Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-03-12
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 massive-framed,
with a strong jaw and a rubicund
comprehensive sort that might be
supposed to have attained the utmost
benefit to be conferred by a consist.
emit indulgence in mint-iuleps. His
blue eyes we're 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 a king who has
humbled his enemy. 1t may be added
that his linen was fine and immacu-
late, his black string-tie precisely tied
and a pair Of gold-rimmed eyeglasses
swung by a fat black cord against his
white waistcoat.
shirley" said her mother, "the ma
1or's brutal, and he shan't have his
mint-julep."
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 I'M
doubted. During a long career in law
and legislature it 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
wistfulness. Shirley, am II" she
asked, with a quizzical, almost a droll
u~neasiness. 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 ~suffragette
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 l ought to wear a wor-
sted shawl and arctics." Her mother
thrust out n little thin-sIippered foot,
with its slender ankle cleaning
through its open-work stocking like
mother-of-pearl. Imagine! In May.
And he knows I'm vain Of my feet!
Major, IL you had ever had a wife,
you would have learned wisdom. But
you mean we'll, and I'll take back what
/ said about the iulep. 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, I pour it into the bush there"
Major Bristow laughed as he bit
the end off a cigar. "All the same"
he said in his big rumbling voice,
you need EN-, l 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 a heap Of good"
She shook her head. mo, Monty.
1t isn't what you think. It's-here."
She lifted her hand and touched her
heart. TITS been so for a 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, "ft 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 a way, but it
had gone farther than | thought. No
one a tell just how long 1t may be.
1t may be years, Of course, but I'm not
taking any ssa trips, Monty"
He cleared his throat and his voice
was husky when he spoke. Shirley
doesn't known"
Certainly not. She mustn't" And
then, In sudden sharpness: "You
shant tell her, Monty. You wouldn't
dare."
mo, indeed" he assured her quick.
ly. "Of course not"
It's just among us three, Doctor
Southall and you and me. We three