Abbeville progress., 1916-11-18

|
And while you receive no further
compensation in return" said John,
! than. perhaps. the COY turning up Of
Il lamp at an upper easement where
! the jasmine climbs or IN eNaSperating
| patter of invisible palms; or Il huge
dauk wedge of fruit-cake showed at
! YOU by the old man, through crack
| in the door"
"YcS. and I'm going to have my just
| reward is what 4 mean said Bert
! and excEauGe the lovers life for the
nrncGiCt'S. Going 10 hunt out a good
sensible girl and marry her And as
/ fhr young man concluded this dcsper-
/ ate avoW&l he jerked the bow of his
! rruyat into hard knot, kicked his hat
/ under the bed, and threw himself on
the sofa like an old suit.
,iohn stared at him with absolute
COMPASSION. poor devil" he said half
nuSingly, Il Lnow just how he feels
Ring i'm the wind his wedding chimes.
Smile. villagers at every door,
plI ,nurchyards stuffed with buried
crimes.
BE clad in sunshine DER and Ger
"Dh, here: exclaimed the wrctched
Bert, jumping 20 his feet; let up ON
Jhat dismal rycitat;ye. 1t would make
IL dog howl 10 hear that :"
"TEen you Hct ~ en- thar suicidal
talk Of marrying" replied John, "and
.,4I ,r.t I.,-.....-,,,, yr ;,.I,..r..-..,- l1.,t
your growing ole. Why, ny dear fcl-
low, you're at least Il dozen years my
junior. and look at ne" and John
glanced at himself in the glass with n
feeble pride, notiCg the gray sparse
ness of his SiGe-hair, and its plaintive
dearth on top. 'Of course I've got to
adIait." he continued. that my hair is
gradually evaporatiEg; but for all that,
Ia still in the ring don't you know
a. young in society, for the matter Of
that. as yourself! And this is just the
reason why don't want You to blight
every prospect il your life hy marry
Ing mt your age-eSpeCially a woman
I mean the kind Of woman you'd be
sure TO fancy ut your age"
Didn't / say "A good sensible girl
was H." kind had sclected?" Bert re-
MCustrated.
oh" exclaimed John, you've Sc
'cctcd her, then and without one
word to me" he ended, rebukingly.
"WeH, hang it allT said Bert i'm
patiently: Il knew how you were, and
usl how you'd ;Ilk rae out OF it; and
l made NJ my mind thar iOr once, 1t
least, I'd follow the dictationS of a
heart that-hOwever capriciOuS in
youthful frivolities-shouid beat, in
manhood, loyal to itself and loyal 10
its own affinity"
Go it. Fire away! Farewell, vain
world" exclaimed the excited John.
Trade your soul off for pair of ear
b0bs and buttonhoOk-a hank of
jute hair and a box of rly-white! I've
buried not less than ten old chums this
way, ard here's another nominated for
the tomb"
Tut you've got no reason about
you" began Bert. 81 want to"
And so DO l want to-" broke in
John finally, Il want To get some sleep.
SO register and come to led. And lie
up on edge, too, when you do come
cause this old catafalque-Of-a-bod is
just about as narrow as your views of
single bieSSedurss, Peace. Not an
other word! Pile in, Pile in! In
three-parts sick, anyhow, and l want
rest" And very truly he spoke.
II was a bright morning when the
Sio,hful John was aroused by Il lCng
voCiierOuS pounding on the door. He
started up in bed To find himself alone
the victim of his wrathful irony hav-
ing evidently risen and fed away
while his pitiiesS t0rmentor slept
Doubtless la accomplish at once that
ncfariOuS intent as set forth by his
unhluShing confession of last night"
muSed The miserable John. And he
ground his fingers in the corners of his
swollen eyes, and leercd griIlly in the
glass at the feyerish orbs, blood-ShOt,
blurred and aching.
The pounding on the door continued.
John looked at his watch; it was only
eight o'clock.
Iii, therc!' he called viciously.
What do you mean. anyhow" he
went on, eievating his voice again;
shaking man out of bed when he's
just dropping into his first sleep?'
Il mean that you're going to get up;
that's what" replied a firm female
voice. ITS eight O'Clock, and | want
Ia put your room in order; and I'm
not going TO wait all day about it,
either, Get up and go down to your
breakfast, and let ne have the room :"
And the clamor at the door was in
dustriOusly renewed.
Say" called John querulously. hur-
rying on his clothes. "Say your"
There's 70 say about 1t" re
Sponded the determined voice; 1--WE
heard about y"u aud your ways around
this house. and I'm not going to put
up with it, You'll not lie in bed till
high noon when I've got to keep your
room in proper ORDER"
"Oh, no." bawled John iEtalligently;
reckon you're the new invasion here?
Doubtless you're that girl that's been
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