The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-12-25

the dust IKE 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 un-
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 1t does now
through my mOtherW He turned from
her striding up and down and tossing
his arms about I'm tumult Of gesture.
81 can't believe 1t of you that you'd
think Of such a sacrllege! That's
what it would be-sacrilege When he
talks about your unSefishness toward
me he's rlght-yOu have been unselfsh
and you have been perfect mother.
But what about him? Is II unseltiSh
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
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
II man who could write such letter
as thatw He stopped, faced her, and
/ spoke with more self-control: "Well,
what are you going to do about it,
mOtherW
George was right about his mothers
being proud. And even when she
.. .. Iot, N1tith nd,
those few times in her life when peo-
/ pie saw her weep, Isabel had q proud
/ look-something that was independent
and graceful and strong. But she did
not have 1t 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 letterw George de-
manded, like judge on the bench.
Ell don't quite know, DEAR" she
murmured.
"You don't2" he cried. ''You-
"Wait," she begged him. 'Tm So
confused"
II want to know what you're going
to write him. Do you think If you
did what he wants you b 1 could
bear to stay another day In this town,
mother? Do you think I could ever
bear even to see you again IL you
married him? I'd want to, but you
surely know / just-couldn'tl
frtfiI
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 1t. l wasn't even
sure 1t was quite fair TOTO Eugene
l have-I seem to have that family
trouble-like father's-that l spoke
to you about once" She managed q
deprecatory little dry laugh. "Not
that 1t amounts to much, but wasn't
at all sure that 1t 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 to see them. I thought we
were all-oh, pretty happy the way
thugs were, and don't think 1t would
mean giving up great deal for him
or me, either, IL we just went on as
we have been. II see him almost
every day, and"
"Mother!" Georges voice was louG
and stern. ''Do you think you could
60 one seeing him after thisT'
h@ haI
enough before; her tone was little
more broken now. "Not-not even
see him2"
"How could your" George cried
"Mother, 1t seems to me that If h,
ever set foot in this house again
OIL / can't speak Of It'll Could yoy
see him, knowing what talk 1t make!
every time he turns into this street
end knowing what that means to me
Oh, I don't understand all this
don'tl II you told me, a year ago
that such things were going to hap
pen, I'd have thought you were in
sane-and now I believe I ami"
Then, after preliminary gesture o
despair, as though he meant harm t
the ceiling, he flung himself heavily
face downward, upon the bed. Hi
anguish was none the less real 70
its vehemence; and the stricken lad
came to him instantly and bent owe
him, once more enfolding him in he
arms. She said nothing, but suddenl
her tears fell upon his head; she sa,
them, and seemed to be startled.
"Oh, this won't dol" she said. "Iv
never let you see me cry before. e,
cept when your father died.
mustn'tw
And she ran from the room.
A little while after she ha
gone. George rose and began solemnl
to dress for dinner.
He sat gauntly at the dinner tabl
with Fanny to partake of a me.
throughout which neither spoke. L
abel had sent word mot to wait" ft
her. an injunction II was as well the
: obeyed. for she did not come at al
But with the renewal Of sustenant
furnished to his system. some rela,
ation must have occurred within th
high-strung George. Dinner was n.
! quite finished when, without warnin