The Southern herald., 1910-12-09
The Lucky Man
By JOANNA SINGLE
Copyright lsla by Associated Literary Pressl

entered bis head that. II she should
care for him and would marry hhm.
Aunt Molly could have her little
house moved TO a corner Of his lot
and he and his girl wife could have
their -old folks" under their eyes.
He was a born son.
He noticed that Ebe Fisher was be
coming more and more frequent
more and more serious In his atten.
tions to the girl 1t wakened his sense
Of rivalry. And. though be hardly
knew il, he was sorry for Suzanne.
He wanted her to have a chance te
be quiet at home, to dress her hair
like real woman. instead Of a hair
dresser's dummy, to stop chewing
gum. and talking pert nonsense al
every turn In her path. He wanted
to protect her-even from herself
He finally decided to ask her to mar,
~ him. and to see II she loved him
His mind dwelt on her bright eye. heI
little, wishful smile. She was 50
sweet and young-he was sure hel
nlppancy was mere matter of work
ing In a store. He did not like the
hippancy. but he thought 1t would
vanish when real owe came to her.
These thoughts were subcOnscious.
One warm evening late in May he
wandered over to her little house If
the coast was clear he would tell her
all his heart. and, pondering these
things, he entered the small green
yard with its Old-.ashioned flowers,
and went upon the little porch. He
knocked. but no one answered. He
could hear Susanne talking in the
kitchen. her voice raised as in argu-
ment, but he did not hear the words.
He knocked again more loudly, with
no response, Then he carelessly
enough sank down in the old rocker
and waited on the porch. Probably
she would come out in a minute and
find him and he would tell her
Then. without warning, he heard
a door fly open. and stream Of
words come thick and fast. He did
not mean to listen, but he was SO
stunned that he forgot he was doing
so until 1t was all over. The girls
voice was sharp and angry.
NO" she said, Il won't ask Gene
to fix it; and | can tell you right
now that you can keep out of the
way when he comesl Do you think
he comes to see you? What's eatin'
on you, anyhow, Aunt Mollie? Well,
II do marry him-and | shall II
he asks me, and he will-you can
bet you needn't think you'll live with
US. Nor his mother, either! I'm no
such fool as that, II | do look easy.
what do you take me for2 shan I
keep any old ladies' home, and If
he's countin' on that he's got another
guess comm to him. I'm payin' you
board, but | don't need any chaperon.
He's asked me over to see his
mother. I'll go, but bet If we're
ever married she can come over
here and live with you. That will be
close enough for a mother-in-law,
an"
Without word Gene rose, went
down the path, and out at the gate,
and straight home.
He did not go near her aagin. One
day she asked him If he was mad" I"
He said that he was not and asked
what made her think of such a
thing? But his manner was a final
thing. That next day she told him
she was engaged to Ebe Fisher-she
met Gene on the street, and stopped
him with her news, her head very
high.
"Oh." he said. Il shall have to
wish Joy to you-and the lucky man."
But in his heart, Gene knew that he
himself was the lucky man.