The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-11-28

doing my simple duty? That I'm doing
what my father would do if he were
alive? That I'm doing what my father
would ask me to do if he could speak
from his grave out yonder? Do you
suppose it ever occurs to that man for
one minute that I'm protecting my
mother?" George raised his voice ad-
vancing upon the helpless lady fierce
ly; and she could only bend her head
before him. "He talks about my WIFI
how it must be beaten down; yes,
| and he asks my mother to do that lit
tie thing to please him! What for?
Why does he want me beaten by my
mother? Because I'm trying to pro-
tect her name! He's got my mothers
name banded up and down the streets
Of 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 will say There! What did tell
you? I guess that proves it's true!
You can't get away from it; that's ex-
actly what they'd say, and this man
pretends he cares for you, and yet
asks you to marry him and give them
the right to say it. He says he and
you don't care what they say, but 1
know better! He may not care-prob-
ably he's that kind-but you do. There
never was an Anderson yet that would
Set the Anderson name go trailing in
the dust like that! It's the proudest
name in this town, and it's going to
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 to protect that name and to
| fight for it to the last breath when
| danger threatens it as it does now
through my mother!" He turned from
her striding up and down and tossing
his arms about in tumult of gesture.
II can't believe 1t of you that you'd
| think of such a sacrilege! That's
what it would be-sacrilege When he
talks about your unselfshness toward
me he's right-you have been unselfish
and you have been a perfect mother.
But what about him? Is it unselfish
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 1 can
believe you really care for him? I
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 that" He stopped, faced her, and
spoke with more self-control: swell,
what are you going to do about it,
mother?"
George was right about his mothers
being proud. And even when she
laughed with a negro gardener, or even
those few times in her life when peo-
pie saw her weep, Isabel had a proud
look-something that was independent
and graceful and strong. But she did
not have it 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 to such letter." George de-
manded, like judge on the bench.
81 don't quite know, DEAR" she
murmured.
"You don't?" he cried. you"
"Wait," she begged him. 'Tm So
confused"
81 want to know what you're going
to write him. Do you think If you
did what ne wants you to 1 could
bear to stay another day in this town,
mother? Do you think I could ever
bear even to see you again If you
married him? I'd want to, but you
surely know I just-couldn't!
She made futile gesture, and
seemed to breathe with difficulty. 81
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 it. wasn't even
sure IL was quite fair to--sc Eugene.
I have-I seem to have That family
trouble-like father's-that | spoke
| to Won about once" She managed "A