The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-07
scontaaued.1

tCont1nued~1
With the parcels unopened under hey
arm, Mrs Trumbley was turning to-
ward the dining roont Come on an
eat yore supper she said to her
daughter. 81 hear Mr.. Daniel on the
porch now Take off that hat Have
you gone plumb crazy r.
Mary stood hesitatingly s'I'm not
hungry. nother-not a bit. Howard
treated me and Uncle Alb to ice cream
and cakes just before we drove out of
town He was so happy over the trade
being closed that he insists on our do
ing it, and ,
All. you amt goin' to sleep in yore
hat, shorcly e Mrs. Truhbley retorted
sharply What are you keeping It on
.for?''
With slow fingers Mary united the
Ribbons beneath her irresol1te chin
II thought I'd keep it on because I
have to-to run over to the Tinsleys
but won't need it now that it is
dark
over to Tinsley'sl Did you ever p
exclaimed Mrs Trumbley- what in
the name O.. common sense are you CO.
In over thar fer? You talked with that
old woman at the gate fully an hour
this mornin', an now you have to see
FER before you are at home a minute
You will be sIeepin' am eatin' over thelf
next, reckon
Tut, tut, tutr' The exclamation was
Abner's, who was entering from the
rear, his loose shoes scrapiag on the
dooE- do let the gal alone. heard
FER promise Howard to run right over
to relieve his mothers mind The pore.
old creature is nigh crazy, expectins the
boy to go away tomorrow an this
Change in his plans viii be glad tid1n's.
Go ahead, Mary Old Alb understands
you eff yore ma don't
II understand 'er entirely too well
fer my peace o. mind, = Mrs Trumbley
sneered .sShe is lettin the entire
country know she has Howard Tinsley
on err mind right now, too, when the
trf1in' scamp is drivin here an thar
with that stuck up Atlanta girl. [
heard-aH it come straight, too-that
him an her met old T1nsley in the big
road tOther day an that Howard turn
ed his head in another direction an
didn't SO much as nod to the man he
owes his all to-"
Howard looked away to keep from
havin, to stop an lick the OLD skunk iii
public, . Abner chuckled nnischievously:
*Old Hiram has been shootin' of his
lip too free about Miss Langhan- He
thinks because she shakes merry toe
In the gay quadFiI1e an lets the boys
hold 'er tight agin 'em in the polka
that she is 1eadin' 'em all straight to
perditfon. She amt exactly the sour
faced sort of females was fetched up
with, but kind o. Like 'er fer a change
7 don't believe Howard is ashamed o.
his daddy--fhe boy amt that sort by
a long shot-but he's havia hars;
time gittin along with the old chap
Mary, go ahead-let the boys ma know
what's happened. If you don't go I
viii have to, am want to avoid Hiram.
I know i'm wei enough to know that
he's gOins to git his back up over what
I've done
In high Impotence Mrs Trunbley
turned aside to open the parcels, and
Mary gfided out into the twilight, her
anticipated joy greatly. diminished by
the reprimand she had recefF ed.
She found Mrs. Tinsley alone in the
big kitchen, which was dtmly lighted
by an Oil lamp on a table. Mary's step
was soft, and the woman was not
aware of her presence till she was
close behind her Mary overheard 3
low, suppressed sigh as Mrs. Tinsley
bent over the open fire, on the Goals of
which were some pots and pans, which
she was cleaning with hot water and
rag on stick.
OH" she exclaimed as she turned
and saw the visitor ST didn't know
who it was. Have you just got back !?
I was going over TOTO see you. II
thought Howard surely would come
back with you and be at your house If
IF heN didn't come on here. Isis he
thaF7'
ssNo; we left him in town. Mary's
voice was full of tense emotion She,
laid her hands tenderly on the bent
shoulders The fear dashed through
her mind that the good news might do
the recipient serious harm, and she
was wondering how she could best
make It known In the short pause
that ensued a gsoan escaped Mrs. Tins
1ey's bps.
Il see. see. He's not comm even
to say goodby to me. Maybe he'd rath
either? It may be true, as some say.
that the young can't. feel partin' like
the old do. He's all I got in the world
but maybe don't count fer much with
him, as good boy as he's always
been
Mary caught the hardened palms in
her own. She drew the old woman to
her in firm embrace. Are you pre-
pared for real good news. Mrs. Tins
ley2v she asked tenderIy. 4.You see, 1
ana afraid
-'Good-good news2" Mrs Tins1ey
held her breath, her eyes widening as
they fixed themselves on Mary's.
Eyes, the best news in the world,
Mrs .Tinsley. Howard is not going
away at all. He would have come to
tell you himself, but he had some i'm
porLant work to do tonight and left it
to me.
Mrs. Tinslez. staring almost insred-