The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-12-18

43A8. NlOuCIdllOu 10 Anc R4EoGhN tdoA
ION. Perhaps be viii fall into line. :
said Mrs. Ferrall thoughtfully. The
main thing Is to keep him among PEG
pie, not to drop him The gregariOus
may be shamed. but IL anything. any
Incident happens to drive him outside
By himself. II he should become soil
kary, there's not a chance In the world
Tor him. It's pity. | know ne meanG
b make himself the exception 10 the
rule-and look! Already one carouse
Of his has landed him in the daily pa.
persF
Sylvia flushed and looked up. Grace
may ask you question:
"Yes, child" she answered absently
HAS 1t occurred to you that what
you have said about this boy touches
me very closely"
Mrs. FerralIs wits returned nimbly
from woOlgathering, and she shot a
startled, inquiring glance at the girl
Beside her.
"You-yOu mean the matter Of hered.
tty, Sylvia?"
"Yes l think my uncle, Major Bel
wether, chose you as his august mouth
piece for that little sermon on the dan
gers of heredity-the danger of being
ignorant concerning what women OF
my race had done-before I came into
the world they found so Amusing
II told you several things" returned
Mrs. Ferrall composedly Your uncle
thought 1t best for you to know"
'Yes. There was, If l understood
you. enough Of divorce, of general in
discretion and irregularity to seriously
complicate any family tree and coat of
arms l might care to claim
"Sylviar'
The girl lifted her pretty bare shout
ders. I'm sorry, but could help it, |
Very well; all can do is to prove a
decent exception. Very we'll; I'm do
ing 1t, am | not-practically scared into
the first solldy suitable marriage Of
fered, seizing the unfortunate How
ard with both hands for fear he'd get
away and leave me alone with only ii
queer family record for company !
Very well. Now, then, want to as
you why everybody in my case didn
go about With a sanctimonious fac,
and a dolcrous mien repeating: Her
grandmother eIoped! Her mother ran
away! Poor child; she's doomed.
doomed"
Sylvia, r.
Eyes; why didn't they2 That's the
way they talk about that boy out
there" She swept a rounded arm to-
ward the veranda.
Eyes bat he has already broken
Dose, while you
$50 did I-nearly. Had 1t not been
or you you know well enough I
night have run away with that dread
ul Englishnan at Newport, for
dored him-I did. | did and you 9
now it. And look at my endless es-
apes from compromising myself! Can
ou count hem? All those indiscr,
Ions when mere living seemed to In
oxicate me that first winter and only =
~ uncle ar' you to break me i'm u
an other words" said Mrs. Ferrall
Iowly, ''you don't think Mr. Siward is d
citing what is known as a square
eal?"
mo, don't. Major Belwether has
lready hinted-no. not even that but
as somehow managed to dampen my
leasure in Mr. Siward."
Mrs. Ferrall considered the girl be-
de her, now very lovely and flushed
/ her suppressed excitement
after all" she said you are going
, marry somebody else. SO why be-
)me quite so animated about man
on may never again see?"
Il shall see him If | desire to-"
ooh"
al am not taking the black veil am
?" asked the girl hotly.
"Only the wedding veil, dear But,
tier all, your husband ought to have
to suggest concerning
,mmon visiting list 80
He may suggest, certainly. In the
eantime | shall be loyal to my own 40
lends and afterward too" she muir
ured to herself as her hostess rose, a.,
Llmly dropping care like a mantl" A.,
ON her shoulders. .
60 and be good to this poor young az,
an, them adore rows-and you'll :
I'VE a few on your hands, I'll wa -,
mt Let nae remind you that your "a
lele can make 1t unpleasant for you !.
It and that your amiable fance has rL
Ill of his own under his pompadour 10
Id silky beard. :,
what a pity to have 1t clash with :.
Incl" said the girl sereney.
Mrs. Ferral looked at her. Mercy =.
us! Towards pompadour would ~.
lex up straight with horror II he !.
uld hear you. Don't be silly; don't a.,
r an impulse, for a caprice, break Off !.
ything desirable on account of
IN for whom you really care nothing, p
hose amlable exterior and prospec -.
re misfortune merely enlist very ~
tural AMI generous sympathy II
a."
DO you suppose that shall endure
reference from anybody-from my q
Gle from HOward2"