The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-11-08

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 Won
suppose it ever occurs to that man for
one minute that I'm protecting my
| mother!" George raised his voice adj
vancing upon the helpless lady fierce
| ~; and she could only bend her head
before him. "He talks about nv WHIP
how ii 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 l can't step in those
streets without wondering what every
soul l meet is thinking of me and of
my family, and now he wants you TO
marry him so that every gossip i'm
town will say There! What did I fell
you? l guess that proves it's truer
You can't get away from it; that's ex-
actly what they'd say, and this man
pretOds he cares for YOU. and yer
asks you to marry him and give them
the right to say ii. 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 vet that would
let the Anderson name go trailing i'm
the dust like that It's the proudeSt
name in this town, and it's going 70
stay the proudest; and | tell you that's
the deepest thing in my ndture-not
that I'd expect Eugene Morgan to I'M
derstand-the very deepest thing in nv
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 motherr He turned from
her striding up and down and tossing
MS arms about in tumult Of gesture /
Il can't believe it of you that you'd
think of such sacrilegeI That's
what 1t would be-sacrilegel When he .
talks about your unselfiShneSS toward
me he's right-yOu have been unseIfish
and you have been perfect mother.
But what about him? Is if unseIfiSb
Of him to want you to throw away
your good name just to please him.
mats all he asks of yOu-and to quit
being my mother! Do you think | can
believe you really care for him?
lOnt! You are my mother and You're
IN AmbersOn-and | believe You're TOO
proud! You're too proud 70 caro- for
man who could write such letter
Is that" He. stopped, faced her. and
'poke with more self-cOntrol: well
What are you going to do about it,
George was right about his mothers
icing proud. And even when she
aughed with negro gardener. or even
hose few times in her life when peo-
lie saw her weep, Isabel had proud
Ook-something that was Independent
nj graceful and strong. But she did
ot have 1t now: She leaned against
ne wall, beside his dressing table. and |
eemed beset with humility and with
'eakness. Her head dropped.
What answer are you going I'm |
make to such letter?" George de- !
handed, like judge on the bench
Il don't quite know, dear" she
You don't?" he cried. "You-"
Wait" she begged him. I'm So
l want to know what you're going \
write him. Do you think if Won
d what ne wants you to could
'ar to stay another day in this town
other? Do you think / could ever
ar even TO see you again if Won
arried him? I'd want TO. but Won 7
rely know | just-couldn'tr' =
She made a futile gesture and
emed to breathe with difficulty. 81
| wasn't-quite sure" she foIterad al
bout-about it's being wise for us G,
be married-even before KNOWN, m
W you feel about it. ! wasn't even hi
re IL was quite fair toto Eugene m
have-l seem 10 have that family vo
'uble-like father'S-that I smoke m.
you about once" She managed q fr