The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-04-09
CHAPTER VIII.

What Happened Thirty Years Ago,
When Shirley came across the lawn
at Rosewood, Major Montague Bristow
sat under the arbor talking to her
mother.
The major was massiye-framed,
with strong jaw and a rubicund
complexion-the sort that might be
supposed to have attained the utmost
benefit to he conferred by consist
ent indulgence in mint-juleps. His
blue eyes were piercing and arched
with brows like sable rainbows, at
variance with his heavy iron-gray hair
and imperial His head was leonine
and he looked like king who has
humbled his enemy. 1t may be added
shat his linen was fine and immacu-
late, his black string-tie precisely tied
and pair of gold-rimmed eyeglasses
swung by fiat black cord against his
white waistcoat.
Shirley" said her mother, "the ma
jor's brutal, and he shan't have his
mint-iulep."
What has he been doing?" asked
the other, her brows wrinkling in a
delightful way she had
He has reminded me that I'm grow
Ing Old"
Shirley looked at the major skep-
tically, for his chivalry was un-
doubted During long career in law
and legislature 1t had been said of
him that he could neither speak on
the tariff question nor defend a man
for murder, without first paying a
tribute to "the women of the South
sab"
Nothing of the Sort he rumbled
Mrs Dandridge's face softened to
usefulness. Shirley, am II" she
asked, with a quizzical, almost droll
uneasiness why, I've got every emo
ton I've ever had | read all the new
French novels, and I'm even thinking
of going in for the militant sufragette
movement"
The girl had tossed her hat and
crop on the table and seated herself
by her mothers chair. What was it
he said, dearest?"
He thinks / ought to wear a wor-
eted shawl and arctics." Her mother
thrust out one little thin-slippered foot,
with its slender ankle cleaning
through its open-work stocking like
motherof-pearl Imagine, in May.
And he knows I'm vain of my feeti
Major, If you had ever had wife,
you would have learned wisdom. But
you mean well, and I'll take back what
l said about the julep. You mix it,
Shirley. Yours is even better than
Ranston's."
she makes me one every day, Mon
ty. she continued, as Shirley went
into the house And when she isn't
looking, pour it into the bush there"
Major Bristow laughed as he bit
the end off cigar ''All the same, y
he said in his big rumbling voice,
you need 'em, | reckon. You need
more than mint-juleps, too You leave
the whiskey to me and the doctor, and
you take Shirley and pull out for
Italy. Why not? A year there would
do you heap of good"
She shook her head mo, Monty
II ISL Z W nat yOu Il1Ah ~
She lifted her hand and touched her
heart. tits been so for long time.
But 1t may-it can't go on forever,
you see. Nothing can
The major had leaned forward in
his chair Judith" he said, and his
hand twitched, "it isn't true." And
then, How do you know?"
She smiled at him. You remember
when that big surgeon from Vienna
came to see the doctor last year?
Well, the doctor brought him to me.
I'd known 1t before in way, but it
had gone farther than thought. No
one can tell just how long it may be-
1t may be years, of course, but I'm not
taking any sea trips, Monty"
He cleared his throat and his voice
was husky when he spoke. Shirley
doesn't know"
Certainly not She muStnt." And
then, in sudden sharpness: You
shan't tell her, Monty. You wouldn't
dare!"
mo, indeed he assured her quick
". "Of course not"
ITS just among us three, Doctor
SouthaE and you and me. We three