Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-02-11
NUMBER 6.

MTS. MOrlluSStdI Dcsih W SuoPSNs
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
So, 600 go out Of the family.
IT'S her thinkin' that there moneys
comm 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."
$50 this here's your gratefuness fur
all we done fur you a'ready!' she up
braided the girl.
A look Of WEAKNESS came into Eu-
nices 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 matter that 1t is nee
essary TO discuss
Don't give me none OF your back
talk. And what do you do with usin'
high language as II you was educated
yet?"
Eunice did not answer.
as it Hen Mucklehenny you're
after?"
"IIe is not quite so Objectionable as
Abe, but I'm not after him"
Inasmuch rs 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 what" Mr.
star harshly exclaimed. ~
that there Doc Kinross: that's W.4t.
Him and you fixed 1t up between yous
somehow. though fur the life Of me l
don't see when, fur you certainly amt
never out OF my sight long enough to
make up to no man. A body'd have to
keep you locked up in a closet yet to
keep the men away from you or con-
trarlwise to keep you from maxim
eyes at the men and temptin EN-. Its
the $4,000 you thinks comm 10 you
has made you all of a 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 yeti" 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.
1T amt neither here nor there!
didn't mean nothln Is Doc kinross
sweet on you?"
The girls lips qulvered. and her eyes
suddenly gllstened with tears.
do you want to know what he
thinks Of me?" she asked. her voice Vi
brating with suppressed bitterness.
He thinks so poorly Of me as to hc.
lieve me capable Of marrying Abe
Her hopeless tone implied that he
could think no worse. Mrs. MorniHg-
star was dumfounded. Such n view
Of Abe was incomprehensible And
that it should be held by this Girl
whom she scorned, seemed past bel 4.
And yet deep down In her heart lie
knew that Eunice spoke sincerely: tat
passing strange as it seemed, she C.
tually did not want to marry A e;
that If that $1,000 was to remain In me
family, she must stoop to coax! She
coax this pauper girl, her serf, to mr.
ry her Abe! 1t was bitter humilia-
ton.
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 ,he
did marry their son they would giTe
her nice purse full of money-up in
the hundreds.
But Eunice did not rise TO the bait.
Then the woman Lumbled herself to
plead with her and to speak Of Abe's
love for hei But this. too failed.
LET us talk Of It no MORE" Eunice
gently begged. feeling utterly exhaust
ed after half hour Of the futile dis.
eussion. 1T Is Of no avail to talk"
Mrs. Morningstar tried then to lash
herself into a rage and upbraid her OBJ
stinacy, but she found herself strange
ly tongue tied. This was new and
unfamiliar Eunice, this girl who calm
ly refused to obey her, who used as
"high language" as II she were book
learnt and who didn't think Abe
good enough fur her" In place OF
the contempt with which she had al
ways treated her she found herself
Inspired 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
what pop" would say Of her failure
and whether the girls amazing refusal
would leave him us dumfounaed as 1t
had left her.
ITO BE CONTINUED