The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-30
TIE MELT ING OF MOLLY
By MARIA THOMPSON
 DAVIESS
Copyright, 1912. by the Bobbs-Merrnl
 Company

Peaches,'' said Dr. John teasingly as | he stopped beside me. 'Leave few for-for the others I walked up in a half second esn4 ae osA all those prying l flowers, felt sure.
 'tT was just gathering them for place | bouquets for-for the girls,'' said stu pidly as ! moved over a little nearer to 1 him Why it is that the minute that man comes near me I get warm and comfortable and stupid, and as young as Billy and bubbly and sad and hap py and cross, is more than can say, but do.
 never possibly know how to an swer any remark that he may happen to make unless it is something that makes me lose my temper. His next remark was the usual spark Il
 Better give them the run of the gar1en-aIone, Mrs. Molly. No show for lem unless you. do" he said laugh ingly, tor the buttons either. he added under his breath so could just hear it. I wish Mrs. Johnson could have heard how soft his voice fingered over that little half sentence. She was so ex- perienced she could have told me if it meant-but, of course, he isn't like oth- CT menI
 There are lots of questions Pm going to asl Alfred after I'm married to him MT. Carter didn't know anything about anything and never cared to ask him, but I wonder how you know 1 when T
 ."Oh, you Molly!" came a hail in Tom's voice from the gate, just as I was making up my mind to try to | think up something to fwither the doc l tor with, and he and Ruth came up 1 the front walk to meet us. wondered \ why was having party in my house when being alone in my garden with \ just neighbor was so much more fun, but I had to begin to enjoy myself i right off, for in few minutes all the rest came.
 I don't think I ever saw my house look so lovely before. Mrs. Johnson had put all the flowers out of hers and i Mrs. Gains garden all over everything, and the table was a mass of soft pink roses that were shedding perfume and holding at one another in their most society manner. There is no giimmer in the world like that which comes from really old polished silver and rosewood and mahogany, and ones great-great- at-grandmother's hand woven linen feels like oriental silk across ones knees.
 Suddenly I felt very stately and granddamey and responsible as look ed at them all across the roses and sparkling glasses. They were lovely women, all of them, and could such men be found anywhere else in the world? When left them all to go out into the big universe to meet the dis functions that I knew my husband
 would have for me, would I sit at salt
 with people who loved me like this !?
 I saw Pet Buford say something to| Tom about me that know was lovely from the way he smiled at me- and the
 judges eyes were full cup for any
 woman to have offered her. Then in
 flash all the love fragrance seemed to
 go to my head-Ton's mixing of that
 julep had been skillful, too-and tears
 rose to my eyes, and there l might
 have been crying at my own party if hadn't felt strong warm hand laid on
 mine as it rested on my lap, and Dr.. Johns kind voice leased into my ears,
 ''Steady, Mrs. Peaches, there's the low
 ing cup to come yet" he whispered.
 hated him, but held on to his thumb tight for half minute. He didn't know what the matter really was, but he understood what needed. He aI- . ways does.
 And after that everybody had a good , time, the ginger barber and Judy as 7 much anybody, and could see Aunt
 
 pantry door, having the time of their
 lives too.
 That dinner was going like an air ship high wind, when something } happened to tangle its tail feathers and l I can hardly write it for trembling Il yet. It was a simple little blue teEe- l gram, but it might have been nitro 7 glycerin on a tear for the way it acted 2 It was foF me, but the ginger barber f handed it to Tom, and he opened il r and, looking at me over his full-afte1 s many times emptied-glass, he solemn g Iy read it out loud. It said:
 t Landed this noon. Have your perrnis g sion to come to Hillsboro immediately F Answer. ALFRED. {? It was dreadful Nobody said word e and Tom raid the telegram right dowr S in his pTace, where it immediately be d gan to soak up the dressing of his sal r ad. He was so white and shaky tha F Pet looked at him in amazement, ana e then I am sure she had the good sense l. to find his hand under the cloth anC l. hold it, for his shoulder lowered agains e hers and the color came back to hii d face as he smiled down at her.
 don't believe I'll ever really get tn d courage to look at Tom again until h. V marries Pet, which he'll do now, fee t. sure.
 Is And as for the judge and Ruth p Chester, was glad they were sfttin; d beside each other, for I could avoi, y that side of the table with my eye d until had steadied myself few sec s onds at least The surprise made tn t. others I had been dining seem statue v, from the stone age, and only M Graves fork failed to hang fire. Hi d appetite is as strong as his nerves, an m Della Hawes looked at his composur v with the relief plain in her eyes