The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-08-10
THE BULLYING BORLAhDS
BY BARBARA RHODES.

The Fardays and the Borlands had I
wrangled over boundary lines and
sundry other matters for a decade,
and now that the younger generation
showed a disposition to be friendly
the old mans wrath was stimulated to
frenzy.
Il won't have it," growled Uncle
Zeb.
Ted was talking to Mr.. Dodd, the
lawyer. His pleasant, drawing voice
exasperating Uncle Zeb beyond con-
troll
"Ah, Mr.. Dodd!" Ted was saying.
Uncle Zeb wants you to come down
to Borlands this afternoon-oh, you
can easily make the 2:02 train. Some
thing about changing his will, be-
lieve! l suppose so-thanks-good-
by
Think you're mighty clever to have
him down here, don't your" quavered
Uncle Zeb.
4 thought you wanted him down.
Uncle Zeb," returned Ted with a
straight look from his brown eyes,
Il didn't believe you were such
FOOL grumbled the old man. How |
are you going to support that Farday |
girl?"
.'Lue, corrected Ted quietly. why, !
we thought we'd live on the old place
with Miss Henrietta, and I'm going
to raise chickens. You know I've had
considerable luck experimenting on
the farm here"
The telephone bell jingled from its
corner
| Answer it, TED
Ted's handsome head inclined to
| the instrument
"Yes?-Oh, you, darling? I'm COM
ing over presently. Something impor-
tant? Aunt Henrietta ?-Jove, Lue,
but that's a blow Good-by, sweet
heart Don't grieve, it will come out
all right-o.
He hung up the receiver and
crossed the room to look down at the
little dried-up old man with quizzical
| eyes.
Il suppose Henrietta Farday objects
to having anything as practical as a
chicken farm on her estate" sneered
Uncle Zeb.
Ted shook his head.
1T isn't that, Uncle Zeb. Miss Hen
rietta objects out and out to my mar
rying Lue-says she'll be hanged if
her niece marries bullying Borland.
So there you are!"
And your girl won't chance mar
rying on your salary?'
Yes" said Ted proudly; only she
thinks it's her duty to Miss Henrietta
TO remain with her. Henrietta is not
very well, and there is no other rela-
tive"
AS soon as he was alone Uncle Zeh
peered from the window until he saw
that Ted's figure had disappeared
through the gate. Then the cid man
3 hobbled across the room to the tele
: phone and called for a local number
. The deeply masculine voice of Miss
! Henrietta Farday came in answer.
: This is Zeb Borland," began Uncle
4 Zeb, doubtfully
0 "Humph! Bullying Borland!" com
: mented Aunt Henrietta in her mos
9 forbidding accents. I've put my foot
I down on your nephew's loye-making.
9 Put your foot down."
), "Yes-both feeti There won't bt
: any bullying Borlands in my family,
8 declared the old lady.
t You can't know Ted very well
J. He's good enough for any girl in Al
o mos county-or the world, for tina
d matter"
t He isn't good enough for m.
y Luella! l don't know how you cal
$ say he isn't a Borland. Why, he's TIL
Q living image of what you were. Re
3. Borland, forty years ago"
Textbooks like mel did? Pshaw
Henrietta, l never was half as goo
v looking as Teddy" Uncle Zeb's voic
$ bore pleased note
q You were better looking" contra
y dicted the lady sharply. Il can prov
v it by that miniature"
e. Silence for q moment.
is Uncle Zeb smiled into the moutl
4 piece of the instrument.
i Henrietta Farday-have you keI
D. that picture of me?"
o. Il keep lots of trash!" came in
ic stifled tone.
c, I've got your picture, Henry, br
a. l don't call it 'trash," said Uncl
s. Zeb in an oddly gentle tone. You
c, want to trade pictures with me?"
Il, A hush-then:
al You better keep the one you got
s. and I'll keep mine"
70 Il should be lonesome without it
Is whispered Uncle Zeb. I've kept
re in my pocket SO many years. HEM
I'd miss it. But l suppose youy
kept mine in some trash box-alon
with other trash"
y. "Zeb Borland. I'm a liar" blaze
- Henrietta with all the fire OF b,
40 youth. I've worn your miniatul
ar next to my heart all these years b
- cause it's all there was left of-love
- Laugh, if you want to-
" ..IIorriottn - L.. 49,. - IL