The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-08-27
THE KENTUcKIAN

tvADHAh lneil rSuuQcQtY ere $50 49,
chair and wept silently. but with a
terrible desoIation.
"Oh. for the Lords sakev' he
m2aned. what In the world IS wrong
with youT
You're always picking on me-" she
quavered wretchedly. her voice indis-
ttnct with the wetness that dubbed in.
TO II from her tears. ''You do-you
always pick on met You've always
done it-aIways-eyer since you were
= little boyI Whenever anything goes
wrong with you, you take it out on
me! You dol You always"
4 George flung to heaven a gesture OF
despair; 1t seemed to him the last
straw that Fanny should have chosen
this particular time to come and sob
In his room over his mistreatment OF
her
"Oh, my Lord p he whispered; then,
with q great effort addressed her in a
reasonable tone "Look here. Aunt
Fanny; don't see what you're making
all this fuss about. OF course know
I've leased you sometimes, bat n
leased me?" she walled.
leased me Oh. it does seem too
hard sometlmes-this mean old life OF
mine does seem too hard! don't
think can stand it, Honestly, don't
think l can! came in here Just to
show you l sympathized with you--
just to say something pleasant to you,
and you treat me as if were-oh, no,
you wouldn't treat a servant the way
you treat me! You wouldn't treat any
body in the world like this except old
Fanny
"Oh, my Lordy" George groaned.
Fanny spread ont her small, soaked
handkerchief, and shook it in the air
to dry it little, crying as damply and
as wretchedly during this operation as
hefme-a sight which gave George a
curious shock TO add to his other agit
tations, it seemed so strange.
"You're so proud" She quayered,
"and so hard tell you 1 didn't mean
TO speak of it to you, and 1 never,
neFer in the world would have told
you about it, nor have made the faint
est reference TO it, if l hadn't seen that
somebody else had told you, or you'd
found out for yourself some way.
l."
In despair of her intelligence, and
in some doubt of his own, George
struck the palms of his hands tOgether.,
Somebody else had told me what?
I'd found what out for myself2"
How people are talking about your
mother"
Except for the incidental teariness
Of her voice, her tone was casual as
though she mentioned a subject pre-
viousy discussed and understood; |
for Fanny had no doubt that George |
had only pretended to be mystified be-
cause, in his pride. he would not in |
words admit that he knew what he
knew.
what did you sayT" he asked In
credulously.
"0f course l understood what you
were doing" Fanny went on, drying her
again. at puzzled other
people when you began to be rude to
Eugene, because they couldn't see how
you could treat him as you did when
you were so interested in Lucy. But
remembered how you came to me,
that 'Other time when there was so
much talk about Isabel; and l knew
you'd give Lucy up in minute, if it
came to a question of your mothers
because you said then
that"
Look here" George interrupted in
a shaking voice. Look here, I'd
ike" He stopped, unable to go on
MS agitation was so great. His chest
leaved as from hard running, and his
complexion. pallid at first, had be-
come notified; fiery splotches appear |
ng at his temples and cheeks. "What
10 you mean by telling me-telling me
here's talk abOut-abOut--'' He
;ulped, and began again: "What do
yOu mean by using such words as
reputation? What do you mean,
'PSohAhS VI QOCollOn VI Auy-Lly
Mothers reputation"
Fanny looked up at him woefully
'ver the handkerchief which she now
applied to her Redeemed nose. "God
;nows l am sorry for you, George"
he murmured. 81 wanted to say so,
'ut it's only old Fanny, so whatever
he says-even when it's sympathy
lick on her for !" She sobbed. Its
My poor old lonely Fanny"
"You look here r. George said harsh
=. when l spoke to my Uncle
George after that rotten thing heard
Iunt Amelia say about my mother, he
aid If there was any gossip it was {
bout you! He said people might be ]
angling about the way you ran after
iorgan, but that was ALL"
Fanny lifted her hands, clenched S
hem and struck them upon her knees.
Yes; it's always Fanny" she sobbed. {
Ridiculous old Fanny-always, al 4
Tays!"
"You listen!" George said. "After