The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-01-21

THAT INNOCENT LOOKING CREATURE"
man from enjoying his property. He
therefore makes 1t a condition with
you that you shall bind yourself never
to marry"
Being too young to settle such an
important matter for myself, my ac-
ton was decided upon in family con
ference or, rather, by my mother. who.
being the last court of appeal in all
matters pertaining to the household.
decided that should accept the offer.
She gave no reasons In support of this
decision, but 1T was supposed that she
fancied my uncle might find new
love and his antagonism to women
would vanish. In this case 1 would
at least be educated by him.
When l went to live with my uncle
he was forty years old. At that age
man. especially if soured by the mis-
carriage of love affair. is not likely
to fall into another one Instead of
softening toward the opposite sex his
antipathy increased. His associations
were not with young and pliable wom-
| ell, Dul Will luOSe VI Ills ONh dSN.
Something of his own crankiness in
them drew sparks, as flint striking
flint. One by one his unmarried wom-
EN- friends fed away from him, he shut
himself up in his house, receiving only
his men friends there evenings for a
rubber at whist.
Had my uncle desired to bring me
| T. ha Gould no
have placed me in a position better
calculated to bring about such re-
suit. An old housekeeper was the only
woman in our home except the negro
cook. We do not covet what we have,
but what we are deprived of. l went
to school with boys and never asso-
ciated with girls. From the time 1
was fourteen till was twenty l did
not know what it was to have a girl
friend. When / saw them on the
street going to school would turn to
follow them admiringly with my eyes.
One day when l was about sixteen,
walking with my uncle, one of those
1.-THE creatures whose skirts extend
only to their ankles passed me. He
observed me turn and look at her.
"You have remarked, see," he said
to me, that innocent looking crea-
ture. She is very pretty to look upon.
l admit, but under that grace and
beauty is poison-poison Of the most
virulent kind. She will grow up to
womanhood without a spark of that
sense of honor which is born in us
men and which l and your school
masters are endeavoring to stimulate
In you"
Nevertheless, Uncle Frank" l re-
piled, 'she's mighty pretty"
A deep sigh was his only response.
This girl used to meet every day
as we were going to school. She must
have seen admiration in my eye, fol
after awhile she would pass me with
very conscious look. casting her eyes
in every direction except toward me
hitching her shoulders, brushing bach
a curl that hung on one Of them or In
some other way indicating that she
was aware that a youngstef Of oppo
site sex was interested in her. In one
of these meetings she was sufficiently
agitated to drop several of her books
took them up and handed them t.
her, she avoiding looking at me as 1
were an ogre. a glance at who's
face would turn her to stone.
| Not having any assurance and de
| string to give her a flower. one morn
ing upon meeting her | dropped 1t OF
| the pavement shortly before we pass
| ed. l turned dreading to see he
walk over 1t with her head turne'
nptuously upward. and when