River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-08-28

i QlunC snow IL as murmuFeu. FER
fectly, thank you
The word '''trousseau'' can be spoken
in woman's presence for many years
with no effect. but it is an awful shock
when she first really hears it. felt
funny all afternoon as packed those
trunks for the O'Clock train.
Yes. the word "trousseau' ought to
have a definite surname after it al
ways and that's why my loyalty drag
ged poor Mr.. Carter out into the light
of my conscience. The thinking of
him had a strange effect on me. had
laid out the dream in dark gray blue
rajah. tailored almost beyond endur
ance, to wear home on the train and
had thrown the old black taffeta bag
across the chair to give to the hotel
maid. but the decision of the session
between conscience and loyalty made
me pack the precious blue wonder and
put on once more the black rags of re-
membrance in kind of panic of re-
spect.
l would lots rather have bought poor
planning for months to keep up CONVEX
sation with Aunt Adeline than wear
that dress again. | felt conscience re-
prove me once more with loyalty look
ing on in disapproval as l buttoned the
old thing up for the last time. because
1 really ought to have stayed over a
day to buy that monument. but, to tell
-. 7 10 doe
perately that his "sleep place" above
my heart hurt as If it might have
prickly heat break out at any minute.
So / hurried and stuffed the gray
blue darling in the top tray, Tapped
old black taffeta around my waist and
belted it in with a black belt off a new
green linen l had made for morning
walks down to the drug store on the
public square, suppose That is about
the only morning dissipation in Hills
boro that can think Of and it all de-
ponds on whom you meet how much Of
a dissipation it is.
The next thing that happens after
you have done 4 noble deed is, you
either regard it as a reward of virtue
or as a punishment for having been
foolish. / felt both ways when Judge
Wade came down the car aisle, looking
so much grander than any other man
in sight that I don't see how they
stand him ever. At that minute the
noble black taffeta deed felt foolish,
but at the next minute l thanked my
lucky stars for it.
1t is nice to watch for a person to
catch sight of you if you feel sure how
he is going to take it. and somehow
in this case felt sure l was not dis
appointed, for his smile broke his face
up into joy laugh. Off came his hat
instantly so l could catch a glimpse of
the fascinating frost over his temples.
and with a positive sigh of rapture he
subsidized into the seat beside me. l
turned with an echo smile all over me.
when suddenly his face became grave
and considerate, and he looked at me
as all the men in Hillsboro have been
doing ever since poor Mr.. Carter's
funeral
Mrs Carter he said very kindly,
in a voice that pitched me out of the
car window and left me mile be-
hind on the track, all by myself. 81
wish l had known Of your sad errand
to town so / could have offered you
some assistance in your selection. You
know we have just had our lot in the
cemetery finally arranged, and | found
the dealers in memorial stones very
confusing in their ideas and designs.
Mrs Henderson just told my mother
of your absence from home last night,
and could only come down to the city
for the day on important business or |
would have arranged to see you. |
hope you found something that salts
fed YOU"
What's a woman going to say when
she has a tombstone thrown in her
face like that? l didn't say anything.
but what / thought about Aunt AIDE
line filed in a dreadful pause.
Perfectly dumb and quiet | sat for
an awful space of time and wondered
just what l was going to do. Could
q woman lie a monument INTO her suit
case? 1t was beyond me at that speak
| ing, and the Molly that is ready for
| life quick didn't want to. | shut my
eyes, counted three to myself as | do
when | go over into the cold tub, and
told him all about it. We both got a
satisfactory reaction. and ! never en-
i joyed myself SO much as that before.
| understand now why Judge Wade
| has had so many women martyr them
selves over him and live unhapp1ly
ever afterward. as everybody says
Henrietta Mason is doing. He's very
inspiring man. and he fairly bristles
with fascinationS. Some men are what
YOU call taking, and they take you II
| they want you, while others are draw
| ing. and after you are drawn to them
they will consider the question OF
taking you. The judge is like that.
In the meantime it tingles me up to
a very great degree to have man
use his eyes on me, as it is the privi-
lege of only womankind to do. and
feel that it will be good for his Judge
| ship for me to let him draw me at
| least a little way. / may get hurt
but | shall at least have an interesting
time of it. | started right then and
got results. for he stopped under the
old lilac bush that leans over my side
gate and kissed my hand. Old lilac
shook a laugh of perfume all over US
and | believe signaled the event at the
top of his bough to the white clumI
on the other side of the garden. I'm
glad Aunt Adeline isn't in tse fowel
fraternity or sorority. Suppose she