River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-09-25
SYNOPSIS
Copyright, 1912, by the Bobbs-
Merrill Company

/
/ young widow, awaiting the return of Al
/ Bennett, an old flame, who is now a
! distinguished diplomat, tries to reduce
weight. Her physician adviser and next
/ door neighbor is DR.. John, widower and
father Of young Billy. whom Molly loves.
molly is surprised at play win Billy by
Judge Wade who is the most dignified
and able man in Hillsboro. Billy comes
! over from next door with his father.
Hillsboro receives a visit from Ruth
| Chester a friend of Bennett, and Molly
finds her delightful. Molly goes to the
! city for an outfit of clothing.
| Molly has trouble in reducing her weight.
| Billy's singing of an old love song about
| molly" under her window brings tears to
her eyes.
| She f1irts with Tom Pollard her cousin,
| who is ladies man" She decides to
re-enter Hillsboro society by giving din
| ner. The doctor catches her eating for
| hidden jam.
f! DIR. John and Molly pay visit to one of
| his patients, young mother. She doesn't
| know whom she really wants to marry,
| but thinks she will accept Bennett. Tom
| invites Molly to a dance.
| OF all Molly's dances the one with DR..
| John pleases her most. Preparations for
! the dinner are under way. Bennett is al
| most due in Hillsboro. Billy eats too
| much and becomes sick.
| At the dinner, which is great success,
| Molly receives a telegram from Bennett
| asking permission to come to Hillsboro
| Immediately.
CONTINUED from last week.
| risky and innocent for worlds with
his little baked tail curled up in the
air, arrived from Mrs. Caruthers Cain
went out into the garden and laugh
ed out loud at the idea Of having spent
money for Holsters, to be shipped alive
and to be served broied in their own
shells.
| When | got back in the kitchen
things were we'll under way, every
| thing smelling grand and Aunt Bette
| in full swing matching up my dinner
| guests.
Nobody in this town could suit me
better than Pet Buford for a daughter
in-law, and | believe I'll have all the
east rooms done over in blue chintZ for
her | think that would be the best
thing to set off her blue eyes and corn
silk hair" she was saying as she cut
orange peel into strips.
you've planned the refurnishing of
that east wing to suit the style Of
nearly every girl in Hillsboro since
Tom put on long trousers, Bette Pol
lard, and they are just as they have
been for fifteen years since you did
| over the whole house." said Mrs John
son as she poured a wineglaSS half
full from one bottle and added a table
| spoonful from another.
"Well, / think he is really interested
now from the way he danced most Of
his time with her down at the hotel the
other night. and have hopes | never
had before. Now, Molly, do put him
between you and her, sort Of cornered,
so he can't even see Ruth Chester.
She is too old for him" And Toms
mother looked at me over the orange
peel as to a confederate.
"Humph, I'd like to see you or Molly
or any woman corner Tom Pollard"
said Mrs Johnson with wry smile as
| she tasted the connection in the wine
glass.
II have put him at the end Of the
table because he is my kinsman and
the only host I've got at present Aunt
Bette" l said regretfully. | always
take every chance to rub in Toms
and my relationship on Aunt Bette, so
she won't notice our Irritation.
I'D put John Moore at the head of
the table if l were you, Molly Carter,
because he's about the only man you've
invited that has got any sense left
since you and that Chester girl took
to visiting Hillsboro He's host of
steadiness in himself. and the way he
ignores all you women who would run
after him if he would let you shows
what be is He has my full conf
| dence," and as she delivered herself
of this judgment of DR.. John, Mrs.
Johnson drove in all the corks tight
and began to pound spice.
Hes not out of the widower woods
yet, Caroline" said Aunt Bette with
her most speculative smile. Il have
about decided on him for Ruth since
the judge has taken to following Molly
about as bad as Billy Moore does. But
| don't you all say a word, for Johns
mighty timid, and / don't believe, in
spite of all these years. he's had a sin
gle notion yet. If be had had he'd
have tried a set-to with you, Molly,
like all the rest of the shy birds in
| town he doesn't see a woman as
anything but a patient at the end of
a spoon. and mighty kind and gentle
he does the dosing of them too. Just
the other day-dearie me, Judy, what
| has boiled over now?" And in the ex-
element that ensued I escaped to the
garden.
Yes. Aunt Bette is right about DR..
| John: he doesn't see a woman and
there is no way to make him. What
she had said about it made me realize
that be had always been like that, and
| told myself that there was no rea-
son in the world why my heart should
beat in my slippers on that account.
Still / don't see why Ruth Chester
should have her head literally thrown
against that stone wall and ! wish
Aunt Bette wouldn't. 1t seemed like
a dissertation even TO try to match
make him, and it made me hot with
Indignation all over. l dug so fercely
at the roots of my phlox with trowe!
/ had picked up that they groaned so
loud / could almost hear them. | felt
as if | must operate on something.
And it was in this mood that Alfred 5
letter found me.