The Ordway new era., 1919-10-10

l give Oue VI lh0 hdhADCAo NAAAt
belong to me-"
"rn try to remember" she said.
and thoughtfully lifted to her face
the bouquet Of violets and lilies.
| gesture which George noted without
approval.
Look herel Who sent you those
flowers you keep maxim such fuss
over2"
"He did"
"Who's her"
"The queer-looking duck"
George feared no such rival; he
laughed loudly. II s'pose he's some
old widoweri" he said, the object
thus described seeming ignominious
enough to a person Of eighteen, with
out additional characterization.
Lucy became serious at once. "Yes.
he u q widower." she said. II ought
to have told you before; he's my ia.
ther.",
George stopped laughing abruptly.
~Well. that's q horse on me. II I'd
known he was your father Of course
sorry."
Nobody could make fun Of him."
she said quietly.
"Why couldn't they2"
'It wouldn't make him funny: 1t
would only make themselves silly"
Upon this George had q gieam of
intelligence. "Well. I'm not going to
make myself silly any more, then;
don't want to take chances like that
with you. But I thought he was the
Sharon girls uncle. he came with
than"
yes" she said; "Tm always late
10 everything: wouldn't let them
wait for me. We're visiting the
Sharons."
About time knew thatI You for
get my being so fresh about your IA
ther. will your OF course he's dis
tinguished-looking man, in a way"
Lucy was still serious. "'In
wayf" she repeated. "You mean.
not in your way. don't your"
George was perplexed. 'How do
you mean: not in my way7"
People often say in way and
rather distinguished looking or
rather so-and-so. or rather anything,
to show that they're superior. don't
they. It's a kind of snob slang.
think. OF course people don't always
say rather or in a way to be su-
"I should say noti I use both of
'em a great deal myself" said George.
"One thing don't see. though:
What's the use Of a man being SIX
feet three3 Men that size can't
handle themselves as well as a man
about i've feet eleven and half can"
George was a Straightforward soul.
at least. "See herel" he said. "Are
you engaged to anybodyT
"No."
Not wholly mollined. he shrugged
his shoulders. "You seem to know a
good many peoplel Do you live in
New York;"
mo. We don't live anywhere"
"What do you mean: you don't live
anywheref"
"We've lived all over" she answered.
Papa used to live here in this town.
but that was before I was born"
"What do you keep moving around
30 for? Is he promoter"
"No. He's an inventor"
"What's he inventedr
"Just lately" said Lucy, 'she's been
working on q new kind Of horseless
carriage"
"Well. I'm sorry for him." George
said. in no unlindly spirit 'Those
things are never going to amount to
anything. People aren't going to
spend their lives lying on their backs
In the road and letting grease drip In
their faces"
"Papa'd be so grateful" she re-
turned. "if he could have your ad-
vice"
Instantly Georges face became
flushed. II don't know that I've done
anything to be insulted for" he said.
Il don't see that what I said was par
ticularly fresh"
"No, indeed!"
"Then what do you"
She laughed gayly. II don'ti And
I don't mind your being such q lofty
person at all. I think It's ever SO
interesting-but papa's great mani"
"Is he7" George decided to- be
good-natured. swell, let US hope 90.
1 hope SO. I'm sure"
Looking at him keenly, she saw that
the magnificent youth was incredibly
sincere in this bit of graciousness.
She shook her head In gentle wonder.
'rm just beginning to understand"
she said.
understand whatf'
"What 1t means to be q real Am
berson In this town. Papa told me
something about 1t before we came.
but see he didn't say half enough |"
George superbly took this all for
tribute. did your father say he
knew the family before he left here1"
"Yes. believe he was particularly