Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-12-25

TO ourselves from old unhapp1leSS ana
mistakes. But now we're faced with
not the SANDER and not our own fear
of 1t, because we haven't any, but
someone else's fear Of it-your sons.
And, oh, dearest woman in the world,
know what your son is to you, and it
frightens mel Let me explain little !:
/ don't think he'll change-at twenty
one or twenty-five so many things ap-
pear solid and permanent and terrible
which forty sees are nothing but dis
appearing miasma. Forty can't tell
twenty about this; that's the pity Of
1t! Twenty can find out only by get
ting TO be forty. And so we come to
this, dear: Will you live your own life
your way, or Georges way7 I'm going
little further, because it would be
fatal not to be wholly frank now.
George will act toward you only as
your long worship of him, your sac
rif1ceS-all the unseen little ones every
day since he was born-wiH make him
act. Dear, 1t breaks my heart for you,
but what you have to oppose now is
the history of your own selfless and
perfect motherhood. / remember say
ing once that what you worshiped in
your son was the angel you saw In him
and still believe that is true Of
every mother. But in a mothers wor-
ship she may not see that the viii in
her son should not always be offered in
cense along with the angel. grow sick
with fear for you-for both you and
me-when think how the will against
us two has grown strong through the
love you have given the angel-and
how long your own sweet win has
served that other. Are you strong
enough, Isabel? Can you make the
fght2 I promise you that If you viii
take heart for 1t, you will find so quick
ly that 1t has all amounted to nothing.
You shall have happiness, and, in
little while, only happiness. You need
only to write me a line-I can't come
to your house-and tell me where you
WIN meet me. We will come back in
a month, and the angel In your son
win bring him to you; I promise 1t.
What is good in him will grow so fine,
once you have beaten the turbulent
will-but it must be beateni
"Your brother, that good friend, is
waiting with such patience; I should
not keep him longer-and I am saying
too much for wisdom, fear. But, oh,
my dear, won't you be strong a
little short strength it would need I!
Don't strike my life down twice, dear
this time I've not deserved it.
EUGENE"
Concluding this missive, George
tossed 1t abruptly from him so one
sheet fell upon his bed and the others
upon the floor; and at the faint noise
Of their falling Isabel came, and, kneel- |
ing, began to gather them up.
'Did you read it, dear7"
Georges face was pale no longer,
but pink with fury. eyes, did"
"All Of it," she asked gently, as she
rose.
Certainly
She did not look at him, but kept her
eyes downcast upon the letter in her |
hands, TREMENDOUSLY rearranging the
sheets In order as she spOke-and |
though she smiled, her smile was as
as her hands. Nervousness
and an irresistible timidity possessed |
her. 81 wanted to say, George" she |
81 felt that if-f some day |
It should happen--I mean, If you came
to feel differently about IT, and Eu-
gene and THAT is If we found that it |
seemed the most sensible thing to do
was afraid you might think it would |
be little queer about-Lucy. I mean
lf-if she were your step-sister. OF |
course, she'd not be even legally re-
lated to you, and II you-if you cared
FOR her"
Thus far she got stumbllngly with
what she wanted to say, while George
her with a gaze that grew
harder and hotter; but here he cut her
off. II have already given up all idea
If Lucy" he said. Naturally, / |
couldn't have treated her father as I
did treat him-I could
hardly have done that and expected his
laughter ever to speak to me again"
Isabel gave a quick cry of compass
don, but he allowed her no opportunity
70 speak. you needn't think I'm
making any particular sacrifice" he
aid sharply, 'though I would, quickly
enough, II / thought 1t necessary in a
natter Of honor like this. was inter
.sted In her, and I could even say
lid care for her: but she proved pretty
satisfactorily that she cared little
'nough about mel The truth is, we're
Tot congenial and we'd found that
much out. at least, before she left. We
hould never have been happy; she
vas superior all the time, and critical
4 me-not very pleasant, thatI /
ont think she has the very deepest
allure In the world, and"
But Isabel put her hand timidly on
Is arm. George, dear, this is only 3
uarrel; all young people have them
efore they get adjusted, and you
lustn't let"
If you please I" he said emphatieal- !
y YIY0vino haok from har. ttETVH,ir fcx1t& I