South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-29

years
Well but lordy, Nineteen years is
long time. Why don't the major sign just
to be done with i(?"
HUH why don't Miss Kate give in
without his signin'? Major Masterson
can keep straight without pledges. He
I has whisky in his house. hut you never
see him In a saloon But yet. he won't
give in about that pledge sIgnin'. 'Tisn't
/ IN the Mastersons 10 give In"
I And Miss Kate won't give in"
mo. and Miss Kate won't give in
she's Presbyterian. So she and the major
have just gone and gone on
Talk about gOin' on an goin' on. the
majors been up 20 see Miss Kate every
Saturday eYenin' for nineteen years to ask
her would she please stop her foolin'
about the pledge an come an marry him
-uh-huh nineteen. Le' me see. some
! body counted up an it makes pud near
! ten hundred times the majors been re-
fused"
well it beats me the way that affair
goes"
That love affair between Masterson and
Carewe was enc Of the weighty questions
/ Of the towns life. Up and down the
length of Missouri Pennington was known
as much for her love affair as for her
/ academy, her coal mines, her courthouse
ring yet for the town itself the affair re-
NAMED always a peculiarly impossible
I thing to get at thing up to which you
might hustle with views, criticism. advice.
| but from whose fine reserve you ulti-
mately retired as from breath OF thin
air. The men at Sneed's shook their
heads impotentlv another time or two,
gave it up. and sanntered about their
business
/ BY mid-afternOon Marty. voice and face
| iaring and uncontrolled. his Sinking
grace become tremulous vehemence. his
40 years showing more and more, was
going uoisily about the streets of Penang
ton. BY late evening the stockmen who
had been drinking with him all day be-
gan to get afraid OF him and to desert
him. He went up and down Main street
I for a turn or two, sulky and silent, and
finally took a straight course for his sis
ter's house on the bluff. The farmers
who were out in the square making ready
TO start home. and the town people who
were standing In the store doors watch
ing them depart. were manifestly uneasy
about Carewe. Up at Toplltz's drug store
and at Sneed's grocery there was some
talk OF sending the sheriff after him. but
| the sheriff said he had to eat his supper
and the idea fell through.
! From Main street Carewe turned into
the long one-sided street that Skin, he
river on top OF the bluff. Passing or
! Masterson's house on the way. he gripped
| his riding whip and Erowled behind his
stained teeth. When he reached the
Carewe gate he kicked it open and went
up the red brick sidewalk. around the
house TO the rear porch. where his sister,
Miss Kate Carewe. was sitting.
Kate" Marty began at once. his mind
so raging with the thoughts that had
come into 1t as he passed Major Master
I, sons gate that he could hardly hold his
words to the line OF his purpose. II want
you TO give me another thousand dollars
and let me cut this place again. It's too
full of that jug-hugging, closet-drinl<ing
Masterson-aw. anyway. it's a pig wallow,
this town is-full of that got to clear
out. The pledge is up with me- You
don't intend to turn things over to me
anyway-that Masterson's between US.
can see that. You give me the thousand
and I'll cut the county again.
The woman in the chair before him
clenched her hands in her lap and looked
up at him with a SILVER OF repulsion. She
was a magnificent woman: face to face,
the two upheld unwittingly. a great
I scroll of family history-the man, disco
I lutte, decadent. realizing an ugly heredity
to It's deplorable finish; the woman. fine
fragrant. in full flower with hereditary
virtues and beauty. Marty" she made
answer at last. i've been waiting for
YOU all day. Waiting TO tell you that l
am through with you now. You've fin
, ished your work with your farce OF sign
ing the pledge last night and breaking II
this morning: I'm through with you"
She was harsh. but the day had been
crucial with her. Il don't expect you
ever TO get it into your head what it
can stand you no longer"
costs decent peOple to be kind TO people
like YOU" she went on before he could
interrupt. speaking slowly and coldly:
but. though it has cost entirely too
much. you can't say but that I've stood
by YOU up TO now-stood by you until !
10 was as though her very flesh shrank
away from him. but she had so spoiled
him for years that he still relied upon
The thought that he must remain a Ca
rewe TO her. and pushed his case with
angry audacity as soon as she stopped
speaking. "Aw amt / still your own
brother Kate Carewe? Who else has got
any claim bah! it's that Masterson.
Can't I see? But I've got to have that
money. I tell you" He bent above her. a
rude hand on her shoulder. snarling and
vehement. Give me that thousand then,
and take your sideboard-swilI OF Mas
terson.''
The sound OF footsteps on the, gravel
OF the grape arbOr that stretched all the
way from the Carewe grounds 70 the
! MastersOn grounds became distinctly
audible. and. turning angrily to look in
that direction. Marty saw Major Master
son approaching. The sight made him