Smyrna times., 1917-02-14
THE BEST MAN Wins
BY SUSAN e. cLAGETT.

You have heard of the place paved
with good intentions, Pauline, dear. 1
am afraid many bricks are laid to my
credit for my intentions are always
good but fail of accomplishment.
mean to write. but somehow never do.
This time you must forgive me, for l
am most unhappy. And my unhappi-
ness came from out clear sky. Since
then have sounded the depths. Fa-
ther is obdurate. Mother sides with /
him.
ut is nothing but pig-headed obsti-
macy In father. Anyone looking at |
Howard would know he is a gentle |
man. He certainly is good to look at, |
and, of course, l think the sun rises |
and sets in him. But father will not
listen when tell him we are engaged.
He merely says: When you care for
man, Jane, you can marry him as soon
as he asks you, but so long as live
a make-believe one shall never have
you
July 10TH thought my letter had
reached you but have just found it in
my portfolio. When l wrote a month
ago l thought myself encOmpassed by
misery, but my feelings were as moth
ing to what they have been the past
few days.
Father told me l must break off
my engagement; that l should not see
Howard again. Stormed. He mere
ly said, Jane, put on your hat and take
a drive with your mother and me-
That was all.
81 told myself l wouldn't. But 1
had never disobeyed father in my life
and we started on that drive. 1t was
a long one. 1t took US three days to
reach this place; little farm at the
end of nowhere, thirty miles from the
nearest railroad stationl Thefe is no
post Office, no telephone, no car!
"July 2Oth-Pauline, dear, it is a
comfort to chat with you, even if my
letter has to wait forever and forever
to reach the Office. l do get so hungry
for home news. Mother has written
once, but not a word from dad, which
shows plainly that l am still in dis
grace. Today Peter told me he might
go to the station for mail. If he didn't
he thought Dan Isham would take my
letters. Whoever is Dan Isham? l
haven't seen a man, except Peter, since
father left me here. wonder if he
is as old and wrinkled as Peter"
July 21st-He came before had
finished my letter. Just an ordinary,
farmer sort Of person. He has nice
eyes. saw that, although he turned
them away at once. wonder what he
thought Of me?
august 10th-I am seeing a good
deal of Dan Isham. He lives on the
next place, wherever that is.
"He isn't a bit like Howard, but he
knows where to find the loveliest wooC
flowers, and this morning showed me
the cutest little open-mOuthed baby
birds; mocking birds. he said they
were.
August 24th-Dan came this morn
ing and asked me to walk to King:
Creek with him. 1 don't know wha
got into me- but l felt l must talk o
Howard. told of our engagement
I and how determined father is that |
I shall be broken off, but that was de
I terpined to marry him when came o
Z age.
4 "'And when will that beT he asked
Z Your appearance this morning sug
4 gests nothing so much as that OF
4 pretty spoiled child of twelve
4 "'Spoiled childr gasped. 1 cOul
4 not control my voice, so turned m
Z back on him. AS ! did so 1 caugh
4 sight of something that turned me col
4 with fright Coming toward us wit
q lowered head was a great black bul
4 "With a shuddering sob l caugt
q hold of Dan and hid my face againi
4 his shoulder.
q "'Why, childr Then the low mu
@ ter of that awful animal made hi
> turn suddenly. Will you believe m
- Pauline, Dan Isham laughed, but
didn't let me go. He put his hand III
der my chin and made me look at hiT
What he saw in my eyes do n
know. What l saw in his made n
again hide my face against that oil
faded blue shirt. Even through n
fear 1 was glad father had told Ho'
ard Chandler / should not marry hi
81 did not mind Dams laughin
there was such comfort in feeling /
arms about me, but for prophet!
sake l tried to slip from them. VIII
he said:
"'Jane, that steer is one of Pete
a, OK team, and is as gentle as Ian
Truly 1 am thankful he put in an 6
pearance just now, for i have be
wondering ever since you began ia
ing of Chandler, how long would ha
I'll, to wait before you found out you lov
me instead. For you do love me. The
is no question about my feeling
YOU. 1 surrendered the first time
saw you
"When we at last reached the hol
n whom should we find but father, q
- he shook Dams hand as if he
known him all his life. 1t seems L