The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-11-30

was outraged.
IF you're sleepy"
Don't be silly. love having you.
sat up late last night, reading. /
wonder what you think Of this: One
OF the characters in the book was
reading says that every man who
who cares for u woman leaves his mark
on herr
Every man! How many men are
supposed to care for q woman, any-
how?"
well. there's the boy who-likes her
when they're both young"
a bit OF innocent mischief this, but
Joe Strengthened.
"Then they both outgrow that fool
1shneSS. After that there ure usually
two rivals. and she murries one Of
them-that's three. And"
/ "Why do they always outgrow that
foolishness?" His voice was unsteady.
| "Oh. l don't know. Ones ideas
/ change"
| Sidney was fairly vibrant with the
ZeSt OF living. Sitting on the steps of
the little brick house, her busy mind
was carrying her on to where, beyond
the Street, with its dingy lamps and
Dlossomtng ailanthus, lay the world
that was one day to lie to her hand.
/ Not ambition called her, but life.
The box was different. Where her
luture lay viSuulized before her, heroic.
deeds, great ambitions, wide charity,
he planned years with her, selfish. con
tented years. AS different us snug, sat
lSiled summer from visionary, palpitut-
ing spring. he was for her-but She
was for all the world.
BY shifting his position his lips
came close to her bare young arm. It
( tempted him.
Don't read that nonsense" he said
MS eyes on the arm. "And-Ill never
outgrow my foolishness about you, Sid
ncy."
Ihcn. because he could not help It,
he bent over and kissed her arm.
She was just eighteen and Juc's de-
Votion was very pleasant. She thrilled
10 the touch OF his lips on her flesh .
Dut She drew her arm away.
"Please-I don't like that sort of
thing
why not?" His voice was husky.
1t isn't right. Besides, the neigh
Dors are always looking out of the win
dows."
The drop from her high standard of
right ana wrong to the neighbors' Curl
.oslty appealed suddenly to her sense
OIL humor. She threw back her head
ana laughed He Joined her, after an
uncomfortable moment But he was
very much in earnest. He sat, bent
forward. turning his new straw hat I'm
| his hands.
thought, perhaps" said Joe, grow
ing reu ana white, and talking to the
nat, that some day, when we're older,
you-you might be willing to marry
me. Sid. I'd be uwfully good to Won.
1t hurt her to say no. Indeed, she
could not bring herself to say it. In all
hcr short life she had never willfully
lhllicted wound. And because she
was young. and did not realize that
there Is short cruelty, like the sur
geons, that is mercy in the end She
temporlzed.
There IS such lot of time before
we need think of such things Can't
I'm not very happy the way we
are"
"Why, joel"
She leaned over and put tender
hand on his arm.
Il don't want to hurt you but, Joe,
l don't want to be engaged yet. don't
want to think about marrying. There's
such lot to do In the world first.
There's such lot to see and be-"
Where" he demanded bitterly.
Here on this Street? DO you want
more time to pull hastings for your
mother? Or to slave for your Aunt
Harriet? Or to run up and down
stairs, carrying towels to r0omers?
Marry NE and let me take care OF
YOU"
once again her dangerous sense OF
hum0r threatened her. He looked SO
Doyish, sitting there with the moon
light on his bright hair, so INADEQUATE
to carry out his magnificent offer. Two
or three of the star blossoms from the
tree had fallen on his head. She lifted
them carefully away
Let me take care of myself for q
while. I've never lived my own life.
You know what l mean. I'm not un-
happy; but | want to do something.
AND some day | shall-not anything
Dig; know can't do thnt-but some
thing useful. Then, after years and
years, If you still want me, III come
back to YOU"
He drew long breath and got up.
All the JOY had gone out of the sum
mer night for him, poor lad. He
glanced down the Street, where Pal
mer Howe had gone home happily with
SidnpyS friend Christine pnl,por