Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-08-19

thrS 81 ruth and lies that fooled even
myself and gave them to him. looking
straight in his face. would have
cracked all the ten commandments tc
save myself from his contempt
I'm not Joking" I said Jerkily. u
am lonesome. And worse than being
lonesome, I'm scared. ought to have
stayed Just the quiet relict Of Mr.. Car
ter and gone ON to church meetings
with Aunt Adellne and let myself be
fat and respectable, but haven't 60,
the character You thought went to
town to buy a monument, and I didn't
I bought enough clothes for two brides
and now Pm scared to wear 'em. and
I don't know what you'll think when
you see my handbook. Everybody Is
talking about me and that dinner par
ty Tuesday night and Aunt Adeline
says she can't live in house Of mourn
ing so desecrated any longer. She's
going back to the cottage. Aunt Bet.
tie Pollard says that If want to get
married I ought to do It to Wilson
Graves because of the seven children,
and then everybody would be so re-
lieved that they are taken care Of that
they would forget that Mr.. Carter
hasn't been dead quite one year yet
Mrs. johnson says ! ought to be de.
clared q minor and put as a ward to
you. I can't help Judge Wade's send.
ing me flowers and Toms sitting on
my front steps night and day. I'm
not strong enough to carry him away
and murder him. I am perfectly mis-.
cradle. and I'm
"Now. thatll do. Molly; just hush for
q half minute and let me talk to you. y
said Dr.. John as he took my hand in
his and drew me near him. mo Won
der your heart hurts II It has got all
that load of trouble on 1t, and We'll
Just get little Of that scare of. You
put yourself in my hands. and you are
to do just as tell you, and say-for.
get It'll Come with me while make a
call. It is q long drive, and Pm-rm
lonesome sometimes myself"
saw the worst was over, and
breathed freely again. but had talked
80 much truth In that fiction that felt
lust as | said / did, which Is slightly
unnatural feeling for woman. There
was nothing for 1t but to go with him,
and l wanted to most awfully.
To my dying day I'll never forget
that little house, way out on the Cane
Run pike, he took me to In bis shabby
little car. Just two tiny rooms. but
they were clean and quiet, and a girl
with the sweetest face I ever saw lay
in the bed with her eyes bright with
pride and tiny. tiny little bundle close
beside her. The young farmer was red
with embarrassment and anxiety.
"she's all right today, but she wor.
ries because she don't think can teno
to the baby right" he said. and he did
look helpless. Her mother had to &c
home for two days. but is coming TO-
morrow. dasn't undress and wash
the youngster myself. II won't hurt
him to stay bundled up until granny
comes, will 1t, Doc"
"Not a bit" answered DR.. John IN
his big comforting voice.
But looked ut the girl, and / under
stood her. She wanted that baby clean
and fresh even II It was just five days
old. and l felt all Of sudden terribly
capable. / picked up the bundle and
went into the other room with II
where a kettle was boiling on the
stove and a large bucket by the door
I found things by Just a glance IRON
her. and the hour l spent with tha'
small baby was one Of the most De
licious of all my life. I never was lei,
entirely to myself with one before ano
I did all wanted to this one, guided
by instinct and desire. he slept rleh.
through and was the darlingest thing
ever saw when I laid him back on the
he'd by her. never looked In Dr
Johns direction once. though ! Iei'
him all the time.
But on the way home l gave myself
the surprise of my lifel Suddenly
turned my face against his sleeve ane
cried as never had before. fel
safe, for it is a cliff road and he had te
drive carefully. However, he manag
ed to press that one arm against my
cheek in way that comforted me into
stopping when I saw we were neal
town. got out of the car at the gar
age and walked away through the gar
den home without looking in his direc
ton at all. I never seem to be able tt
look at him as do Mt other people
We hadn't spoken two words since we
had left the little house in the woods
with that happy faced girl IN It He has
more sense than just man.
II was almost dusk, and stopped IL
the garden a minute to pull the dir
closer around some Of the bachelors
buttons that had popped the groune
some weeks ago Thinking about then
made me regain my spirits. and went
on in the house to be scolded for what
ever Aunt Adeline had thought ur
while was gone to do it to me about
Judy told me with her broadest grin
that she had gone down to her sister
in-law's for supper. and ] sat down on
the steps with sigh Of relief.
Some days are like tin coconnut graf
ers that everybody uses to crate you
against, and this was one for me. Fol
an hour l sat and grated my ownseli
against Alfred's letter that had come IL
the morning. | realized that | would
lust have to come to some sort OF de-
cision about what was going to DO
for he wrote that he was to sail IN q
day or two. and ships do travel SO fast
these days.
love him and always have. Of that
am sure. He offers me the most won
derful life in the world. and no woman
could help being proud to accept It
am lonely. more lonely than was ever
willing TO confess to Dr.. John. can
20 on living this way any longer. Rutf
| Chester has made me see that II wan
Alfred 1t will be now or never and
xuick. now know that she loves him
snd she ought to have her snow II
don't want him. The way she idollze'
| and idealizes him Is q marvel OF won
anly stupidity.
Some women like to collect mems