The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-12

Suddenly, but a little distance ahead, he saw Tom Strickland parting from Mary. They were handsome couple, the colonePs daughter an exquisite type of the well born southern girl, her hair and eyes rarely pure brown, her skin of almost baby fairness, proud little mouth, joyous bearing; the youth a tall and we'll built young country bred gentleman, his eyes clear blue, his hair a sunburned yellow, his mouth and chin clean cut and firm. Colonel Todhunter approved heartily of both.
 As Mary left her companion and went b join her mother, a second girl, with obvious intent, crossed Tom Strick- lands path. She was of different type, plebeian beauty, black haired, with passionate eyes, full red lips, a suggestion of rich animal life in her movements.
 "tYou ought to be ashamed of your self, Tom StricklandI'' she said in a low tone, a little break in her voice You let me drop like was somethin' you despised just the minute you caught sight of Mary !Todhunter wouldn't treat dog that way, Tom"
 There was something pttiful in the utter frankness of surrender with which the speakers eyes confessed her
 
 Todhunter knew her well. She was the granddaughter of old Rafe Dog gett, who had been a private soldier in Confederate regiment during the civil war. The family belonged to the class once known as poor wh1tes," but old Doggett had been a good sol dier, and Lotde-May, his granddaugh- ter, owed her membership in the Daughters of the Confederacy to the esteem,in which he was held.
 This. was even more than a conces- sion to inferior caste. The darkly beautiful country girl whom old Rafe Doggetts son had married in another state had gone away from home one day, leaving her baby daughter behind, and never returned. A picturesquely handsome Indian herb doctor" who had been peddling his wares in Nine yeh for some days and was known to have paid bold attentions to her, dis appeared at the same time. Lottie- May Doggett, inheriting the same vital beauty of soft roundness, red lips and sensuous black eyes, had grown up in Nineveh, defiant, under the shadow of her mothers shame
 Tom Strickland stared at the girl, plainly surprised Why, Lott1e-May," he exclaimed; "I won't let you think such a thing! I only hurried to say 'Howdy' to Miss Mary because. she had just got here. Anyway''-and here he smiled teasingIy-"I could see with one eye that Stan Tucker was just wild to have talk with you.''
 Lottie-May's eyes flashed. Stan Tucker-shucks. she cried scornfully. "I wouldn't wipe my feet on him, Tom, when you're around, and you know it But can tell you one thinga-and here a note of proud vanity sounded in her voice-''tryin' hard as he is to git Miss Mary, Todhunter to marry him, just like you are, Stam Tucker. loves me more in one minute than he will love her in his whole lifetime"
 ''Lottie-May,'' ejaculated Tom angri Iy, "you mustn't talk like that! You ought to be ashamed. You've got no right to couple Miss Mary Todhunter's name'-
 s.No. no, that's itr" interrupted the girl hotly. ''I mustn't mention Mary Todhunter's name in the same breath with mine. It ain't right, you think! Well, willard I hate her! hate herP' r5s
 ''I didn't mean that, Lottie May g pro tested Tom. You know I didn't.m that
 But the girl was gone. Hagarlike. she moved with a sort of outeast pride. her pretty head held high, her eyes flashing. In moment she had dfsap peared in the crowd
 Tom" said Colonel Todnunter, ad- vancing, you'd better be hurr5in to where Mrs. Todhunterssis and make your peace for stealth Nary away. You're in hot water, young nlan: :s.ses5sS5
 Tom Strickland sfHshed goAseicusly. AIs rr tie-May Doggett was saying to me?' E ''I couldn't very well help it, Tom"
 +tWeIl. sir, you mustn't draw any wrong conclusions from what she said, Colonel Todhunter Lottie-May's good girl, so far as know, and I've al- ways felt sorry for her. But she's been Brought up under cloud, and it's made her sorter reckless and full of the devil. I don't believe she scares how black she paints herself, and I think too much of her to take her at her word about knowing that Stan Tucker loves her and makes love to her with out thinking of marrying her. That's just her wild talk. sir"
 She's certainly grown up to be a mighty pretty girl. Ton.' said Colonel Todhunter And now that you've preached the subject and I've heard what have, will you let me give you 8 word of adviceT'
 Certainly, colonel" replied Tom.
 ''WeIl, Tom, speakin' plainly, it's this. You better fight mighty shy of Lottie- May hereafter, syh. I don't mean any thing against the girl. But she thinks a lot of you, and she don't mind 1ettin' you know it, and that makes a mighty dangerous situation
 Then, ssseing that the young man was i'll at ease and maybe inwardly resent full, Colonel Todhunter left him, to his obvious relief
 But the colonel himself shook his head doubtfully. There ain't no big ger fool on earth, suh,'' he communed