE idea of his thinking Of getting
married" almost wept Mrs. Atchison
4Alat evening to her husband. "Why
didn't you tell him he was foolish in
stead of Just sitting there! Derrick's
IN mere boy yet--he's so awfully
young!"
Hes g." commented Derrick's
father, grufIly, biting his cigar and
browning.
ut seems just the other day that he
was playing marbles and wearing out
a1is stockings at the knees" said Mrs
Derrick, tearfully. 81 just came to be-
Efeve 1t! It seems too ridiculous! Why
san you imagine Derrick-that ire
@ponsible boy-at the head of house
zlold?"
Flat" corrected Atchison, with the
suspicion of a grin. mo, | can't say
that l have a picture of Derrick pick
Eng out good steak on his way to the
train to be sent up or frequenting in
Gelligence Offices. I don't believe he'd
&sxnow a steak in it's natural state from
yz sofa cushion or have courage to face
% cook In search of a job. 1t seems
funny to have a boy you've taken
.&cross your knee and spanked talk
about getting married"
II don't suppose we can stop him,
either" said his mother, gloomily.
He's awfully set in his ways. And to
think that he's going to marry a girl
G've never laid eyes on but once 1t
seems SO unnatural, somehow! He
anight have considered me little! He
KNOWS it takes me SO long to get &C
~quainted with strangers. I'm sure
HShere were lots of nice girls around
nome here. l expect she led him on.
afShe had on a brown dress the day l
~saw her and never did like brown.
She's not at all his style of girl"
Grace Little" said Derrick's faith
~1er, meditauvely. ri never heard of her
father. don't believe he can amount
so much in his line"
mo doubt she just worked Derrick
fGnto proposing" said Mrs. Atchison,
'stwisting her handkerchief "She is
probably one Of the scheming kind
aAnd thought she'd never again have
caM q A hnu
Derrick and with as good a salary
~snd ceverything-he has always gone
In such good society-oh, it's scheme
clear through! He says she is only %,
nut I've no doubt she's years older.
1 suppose she Is wild with JOY at hav-
Ing landed him. And her mother-oh,
u can imagine how complacent her
smother must be these days at having
N@ot her daughter settled at last! How
'@he will talk to the neighbors and en-
4Oy herself! Horrid, designing, ordi.
mary people!"
"But we don't know them" ventured
eAtchison, with lame attempt at JUS
: 2fce.
Il don't want tot" flashed Mrs. At
Gibson. II suppose that's where Der.
=" rick is gone now since dinner. All |
Nnese years In his own home and now |
Ne deserts us for Grace Titles moth.
s@r's house! They've simply hypnot-
F1zed him! My boy never would treat
F1ds parents 30 if he were not bewitch-
Nnd!"
Still, It's the natural thing to get
married" said Atchison. tits done
every day."
; He said that must 90 and call on
Ene&Zjttles," said Derrick's mother.
IT rather be killed! l simply can't
Stand having to listen to that woman
s&ush over Derrick and congratulate
Gnerself that she's to have him for a
@onin=lavE She'll be so full OF her
triapln that she'll talk nothing else.
~ have to smile and pretend that
dsdKe it! It's big feather in any girls
cap to marry Derrick"
--9E4e's fine chap" admitted his
Father" even If he is my own son!"
Several days later Derricks mother
went in state, haughtily tolerant to call
on Grace Little and her mother, who
By arts and wiles had lured her only
.Rcn into their net and now sat trium-
Ehant over the sacrifice. She began
ceiling her husband about the call be-
fore he got inside his own door that
'avening.
II never was so indignant in all my
1ffe!" Mrs. Atchison said, excitedly.
Se1e you know what that woman did?
she had the nerve actually to weep
60 shed tears-over the sacrifice Of
her daughter! She didn't seem to APP
spvaciate what she was getting at all!
she said Grace was SO young and she
hadn't wanted her to marry for years
get, but that Derrick was so impetuous
sRnd persistent very words! She
did admit that he, was a nice young
slaGu, but She did it in a grudging way. \
She didn't talk about a thing but her II
daughter. You'd have thought that was
all that mattered! She almost congratTI
.nIated me- on getting such a daughter, II
ln-law, too! / must say that I never
law such n narrow poinft az TieW!1