The Tomahawk., 1919-12-18

She came seldom; this was but the
third time that year, and, when she did
come, George was not mentioned,
either by her hostess or by herself-an
oddity contrived between the two
ladies without either Of them realizing
how odd it was. 49, .s
At other times Lucy's thoughts Of
George were anything but continuous, =,
and weeks won't by when he was not
consciously ' her mind at all. Her
life was a busy one: she had the big
house ito keep up" she had a garden
to keep up, too, large and beautiful
garden; she represented her father as
q director for half dozen public char
ity organizations, and did private
charity work of her own, being proxy
mother of several large families; and
she had danced down." as she said,
groups from eight or nine classes Of
new graduates returned from the uni
versities, without marrying any of
them, but she still danced-and. still
did not marry.
Her father, observing this circum-
stance happily, yet with some hypo-
critical concern, spoke Of it to her one
day as they stood in her garden. II
suppose I'd want to shoot him." he
said, with attempted lightness. "But I
mustn't be an old pig. I'd build you q
beautiful house close by-just over
yonder."
"No, no! That would be like" she
began impulsively; then checked her.
self. George Amberson's comparison
of the Georgian house to the Anderson
mansion had come into her mind, and
she thought that another new house.
built close by for her, would be like
the house the Major built for Isabel.
Like what?"
"Nothing." She looked serious, and
when he reverted to his idea of "some
day" grudgingly surrendering her up
to a suitor, she invented legend.
did you ever hear the Indian name
for that little grove of beech trees ON
the other side Of the houseT' she
asked him.
"No-and you never did eitherI" he
laughed.
"Don't be so sure! I read q great
deal more than used to-gettng
ready for my boolxish days when I'll
have to do something solid In the eve-
nings and won't be asked to dance any
more even by the very youngest boys
who think it's sporting event to
dance with the oldest of the older
girls The name Of the grove was
Iona -Nashah' and it means They.
Couldn 't-Help-It.'
doesn't sound like It,"
"Indian names don't. There was
bad Indian chief lived in the grove he 7
fore the white settlers came. He was
the worst Indian that ever lived, and
his name vast was 'VendOnsa.'
That means MISUNDERSTANDING
II see," said Eugene thoughtfully.
He gave her a quick look and then
fixed his eyes upon the end Of the
garden path. "Go on"
"Vendonah was IN unspeakable
case" Lucy continued. "He was so
proud that he wore iron Shoes, and he
walked over peoples faces with them.
He was always killing people that
way, and so at last the tribe decided
that it wasn't good enough excuse
for him that he was young and mex
perienced-he'd have to go. They took
him down to the river, and put him In
canoe, and pushed him out from
shore; and then they ran along the
bank and wouldn't let him land, until
at last the current carried the canoe
out into the middle, and then on down
to the ocean, and he never got back.
They didn't want him back, of course.
and II he'd been able to manage 1t,
they'd have put him in another canoe
and showed him out into the river
again. But still, they didn't elect an
other chief in his place. Other tribes
thought that was curious, and won-
dered about It lot, but finally they
came to the conclusion that the beech
grove people were afraid new chief
might turn out to be bad Indian too
and wear iron shoes like Vendonah.
But they were wrong, because the real
reason. was that the tribe had led such
an exciting life under VendOnah that
they couldn't settle down to anything
tanner. He was awful, but he always
kept things happening-terrible things,
Of course. They hated him. but they
weren't able to discover any other
warrior that they wanted to make
chief in his place. They couldn't help
feeling that way"
II see," said Eugene. $50 that's why
they named the place They Couldnt-
Help-Itr"
ut must have BEEN"
"And so you're going to stay here IN
your garden" he said musingly. You
think it's better to keep on walking
these sunshiny gravel paths between
your flower beds, and growing to look
like a pensive garden lady in a Vic
torian engraving"
II suppose I'm like the tribe that
lived here, papa. had too much un-
pleasant excitement. It was unpleas-
onf-h,1t n was excitement don't