The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1919-11-01

y Am Doing What My Father Would
Do " He Were Alive"
how IL must be beaten down yes,
and he asks my mother TO do that lit
tie thing 10 please him. What for?
Why does he want me beaten by my
mother? Because I'm trying 10 pro-
tect her namei He's got my mothers
name banded up and down the streets
bf this town till I can't step In those
streets without wondering what every
soul meet is thinking OF me and OF
my family, and now he wants you TO
marry him so that every gossip In
town viii say There! What did / tell
you? i guess that proves it's truer
You can't get away from IL that's ex-
actly what they'd say, and this man
pretends he cares for you, and yet
asks you 10 marry him and give them
the right TO say IL. He says he and
you don't care what they say, but /
know better He may not care-prob-
ably he's that kind-but you do. There
never was an ANDERSON yet that would
let the ANDERSON name go trailing In
the dust like that It's the proudest
name In this town. and It's going 10
stay the proudest; and tell you that's
the deepest thing In my nature-not
that I'D expect Eugene Morgan TO I'M
derstand-the very deepest thing in my
nature is 10 protect that name and 10
fight for II TO the last breath when
danger threatens 1t as Il does now
through my motherw He turned from
her striding up and down and tossing
his arms about In u tumult Of gesture.
II can't believe Il 81 you that you'd
think OF such sacrilegel That's
what IL would be-sacrilege When he
talks about your unselfishness toward
me he's right-you have been unselfish
and you have been perfect mother.
But what about him? Is IL unselflsh
OF him TO want you TO throw away
your good name just TO please him?
That's all he asks Of you-and to quit
being my mother DO you think can
believe you really care for him? /
don't You are my mother and you're
an Amberson--and believe you're too
proud You're too proud to care for
man who could write such a letter
as thatl" Tie stopped, faced her, and
spoke with more self-control: "Well,
what are you going to do about II,
mother2p
George was right about his mothers
being proud. And even when she
laughed with negro gardener Or even
those few times In her life when pe0-
pie saw her weep. Isabel had proud
look something that was Independent
and graceful and strong But She did
not have II now: She leaned against
the wall, beside his dressing table, and
seemed beset with humility and with
weakness Her head dropped.
"What answer are you going TO
make 60 such letter2 George de-
manded, like Judge on the bench.
II don't quite know. dear" che
murmured.
"You don'tf" he cried. "You--n
"Wait," she begged him. I'm So
confused"
II want TO know what you're going
to write him. DO you think n you
did what he wants you TO could
bear TO stay another day I'm this town,
mother7 DO you think I could ever
bear even TO see you again IL You
married him7 I'd want to, but You
surely know I just--couldn'tr
She made a futile gesture. and
seemed To breathe with difficulty, T
Il wasn't-quIte sure" she faltered.
"about-about It's being wise for us
To be married--even before knowing
how YOU feel about II. | wasn't even
sure II was quite fair toto Eugene.
| have seem TO have that family
trouble-like father's-that spoke
To You about once" She managed
deprecatory little dry laugh. Not
that II amounts TO much. but I wasn't
at all sure that II would be fair to
him, Marrying doesn't mean so much,
after all-not at my age. It's enough
TO know that-that people think OF
you--and 20 see them. / thought we
were all--oh, pretty happy the way
thugs were, and l don't think Il would
mean giving up a great deal for him
or me, either, II we Just went on as
we have been. IL see him almost
every day, and"
Mother" Georges voice was loud
and stern. do you think you could
go one seeing him after thisi"
She had been talking helplessly
enough before; her tone was little
more broken now. "Not-not even
see lrimT"
"How could your George cried.
Mother. II seems to me that II he
ever set foot In this house again
! oh can't speak or II Could you
sec him, knowing what talk IL makes
\ o..o.-.. lima he inrna into THE aaroaA