Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-25

IF dignity" the majors blood was
, rising now,-"consists In your eternal
tasteless chickering's, want none of it,
What on earth do you do 1t for? You
had some friends once"
"Friends!" snapped the other, the
fewer have the better!"
The major clapped on his straw
! hat angrily, strobe to the door, and
opened it. But on the threshold he
| stopped, and presently shut it, turned
back slowly and resumed his chair.
. The doctor was relighting his cigar,
but an odd furtive look had slipped
to his face, and the hand that struck
the match was unsteady.
!, For time both sat smoking, at first
in silence, then talking In desultory
way on Indifferent topics. Finally the
major rose and tossed his cigar into
the empty CRATE.
"Ill be off now" he said. 81 must
be on the field before the others
, AS he went down the steps car.
rage, drawn by pair Of dancing
J grays, plunged past. who are those
people with the Chalmers, I wondeh. "
J said the doctor They're strangers
here"
The major peered. "Oh," he said
over his shoulder, Il forgot to tell
: you. That's Silas Fargo. the railroad
: president from New York, and his
J daughter Katherine. His private cars
down on the siding. They're at the
; judge's-he's chief counsel for the
: road in this state. They'll be at the
, tournament, | reckon. You'll be there
, won't your"
The doctor was putting some phials
: and instruments into a worn leather
bag. mo" he said shortly. "I'm
going to take ten mile drive--to add
to this county's population, I expect
, But LIN coming to the dance Promised
Valiant would in a moment OF TEN
porary alteration"
June in Virginia is something to
remember. Today the master OF
Damory Court deemed this true say
ing. For the air was like wine, and
the drifting white wings Of cloud, piled
above the amethystine ramparts of
the far Blue Ridge, looked down upon
a violet world bound in green and
silver.
his bedroim Valiant stood looking
into the depths of an ancient ward
robe. Presently he took from a hook
a suit Of white flannel in which he ar
!, rayed himself. Over his soft shirt he
knotted pale gray scarf. The modish
white suit and the rolling Panama
threw out In fine contrast the keen
sun-tanned face and dark brown eyes
In the hall below he looked about
, him with satisfaction. For the last
| three days he had labored tirelessly to
fit the place for the evenings event
: The parlor now showed walls rim
med with straight-back chairs and
> the grand piano-long ago put in order
had been relegated to the library
, That instinct for the artistic, which
had made him last resort in the
, vexing problems Of club entertain
. ments, had aided him in the Courts
, adornment. Thick branches Of holly
, axed from the hollows by Uncle JET
, ferson, lined the balustrade of the
, stairway, the FURNISHED green of ivy
, leaves was twined with the prisms oil
the chandelier In the big yellow-hune
!, parlor. and bands of twisted Laurel
were festooned along the upper wall"
, The massed green was setting for a
, prodlgal use of flowers. Everywhere
, wild blossoms showed their spreading
, clusters, and he had searched every
, corner Of the estate, even climbing
the ragged forest slope, to the tawdry
, edge of Hells Half-Acre to plumber
each covert Of its hidden blooms
He had intended at first to use only
J, the wild flowers, but that morning
Ranston had arrived from Rosewood
with load Of red roses that had made
him gasp with delight Now these
, painted the whole a splendid riotous
crimson. They stood banked in win
dows and f1replaces Great clumps
nodded from Swallowed corners and a
veritable bower Of them waited for
!, the musicians at the end of the hall
!, Through the whole house wreathed
the sweet rose.scent, mingled with
the Trailer fragrance Of the wildings
John Valiant drew a single great rec
beauty from its brethren and fastened
1t In his button-hole.
Out in the kitchens Cassandra' {
, egg-beating clattered like a watch
mans rattle, while Aunt Daphne put
+ the finishing touches to an array Of
lighter edibles destined to grace the
long table on the rear porch. now
walled in with snow-white muslin ant
hung with candle-luSters. Under the
, trees Uncle Jefferson was even ther
experimenting with various punch
compounds, and delicious aroma o
vanilla came to Valiants nostrils to
, gether with Aunt Daphnes wrathfu
, voice:
, "Heah, yo' GREENE simms' What
) yo' gwine?"
"Ain' gWine nowhah. Abs done
} been whah Abs gwtne."
"Yo' set down dat o'ange err All u
smack yo' bardacious1y ovah! Eff 20
steals, what gwineter become OBJ 20
soul?'
DON know muffin bout nah soul.
, responded the ebony materialist. But
All knows All got er body, cause All
buttons ct up e'vy day, en- All lakes et
? plump
"Yo' go back en- wuk TO- yo' quahtat
yankin' on dat ar ice-cream freezah,
decreed Aunt Daphne exasperatedly
Ger yo' don git er smell ter-night. Yo
heah dat!"
The threat proved efficacious, for