Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-09-04

parade and De put IN jail on bread
and water. I don't even read about
it.
Her absolute ignorance of politics,
nothing remarkable in a girl Of her
years and training, was no small grain
of comfort TO her father.
It was not until after luncheon that
Gloria disclosed the subject nearest
her heart Her father, like a wise
general, permitted her to open the
engagement He had never been
man to exert more strength than was
necessary for the discontinue of the
enemy. He wanted all her batteries
unmasked, all her forces engaged, be
fore he brought his own side into ac-
ton.
Fer some time they sat in silence
in the living room. gazing into the
open wood fire More than once Kerr
thought his daughter was about to
speak. but each time she seemed to
think better of it or else lose her
courage. He knew that something
weighed on her mind.
Z know I'm going to like Belmont
very much" she ventured at last.
And I want Belmont to like me. Ny
coming home is different from that Of
other girls | know At Annabel's OF
Jane Leigh's or any of the girls homes
we haven't been in the house ten min
utes before the telephone begins to
ring In half an hour there are enough
engagements to last week. IN Bel
mont I don't know any one yet"
This was not said in any tone OF
complaint She could not dream Of
such a thing, because her fathers po-
sition was such that her lack of
friends was only temporary embar-
rassment. She knew that well enough.
If I had known that was coming
home 1 would have brought some OF
the girls with me" She did not al
low him to know that the house had
not come up TO her expectations. I'm
glad | didn't because | don't know any
one here yet, and although we'd all
be received at once / couldn't make
it as pleasant for them as / can aftsr
l have had an intimate knowledge IF
things. After you once introduce HE
I think I can begin to plan for the
girls I'm under obligations to every
single girl [ know. I don't mean sin
gle-unmarried But I might as well.
because married girls don't go visit
ing around the country"
I thought you entertained in the
east
I did. but girls like to get to a new
place. They're not looking for any
body. but the wider your territory the
more certain it is that lightning will
strike you.
You've had a pretty wide terri
tory" was her fathers dry rejoinder.
But 1 always ran for cover when |
saw a storm coming"
I thought you'd come home en-
gagged to a duke or a count at the
least. Didn't you see any men you
liked?"
81 liked them all, father. but
haven't seen a foreigner I'd marry.
They're nice enough to talk to and
dance with and to bring an ice at
ball, but no more than that. But moth
ing worries me; I'm going to stay
here and keep house for you"
1T amt much of a house, Gloria.
You see, / amt ever had any women
folk around here, and the place bout
runs itself, 'cept what the niggers
do. You won't like 1t. I'm afraid
I'll like it we'll enough. You don't
know how I've enyied other girls their
homes"
Il tell you what you do. Go on to
California now-I'il go with you. If
you say so, and stay till you git set
tied with some of your friends Then
I'll come back and have the house
fixed up SOS when you come again
it'll be just what you want
Kerr felt that if he could get her
away he could see to it that she did
not return, even at the cost of his
leaving Belmont year or two sooner
than he had planned. To this sug-
gestion Gloria did not accede.
What! go away and miss all the
fun of fixing up the housed" she ex-
claimed. NO sir, daddy. I'm going
to stay right here and make pies in
the morning, have teas in the after
moons and go to the theaters at night.
And you're going with me-" Kerr
made a deprecatlng gesture, but she
quickly overruled him. Don't say
word. You're going. and tonight'B
the night we start. We're going to-
the theater tonight"
Then Gloria told of a girl she had
seen on the train who had come to
Belmont to theater party. She ex-
planned to her father that no occasion
would give her a better opportunity
to see the Belmont of which she was
to be a part than that offered that
evening. In all likelihood she would
meet a number of persons between
the acts. From her point OF view sha
suggested so many good reasons that
her father was afraid to interpose
any objection at the time.
(TO BE CONTINUED