Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-10-14
CHAPTER VIII-continued.

In the matter OF cOOlneSS GeOfSS
met Lucy upon her own predeter-
mined ground; in fact, he was there
first, and at their next encounter
proved loftier and more formal than
she did. Their estrangement lasted
three weeks, and then disappeared
without any preliminary treaty: 1t
had worn itself out and they forgot it.
The Major had taken a great fancy
to her, insisting upon her presence
and her fathers at the Anderson fam
fly dinner az the Mansion every Sun
day evening. She knew how TO fiirt
with old people, he said, as she sat
next him at the table on one Of these
Sunday occasions; and he had always
liked her father, even when Eugene
was a ''terror" long ago. "Oh, yes,
he vast" the Major laughed when she
remonstrete ted. "He. came up here
with my son George and some others
for a serenade one night, and Eugene
stepped into a bass fiddle, and the
poor musicians just gave upi That
serenade was just before Isabel was
married-and don't you fret, Miss
Lucy: your father remembers 1t well
enOughi" The old gentleman burst
into laughter, and shook his finger at
Eugene across the table. "The fact
IS" the Major went on hilariOusly, 81
believe If Eugene hadn't broken that
bass fiddle and given himself away
Isabel would never have taken Will
burt l shouldn't be surprised If that
was about all the reason that Wilbur
got herl What do you think. Will
burT'
81 shouldn't be surprised" said Will
bur placidy. "If your notion is right
I'm glad Gene broke the fiddle. He
was giving me a hard rum
The Major always drank three
glasses of champagne at his Sunday
dinner, and he was finishing the third.
"What do you say about it, Isabel?
BY JOvel" he cried, pounding the
table, 'She's blushingw
Eugene was as pink as Isabel, but
he laughed without any sign of embar-
rassment other than his heightened
color. There's another important
thing-that is, for me-" he said. ITS
the only thing that makes me forgive
that bass viol for getting In my way"
what Is it?" the Major asked.
Lucy" said Morgan gently.
Isabel gave him a quick glance, all
warm approval. and there was a muir
muir of friendIiness round the table.
Summer glided by evenly and quick
ly enough, for the most part. and at
the end seemed to fly. On the last
night before George went back to be
a junior his mother asked him conf
IDENTIFY if it had not been a happy
summer
He hadn't thought about it, he an
swered. "Oh, l suppose so. WhyT'
Il just thought it would be nice to
hear you say So" she said, smiling.
Its seemed TO me that it must have
been happy summer for you-a real
summer of roses and wine'-without
the wine. perhaps. Gather We roses
while We mayor was it primroses
Time does really fly, or perhaps it's
like the sky-and smoke"
George was puzzled. '.It strikes me
you're getting mixed. l don't see
much resemblance between time and
the sky. or between things and smoke
wreaths; but l do see one reason you
like Lucy Morgan so much. She
talks that same kind of wfstful.
moony way sometimes don't mean
70 say l mind it in either of you. be-
cause l rather like TO listen to II,
and you've got a very good voice.
mother. It's nice to listen to. no mat
ter how much smoke and sky. and
so on. you talk. Sos Lucy's, for that
matter; and / see why you're con-
genial. She talks that way TO her
father. too; and he's right there with
the same kind OF guff. Wen, it's all
right with met I've got plenty TO
think about when people drool along ~
She pressed his hand to her cheek.
and tear made tiny warm streak
across one of his knuckles.
"For heavens sake!" he said
Whats the matter? Isn't everything
all dght?"
You're going away l never can
bear to see you go-that's the most
Of 1t. Pm little bothered about your
father. too"
"WhyT'
1T seems TO me he looks so bad.
Everybody thinks So"
What nonsenSe!' George laughed
Hes been looking that way all sum-
mer. He isn't much different from
the way he's looked ali his life. that
can see. What's the matter with
him?"
HE never talks much about his
business 10 me, bat l think he's been
worrying about some investments he
made last year. I think his worry
has affected his health"
What investmentsT" George de-
manded. HE hasn't gone into NJ.
Morgan's automobile concern, has
her
No" Isabel smiled she auto
mobile concern is all Eugene's. and
it's so small I understand it's taksn
herdly anything. No: your father has
Always p.auSu haAnSeh VI uaAIng OnSg
the most absolutely safe investments,
but two or three years ago he ard
your Uncle George both put great
deal-pretty much everything they
could get together. think-into the
gtock OF rolling mills some friends
OF theirs owned. and Tn afraid the
mills haven't been doing we'll"
What OF thatf Father needn't
worry. You and can take care Of
him the rest of his life on what grand
father"
''of course" she agreed. But your
fathers always lived so for his busi-
ness and taken such pride In his