Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-02-15
That Bill for
Flowers
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.

you as if you were my own daughter
eyes, uncle"
81 have enough to leave you comfort
able, when l come to the jumping on
place and have enough to leave DICK
comfortable, but if I divide the prop
erty between you both there is not
enough to make either comfortable"
"Then, uncle, it is your duty to leave
your property to your own son."
"Why can't leave it to you and him
as one persona"
at is impossible"
'Dick would rather I would leave II
to you jointly. He"
ssNow, uncle, know what you mean.
I've heard it all from Dick. Dick and l
have always been brother and sister
and such We'll always be-"
This ended the fathers attempt to
help his son to secure the wife thai
son wanted. Dick LarramOre was en-
gagged in business in another city and
seldom visited his home, so his foster
sister was not troubled with his atten-
tons. Six months after this attempt
of his father to make match between
the two Grace said to her uncle:
"What's the matter with Dick? He
has never let so long time go by before
without coming home for visit"
ST think some girl is keeping him."
Grace looked grave.
II shouldn't be surprised" continued
Dir. Larramore, "to hear any day that
he IS engaged"
"Why do you think SOP"
swell, you know Dicks salary is not
very large and he occasionally falls
i,"ck upon me. The other day he sent
bill for flowers"
81! I see"
1 subject was not pressed further.
!. Few days later Dick received letter
from his cousin-foster sister Gliding
BIN for remaining away from home so
long N,thout a visit. His father was
Soy much hurt at his sons neglect of
IN.
This letter brought Dick home for
the next weekend. He had an inter-
view with his father at which the lat
ter denied that he considered his son
neglectful of him and commended him
for standing by his business. The old
man went to bed early and Dick spent
the rest of the evening with Grace.
"y"ho is this person you're sending
tas.yrs to-" asked Grace in cold tone.
SO, wouldn't send flowers to person.
[ would only send them to an attrac-
tive girl"
There was a brief silence between
them which was broken by Grace.
ssDo you think you have a right to
marry when your father is getting old
and needs your attention?""
''He isn't getting my attention. You
are taking care of him and doing 1t far
better than I could. l supposed you
we're to remain single as long as he
lives"
GLOW very self-sacrificing you are"
sarcastically.
It's -self-sacrifcing Of you. I've
heard you say often that you were go
ing to be an old maid for dads sake"
81 suppose after dear uncle's death
you will bring this woman you're go
ing to marry into the house and shall
have to yacate?"
''I'm not going to marry" this wom-
an. "If I marry shall marry lovely
girl"
"Supposing-" Grace said with great
seriousness, "supposing that I should
die before your father, do you suppose
he would be able to put up with a
strange person who you would bring
into the house to take my placer
"But~ you're not going to die, and
I'm not going to bring Strange per-
SON. into this house"
81 don't know; I've had queer feel
ingS about my heart lately"
You don't mean it; who is the cad
who is making the trouble with your
hearth"
'You know very we'll that don't
mean it in that sense at all. If l did
you would not be the person to refer to
my lover as cad"
"Y0u know very well that I would
not do what you are going to do. If l
marry, uncle will be perfectly satisfied
to have me marry and approve Of the
gentleman who is to be my husband"
"Oh! he is to be q gentleman, Is
he7"
'lIc has one fault"
"EThat's that?'
''fie is very unfeeling; he doesn't
seem to realize what q noble, good IA
tier he has,"
Dick opened his eyes very wide and
looked up at the ceiling; Grace's eyes
were giued to the floor. Presently
Dick said:
(which, being interpreted, means
th&f you are willing to sacrifice your
sell TO dads DESIRES"
IT viii marry no man who does not
1--we me-"
Mud I will marry no girl who does
love me-"
The dialogue here came to an abrupt
4. for Dick caught her in. his arms
- sealed her lips with kisses.
The next morning, when Mr.. LARA
ore "Gme downstairs his son grasped
hand nd said feelingly:
1..Eion thanks, dad"
80: @z.I?'
J1at stony about the bill for