Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-12-25
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believe you really care for him? I
don'ti You are my mother and you're
an Amberson-and / believe you're too
proudI You're too proud to care for
man who could write such a letter
as thatl" He stopped, faced her, and
spoke with more self-control: "WelI.
what are you going to do about it.
motherT'
George was right about his mothers
being proud. And even when she
laughed with negro. gardener, or even
those few times in her life when peo-
pie saw her weep, Isabel had a proud
look-something that was independent
and graceful and strong. But she did
not have it 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 letter." George de-
manded, like judge on the bench.
I'll don't quite know, DEAR" she
murmured.
"You don'tP' he cried. 'SYouH
swat" she begged him. "Tm So
confused"
II want to know what you're going
to write him. Do you think If Won
did what he wants you to I 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
She made futile gesture, and
seemed to breathe with difficulty. 81
II wasn't-quite sure" she faltered,
"about-about it's being wise for us
to be married-even before knowing
how you feel about it. I wasn't even
sure 1t was quite fair toto Eugene.
have-I seem to have that family
trouble-like father's-that spoke
to you about once" She managed a
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,t
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 it would
mean giving up a great deal for him
or me, either, If we just went on as
we have been. II see him almost
every day, and
Mother !" Georges voice was loud
and stern. ''Do you think you could
go one seeing him after thisi"
She had been talking helplessly
enough before; her tone was little
more broken now. "Not-not even
see himY'
SLOW could your George cried.
Mother. It seems to me that IL he
ever set foot in this house again
oh! I can't speak Of It'll Could you
see him, knowing what talk It makes |
every time he turns into this street, |
and knowing what that means to mel
Oh, / don't understand all this-I |
1On'tl If you told me, year ago.
that such things were going to hap
pen. I'd have thought you were In |
Sane-and now I believe / amp
Then, after a preliminary gesture of |
despair, as though he meant harm to |
he ceiling, he flung himself heavily, |
ace downward, upon the bed. His |
anguish was none the less real for |
is vehemence; and the stricken lady
,ame to him instantly and bent over
him, once more enfolding him in her
arms. She said nothing, but suddenly
Ter tears fell upon his head; she saw
hem, and seemed to be startled.
"Oh, this won't dol" she said. 'Tve
lever let you see me cry before, ex-
:ept when your father died.
And she ran from the room.
A little while after she had
zone, George rose and began soIemnly
o dress for dinner.
He sat gauntly at the dinner table
With Fanny to partake Of a meal
which neither spoke. Is
bel had sent word mot to wait' for
Ter, an injunction it was as well they
'DCyCu3 LUZ SuS UAu HOL GUILE dI dAls
But with the renewal Of sustenance
furnished to his system, some relax
tion must have occurred within the
George. Dinner was not
Luite finished when, without warning,
leep hit him hard. His burning eyes
ould no longer restrain the lids above
hem; his head sagged beyond con-
rol; and he got his feet, and went
urching upstairs, yawning with ex-
austion. From the door Of his room,
7hich he closed mechanically, with his
yes shut, he went bIindly to his bed,
ell upon it soddenly, and slept-with
is face full upturned to the light.
It was after midnight
vhen he woke, and the room was dark.
lie had not dreamed. but he woke with
he sense that somebody or something
ad been with him while he slept
or something infinitely COM
assionate; somebody or something in
nitely protective, that would let him
ONE to no harm and to no grief.
He got up, and pressed the light on.
'inned to the cover Of his dressing Ia
n errVxa~n ,1x{kf, &Iaa I