Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-08-12
- THE -
Melting
Of Molly
BY
MARIA THOMPSON
DAVIESS
copyriehi, 1912. by the Bobhs-
Merrill Company
LEAF THIRD.
Billy's Apology.

LEAF THIRD.
BilIy's Apology.
"N0OLLY. Molly" he said with
| M a perfect rapture Of chuc-
| ~S kles In his voice, -Sow you
look just as pretty as you
| DO when you go to bed-ali Witty all
over. You can kiss my kiss spot q
hundred times while l bear hug you
for that nice not black dress" And
before any stern person could have
stopped us l was on my knees on the
grass kissing my ill from the kiss
spot" on the back Of his neck, while he
hugged all the starch out Of the sum-
mer before last.
And DIR. John sat down on the bench
quick and laughed out loud one Of the
very few times ever heard him do 1t.
He was looking down ut us, but did
not laugh up into his eyes. l was
afraid. felt 1t was safer to go on
kissing the kiss spot for the present,
anyway.
"Bill," he said, with his voice dane
Ing. that's the most effective apology
I ever heard. You were sorry to some
point"
Then suddenly Billy stiffened right
in my arms and looked me straight IN
the face and said In the doctors own
brisk tones, even with his cupid mouth
set In the same straight line:
81 say I'm sorry, Molly, but IN
that man, and I'll git him yet!'
What could we say? What could
we do? We didn't try. busied my
self in tying the string on Billy's blouse
that had come united in the bear hug,
and the doctor suddenly discovered the
letter on the bench. saw him see 1t
without loo oking in his direction at all.
"And how many pounds are We near
er the string bean state OF existence,
Mrs. Molly?" he asked me before had
finished tying the blouse, In the incest
voice In the world. fairly cracking
with friendship and good humor and
hateful things like that. Why should
have wanted him to huff over that let
ter is more than can say. But l did,
and he didn't.
"Over twenty, and most Of the time
l am so hungry could eat Aunt Ade-
line. dream about Billy. fried with
cream gravy" I answered as l kissed
again the back Of the head that was
beginning to nod down against my
breast. Long shadows lay across the
garden. and the white headed old snow
ball was signaling out Of the dusk to
| Il Dorothy Perkins down the walk in a
scandalous way. At best spring Is just
the worlds matchmaking old chaperon
and ought to be watched. still sat
on the grass. and began to cuddle
Billy's bare knees In the skirt of my
dress so the chigres couldn't get at
| them.
But. Mrs. Molly, isn't 1t worth 1t
| all:" asked the doctor as he bent over
toward us and looked down with some
thing wonderful and kind In his eyes
that seemed to rest on US like bene-
III tinn. You have been just as plucky
~ :, girl can be. and In only little over
| twn months you have grown as light
footed and hearty as boy. l think
nothing could be lovelier than you are
right now. but you can get Off those
other few pounds If you want to. You
know. don't you. that have known
how hard some Of 1t was, and haven't
been able to eat as much as l usually
do thinking how hungry you are? But
isn't it all worth It? I think 1t Is. AL
fred Bennett is a very great man. and
1t is right that he should have a very
lovely wife to go out into the world
with him. And as lovely as you are
think it is wonderful Of you to make
all this sacrifice to be still lovelier for
him. am glad I can help you, and
1t has taught me something to see how
how faithful woman can be across
years-and then in this smaller thing!
Now give me Billy and you get your
apple and toast. Don't forget to take
your letter in out of the dew" sat
perfectly still and held Billy tighter In
my arms as l looked up at his father.
and then after / had thought as long
as l could stand it I spoke right out
at him as mad as hops, and l don't
to this minute know why.
Nobody in the world ever doubted
that a woman could be faithful If she
had anything to be faithful to-" said
as let him take Billy out Of my arms
at last. "Faithfulness is what a wo-
man flowers. only 1t takes man to
pick his posy." With which march
ed into the house and left him stand
ing with Billy in his arms. hope
dumfounded. l didn't look back to see
always leave that mans presence so
mad I can never look back at him.
! And wouldn't 1t make any woman rage
to have a man pick out another man
for her to be faithful to when she
hadn't made any decision about 1t her
own self?
I wonder Just how old Judge Wade
| is? believe will make up with Aunt
| Adeline enough before / go to bed to
find out why he has never married.
l Men are very strange people. They
are like those horrible sums In algebra
that you think about and worry about
! and cry about and try to get help from
other women about, and then. all OF
sudden X works itself out into perfect
" good sense. Not that I thought
much about Mr.. Carter, poor man!
When he wasn't right around felt 1t
best to forget him as much as ! could,
but It seems hard for other women to
let you forget either your husband or
theirs.
Il know now that really never got
any older than the poor, foolish, eight
cen years child that Aunt Adeline mar
red OF ''safe." all the time I was the
refuge" sort Of wife. would sit and
listen while the other wives talked
over the men in utter bewilderment
and most times terror, then ] would
force myself to little more forget.
ting. and poor Mr.. Carter must have
suffered the consequences. But all
, that was a mild sort of evaporation
to what a widow has to 60 through
with In the matter of-of. well think
hasing is about the best name to
give 1t.
molly Carter" said Mrs. johnson
| 4uat day before YESTERDAY. after the