The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-23

but then you've got plenty for both.
L should think you'd hate to live alone
when YOU could have A good compan-
ion just as we'll as not-could have
mad him. SOS to speak, any time this
thirty years. 1t shows cantankerous-
ness on Your part, Julia"
Maybe it does" Julia retorted,
but 1t also shows that l form my own
opinions without letting my friends do
it for me. When 1 marry Ezra Silver
Ill let You know, Maria"
Mrs. Simpkins rose and pulled on
her mittens With angry little jerks. In
her ample coat and fur neckpiece she
looked like a. substantial pillow. She
was angry and she showed it. Well"
she said, Il guess I'll be running
along home. It's getting nigh supper
time. l thanh my stars that ] don't
have to sit down and eat alone the
way YOU do. Julia. Victuals would
stick in my throat if I didn't have my
companion sitting opposite me at the
able"
1--WE got Juniper" Julia replied. As
she rose she scooped up the tat BACK
cat that ay curled on a nearby cushion.
Huggins him rather defiantly, she
faced about to receive Mrs. Simpkins'
last volley.
But there was none forthcoming.
Mrs. Simpkins had spit herself out
as she would have said, and she got
away as gracefully as possible.
Julia. with the cat in her arms,
watched her go with amusement on
her lips and in her eyes. Suddenly the
amusement rave Way to angry sur
prise, for on the corner Mrs. Simpkirs
had met and was engaging in CONVEX
sation the very man they had been
talking about.
Ezra Silver was tall. thin, a little
stopped. but neat and withal genteel
appearing. He was returning home
from work a little earlier than usual
and so had met Mrs. Simpkins. Julia
could imagine just what she was say
ing. Maria had always fought valiant
Il in Ezra's cause. Perhaps-but this
Julia would not own even to Juniper
If Maria had been less Jealous things
might have gone differently. Her eter-
nal interference had aroused all the
stubbornness hat had set gentle ma
ture-a stubbornness that had set
hard and unyielding as concrete dur
ing h years that had passed. Now.
as if he knew Julia might be looking
NJ of her window, Ezra kept glanc-
ing uneasily toward it while he back
I'd away. At last he detached him.
sell from Maria 3 l0QuacltN ana, sour
rying up the street disappeared into
his own house. which he occupied
alone.
The instant he was out of sight
Julia withdraw from the window and
laid Juniper back on his cushion.
Dear me, it's tea. time" she said.
Tonight I'm so upset by Maria's visit
that ] don't believe I can eat a mite.
However. I'll have to see"
Julia went up to the old-fashioned
mirror and looked in, not that this
was at all a necessary preliminary to
her tea getting. She simply wanted to
see how she looked. Maria had a way
Of hurting facts at me in large clods
and when she said thirty years she
meant every instant of that time. It
was indeed thirty years since Ezra
Silver had first walked home with
Julia and she had been almost willing
to marry him without further ado. II
there had been the least objection to
him. if anybody had opposed her she
would have taken him forthwith. But
her romance lacked incentive. Every
body was toe willing, and so Julia
herself became to be most unwilling.
h f1outed poo Ezra openly, got
scolded for it and flouted him again.
And the seventh time he asked her
timidly to have him, she stamped her
foot and screamed MOI" Ezra, how
ever. was not daunted. Though they
barely spoke now she knew he still
secretly hoped. And so she let him