Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-12

blank amazement-"because, contin
 ued Eunice, "the,e is 20 fate which
 would think more tragic than being
 married to your son."
 "You ain't talkin' sincere!' the wo
 man cried. "I'd like to know how yol
 think you could do better or half a:
 good?"
 q think I could not do worse."
 Couldn't do worse'n marry our Abe
 Your'
 The girl was patiently silent. Some thing convincing in her bearing made Mrs. Morningstar begin to suspect that she actually meant what she said and even greater than her indignation at this unbelievable slight to her son was her sudden dread of having that $3,OO0 go out of the family.
 Its her thinkin' that there moneys cOmin' to her makes her so sassy and high minded about Abe," she thought, 'or mebbe Hen Mucklehenny got a chanct to see her unbeknownst to me, and she thinks she'd be doin' better to take him."
 "So this here's your gratefulness fur all we done fur you a'readyr' she up- braided the girl.
 A look of weariness came into Flu nice's eyes. She took up her lamp and turned away from the table.
 "Who do you want to marry, then?" Mrs. Morningstar stopped her with the question.
 That is not a matter that it is nec- essary to discuss"
 Don't give me none of your back talk And what do you do with usin high language as if you was educated yet?"
 Eunice did not answer.
 'Is it Hen Mucklehenny you're after?"
 "He is not quite so objectionable as Abe, but I'm not after him."
 Inasmuch as Hen was considered by the MOrningstars quite good enough for Ollie, this rejection of him by Eu- nice was an offense almost as great as her refusal of Abe
 "I'll tell you whatr Mrs. Morning star harshly exclaimed. You're after that there Doc Kinross; that's what! Him and you fixed it up between yous somehow, though fur the life of me 1 don't see when, fur you certainly ain't never out of my sight long enough to make up to no man. A body'd have to keep you. locked up in closet yet to keep the men away from you or con- trariwise to keep you from maxim eyes at the men and temptin' 'em! It's the $3,000 you thinks comin' to you has made you all of sudden so stuck up about our Abe! And now you think with all that money you kin marry a towner yet"
 A hot color burned in Eunice's cheek, but she looked at Mrs. Morningstar steadfastly.
 "Three thousand dollars coming to me? What do you mean?"
 You want to purtend you don't know yetr the woman said sarcastic ally, though her eyes wavered from the girls face doubtfully. Was it possible she did not know?
 'Will you explain to me what you mean?" Eunice repeated.
 Tt ain't neither here nor there! didn't mean nothin'. Is Doc Kinross sweet on yOu?"
 The girls lips quivered, and her eyes suddenly glistened with tears.
 Do you want to know what he thinks of mel" she asked, her voice vi- brating with suppressed bitterness. "He thinks so poorly of me as to be- lieve me capable of marrying Aber'
 Her hopeless tone implied that he could think no worse. Mrs. Morning star was dumfounded. Such q view of Abe was incomprehensible. And that it should be held by this girl whom she scorned, seemed past belief.
 And yet, deep down in her heart she knew that Eunice spoke sincerely; that passing strange as it seemed, she ac- tually did not want to marry Abe; that if that S3.OO0 was to remain in the family, she must stoop to coaxl She coax this pauper girl, her serf, to mar " her Abe! It was a bitter humilia- tion.
 She began at first Automatically. She said that of course they wouldn't "leave" their adopted daughter go pen niless to her husband and that if she did marry their son they would give her a nice purse full of money-up in the hundreds.
 But Eunice did not rise to the bait. Then the woman humbled herself to plead with her and to speak of Abe's love for her. But this. too. failed. 'I.et us talk of it no more" Eunice gently begged, feeling utterly exhaust cd after a half hour of the futile dis "It Is of no avail to talk"
 Mrs. MOrningstar tried then to lash herself into a rage and upbraid her ob- stinacy. but she found herself strange ly tongue tied. This was a new and Euniee. this girl who calm " refused to obey her. who used as high language" as if she were book learnt and who didn't think Abe good oSough fur her. In place of the contempt with which she had al- ways treated her she found herself almost with a sense or awe before her and certainly with a novel feeling of respect When at last Eunice left her for the night Mrs MOrningstar. having entire ly failed in her commission. wondered as she took her lamp to go upstairs