Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-11-03

IL

Leon was twenty.two-all at once sep
arated us. We had played together in
childhood, we had been sweethearts
in early youth, but with the wedding
day a week off felt that l was taking
mean advantage of child to marry
Leon. did not love him.
But might have known better than
to tell this story to Aunt Penny, born
fighter that she was. Since l could
remember, Aunt Penny had never
been so happy as when she was do
ing battle with some one. loved her
warlike spirit, but when she changed
in minute to the soldier she was,
and declared, Agatha, this shall be
looked after immediately" saw far
consequences of my rash conduct.
She left me with her line eyes glow
ing with battle light, and fed in the
limousine that had waited for me for
an hour to the office of Leon Masters.
He had received the letter that
morning, l knew, II the mails he'd
done their usual work. He took me
to his inner sanctum and l hurried
my explanation:
"Leon-Mr. Masters-I've told Aunt
Penny that you-that you are the
one who Sb&!S't wish-she is hurt
very muSh hurt, Leon, and angry
and thought that perhaps you would
tell her that 1t is you who decided
that it isn't best!" "a
Leon looked unutterably relieved!
as that all, Agatha?" he said. II
was afraid-very much afraid-that
you did not mean-that you might
have reconsidered your letter-that
you were not-that you wanted to go
on, you know!"
His blunt words, his evident salts.
faction with what had done brought
the hot bushes to my face. And
had expected to find him over
whelmed with grief-had even pic
tured his efforts to win me back!
80" I stammered, you really
didn't"
mo, Agatha, really didn't, but
would not have caused you any-er-
mbarrassment-not for kings ran
som. And dad had set his heart on
THE thinks you are perfection,
Agatha-and you are. didn't want
you ever to suspect how l had really
begun to feel about it! Dear old
Aunt Penny! OF course, I'll see and
tell her that 1t is what l wished to
dol"
Worse and worse! Home went,
hot and trembling. l shut myself in
my room and would see no callers.
Toward evening, when had reasoned
it all out, and had begun to be glad
we had both been saved from our
Aunt Penny came to me with a tri-
umphant light in her eyes.
Agatha, my poor lamb" she said,
Icons father has come to set
things right. You must come down
and see him"
When l reached the drawing room.
where he waited, l could not help
thinking how young and handsome
Icons father looked. He might have
been forty-fve-he had been a wild,
over for many years. He took my
hand in his.
Agatha! Miss Penryn!" he said,
what can say to you-what can
do?"
Sitting there with my hand in his,
told him the whole bald, disagree
able truth. He bent over me when
l had finished.
"Agatha!" he whispered. 'Dear!"
Love that had fed from a long
courtship came to me that instant
without any courtship. loved
Leon's father, and l knew it.
, found myself swept, unresisting, into
his arms. Aunt Penny came in soon,
and we told her of the change, and
restored her to normal afterward
There was to be a wedding on the
day set. would marry Icons
father. There would be a little COS
sip, of course, there is always a
buzz of excitement over the marriage
! of an elderly man who writes checks
sometimes in seven figures; but
, there would be no scandal. | would
be a mother to Leon, after all; but
never would l dictate to him when
. t. came to his marriage.
When l went upstairs on that night
: of my second betrothal l glanced
! along the wall at the faces of my
. ancestors They seemed to smile APP
prevail at me, all but one. My grea,
7 uncle, Peter Penryn, lay face dowr
4 on the floor, a perfect ruin. Wher
! he fell, or why, never knew. Wa!
! he ashamed of me, wonder, or wa:
a he overcome with joy?