The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-05-02
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
THE WAY OF THE WIND.
By Martha McCulIOch- Williams.

The wind was the occasion-the
cause lay much deeper. A tricky
south wind, fitful and fawy, now
zephyr-sofe, now blowing with mad
swirls; you simply could not count on
what 1t might do or might not do.
especially to hats perched perilousIy
upon newly-brushed soft puffs.
Mildred had put on her undulant
crown, manifestly false, but very be-
coming, with more than maiden pride
anne, her elder sister, a distressingly
truthful person, had watched her be-
tween criticism and admiration, and
had ended by saying:
You'd better waie for Harriet. Sure
as You walk, if the middle path is so
sheltered, you'll get TO Elba a tag-rag."
Mildred had shaken her head, smil-
ing an uneasy smile. She had planned
10 go IN the gray auto with Harriet,
her pest chum- That was before Har-
ret mad risen TO heights of patronizing
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES apparently in
Mlldred's need of the favors done her.
NO girl OF spirit could endure ahat-
not even though she knew the real
root OF the matter were trousers and
answered to the name of Ellis Benson.
lie as fairly rich, more than fairly
good looking, of an adventurous tenn
per that had sent him around the
world, ostensibly on business, but
more for the sake of seeing sights and
wonders.
lie had been wandering three full
years, which in their passing had
transformed Harriet and Mildred, the
plg-talled pair he had loved 90 pet
and tease, into full-fedged young wo-
men.
He had brought them strings of
beads-turquoise for fair Mildred, cor
al for dark Harriet-and had not
dreamed of anything but clasping the
strands about youthful throats and
taking kisses in reward.
When he had actually made the gifts,
presenting them stffly, albeit his ewes
twinkled, he had laughed inwardly-
perhaps at his own former folly.
He liked them if they had grown up
and very nearly equally. But since
Harriet had so much, Milly so little, he
was rather inclined to do more for her.
His kindly preference had set Harriet
wild. All along she had had her mind
set on marrying Ellis Benson.
She was tired Of the rich and tran
quill countryside. She wanted a hus-
band who could take her out into the
thick OF things. Further, as an only
child and heiress, she had grown up
rather spoiled, to think that the hest
of everything was due.
Mildredis charm for her had lain in
a certain loving generosity, which
made her not merely willing but eager
to give Harriet, in everything, the first
place.
Benson had come home in mid-sum-
mer. In September he had gone away
for awhile. Now in late October his
aunt Mrs. Lane, mistress of Elba, the
show place Of the neighborhood, was
giving a garden party, which she call
ed her chrysanthemum show.
Ellis was coming back for it-so
much everybody knew. Therefore,
Harriet had ordered three new frocks
for it, partly because she could not
make up her mind as to one, partly
also by way of triumphing over Mil
dred, VINO could do no more than make
over her grandmamma's pink brocade. |
Time had softened it, and, thanks |
to hobble skirts, the pattern was am
pie. When at last the frock was fin |
ished, touched here and there with |
cobweb yellow lace, and wonderfully |
fitted to Mildreds lissome slimness, it |
had truly an air of Paris, all the more |
thaS she had put into it the veriest |
glints of blue, exactly matching her
string Of turquoises.
There as just a hint of the same |
blue and the fluffy feathers of her
white hat. Altogether.
when at last she was ready TO go
Anne was not far wrong in saving. |
with a regretful sigh:
Its a shame to let you waste your
as you debut you al
ways we're zoo hard-headed for any
thing"
The middle path, the short cut to /
Elba, ran squarely into the main drive
as it curved in from the highway. The /
path led over a stile in the hedge, cum
ningly hidden by tail shrubs.
Mildred had got safely over the stile
and was settling herself to walk the
rest of the path serenely, when the