Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-30

Sixty miles! 1t might we'll be the
other side of the worfd' to all intents and
purposes said my Aunt Olivia. obsti-
nately.
why didn't you\say so before L
bought the place. then?A But it's not too
late 1 can be selling 1t and buying right
here in Hillcrest If that will please you
though there isn't half as nice place to
be had. But I'll fix it up somehow
mo. Mr.. Norman Nicholson" said Aunt
Olivia. firmly. that doesn't cover the DIFF
fculty. I knew you would not under
stand. My ways are not your ways and
cannot make them over. You-you track
mud Inland you don't care whether
things are tidy or not"
Poor Aunt Olivia had to be Aunt Olivia
IL she were being burned at the stake
verify believe she would have dragged
some touch of grotesqueness into the
tragedy of the moment.
1.-The devilr' said Mr.. Norman Nichol-
son-not profanely or angrily, but as in
sheer bewilderment. Then he added:
Mile, you must be joking. It's care
less enough ] am-the west isn't good
place to learn fnicky ways-but you can
teach me. You're not going to throw
me over because / track mud imp
Il cannot marry you, Mr.. Norman
Nicholson" said Aunt Olivia.
+
You can't mean it, he exclaimed, be-
c;use he was beginning to understand
tnat she did mean it, although it was i'm
FOR min n
anything about the puzzle Mile, it's
breaking my heart you are. I'll do any
thing-go anywhere-be anything you
want, only don't go back on me like this"
II cannot marry you, Mr.. Norman
Nicholson" said Aunt OiiVla Tor the
forth time.
"Nilliev exclaimed Mr.. Norman Mich
olson. There was such agony in his
tone that Peggy and l were suddenly
stricken with contrition. What were we
doing? We had no right to be listening
to this pitiful interview. The pain and
protest in his voice had suddenly bah
ished all the humor from it and left
naught but the bare. stark tragedy. We
rose I'D and tiptoed out of the room,
wholesomely ashamed Of ourselves
When Mr.. Norman Nicholson had gone.
after an hour or more of useless plead
ing Aunt Olivia came up to us, pale and
grim and determined. and told us that
there was to be no wedding. We could
not pretend surprise, but Peggy ventured
a faint protest.
"Oh, Aunt Olivia. do you think you
have done well?'
'Tt was the only thing could do" said
Aunt Olivia, stonily II could not marry
Mr. Norman Nicholson. and l told him
So. Please tell your father-and kindly
say nothing more to me about the
matter"
Then Aunt Olivia went downstairs, got
a broom and swept up the mud Mr.. Nor
man Nicholson had tracked over the
doorstep, while Peggy and l went home
and told father.
We felt very fat but there was nothing
to be done or said Father laughed at
the whole thing, but L could not laugh.
l was sorry for Mr.. Norman Nicholson,
and, though l was angry with her, was
sorry for Aunt Olivia, too. Plainly she
felt badly enough over her vanished
hopes and plans. but she had developed
a strange and battling reserve which
nothing could pierce.
It's nothing but case of chronic
oldmaidism," said father, impatiently.
Things were very dull for week. We
saw no more of Mr.. Norman Nicholson
and missed him dreadfully. Aunt Olivia
was fnscrutable and worked with fierce
ness at superfuous tasks.
One evening father came home with
some news.
Norman Nicholson is leaving on the
7:3O train for the west" he said. He
has rented the Tolliver county place and
he's off. They say he is mad as a halter
at the trick Olivia played on him.
After tea. Peggy and I went over to
see Aunt Olivia, who had asked our ad-
vice about wrapper She was sewing
as for dear life and her face was primmer
and colder than ever. Did she know Of
Mr. Norman Nichosons departure. I
wondered. Delicacy forbade me to men,
well, Aunt Olivia, your beau is off,
she announced, cheerfully. You won't
be bothered with him again He leaves
on the express for the west"
Aunt Olivia dropped her sewing and
stood up. 1 have never seen anything
like the transformation that came over
have profted by the lesson have given
you