The Lamar register., 1910-06-01
His Fatherly
Interest
BY LOUISE OLNEY
Copyright. 1903. by Associated Literary
Press.1

snapped WIN huuOyduC6 ~ sue u0Woc
rapidly at her young daughters pinl
muslin dress. From her seat on the
little porch she called to the girl who
was sweeping the wooden walk
Presently Elvie. who never hurried
came to sit on the edge Of the porch
with languid interest
-sakes alive. Elvie! II you had the
spunk Of . cat you'd help me out
some way! And the dear pastor
takes such = fatherly interest In you
too! How that Green woman had
the nerve to follow him ON his vaca.
ton beats me! She's that deceitful,
and he that unsuspectins. that a body
might expect anything!-though them
with eyes can see where his thoughts
has been this past yeari"
The widow bridled and simpered.
6he and the widow Green had been
rivals since girlhood. and now the lit
lie town was taking sides. the ungodly
making bets on which OF the two
would marry the Baptist preacher and
queen II in the parsonage and At the
sewing circle.
-She didn't follow him-she went
arst." drawled Elvie. The girl was
Is. pink-and-white. with q receding
chin and an unstarched backbone. the
antipode Of her dark. thin. tense
mother.
Same thing!" snapped Susan Rob
inson. ''she discovered she had folks
to Swan lake. and went to visit them
the minute she found he was to take
his vacation there! She was cute
enough to make It seem he was fol-
lowing her! know hertz Put me
In the parsonage once and that cat
will get her comin's! ! do hate Q
scheming woman! Don't your"
Elvis assented. II was her way to
assent. and II irritated her mother
beyond endurance at times. Now the
girl rose Iistlessly and went to meet
the postman. who handed her q let
ter. She stood looking At II till her
mother came and snatched II impa-
tientiy from her hand
II was addressed In the unmistak-
able hand Of the parsou
"Sakes alive. child. read Il! I never
seen your beat for coolness!-
Elvie obeyed calmly. After Q few
pious platitudes. the letter concluded:
80 you see ] have q surprise for
your good mother. I am boarding
with her second cousin. Mr. Steven
Broadley. ~ she may not know. Mrs.
Broadley wishes me to invite you here
for q month to get acquainted with
them. may say that should your
good mother let you come ! shall be
glad to help you with that Latin you
wish to make up. and also further
your Bible class study.
Your cousin william IL fne
young man. doing well IN business,
but not % interested in bis church. I
fear. ~ one could wish. You may be
. help to him
Tell your mother that ! am most
comfortable and that her cousin IL
nearly ~ good q cook A. herself
Gould say more! Be assured Of my
fatheriy interest in you. and write me
that you will come" A few more
platitudes. and that was all. The
widow drew the deep breath Of tn
umph. What better chance could she
desire,
Mrs Robinson Immediately began
Elves outft. more suited to q bride
than = simple child like her. white
muslin and a blue silk we're added to
the pale pink dress. and the villag.
dressmaker was called In And a.
preparations went on. the widow con-
stantly instructed her daughter. She
was to stay with the pastor all that
was possible. and never to leave him
with the Widow Green.
ITS easy for a young one like you
Z, do most anything you like without
gettin' talked about II you 20 at II
right. Remember the dear pastors
fatheriy interest in you and keep him
In the family till git him safe back
here again and you'll see no girl in
town has better advantages than you,
Elvie! And be nice to your cousins,
and have . good time with them. but
there 10 one thing. don't you forget
that ] won't have even third cousins
In my family marryin'. 20 you 90 and
fall In love with your cousin William
II be IL well fixed. Cousin Steve 10
real well on. BIT I haven't seen him
for ten years." The widow would have
liked nothing better than q match be
tween the cousins. and thought that
forbidding II was q goc' way to bring
n TO pass. Visions Of herself % Q
minister's wife. Of Elvie a. q weil-to-
% young matron. fitted before her
eyes.
Elvis went on her visit while the
widow dreamed. mentally. ~ the pas
tors wife. paid OF old scores Of neg
lsct and snubbing. and made herself
many clothes. all too gay and young
and cleaned her house till even the
eat would not enter save to eat She
Aid much mysterious limiting. trans
parent enough to the grinning gossips
The grocer bet with the druggist
sass Of eggs against 4 years paten,
004icine-on the Widow Robinson
The druggist saw chances for tha
Widow Green. But Susan Robinsor
was betting on Elvie. who had prom
lssd all her mother wished. The girl'i
letters were brief. but telling.
The hrst said she had arrived, thai
she liked her cousins. that Mrs. Greer
Justified her name when the paste,
took her. Elvie. out for . boatride
that she had begun her Latin. Shs
vas we'll and hoped her mother va,
The same. and the pastor sent his r.