Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1919-12-19
your good name Just to please himY


a man who could write such letter
as thatl" He stopped, faced her, and
spoke with more seIf-eontrol: "Well,
what are you going to do about it.
mother?"
George was right about his mothers
being proud. And even when she
laughed with negro gardener. or even
pie saw her weep, Isabel had proud
iook-somethlng 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 letter." George de-
manded, like judge on the bench.
Ell don't quite know, dear" she
murmured
''You don't?" he cried. "You-"
"Wait," she begged him. I'm So
confused"
Il want to know what you're going
to write him. Do you think If you
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 If you
married him? I'd want to, but you
surely know I just-couldn'tl
She made a futile gesture, and
seemed to breathe with difficulty. at
Il wasn't-quite sure" she faltered,
"about-about it's being wise for us
TO be married-eyen before knowing
how you feel about it. wasn't even
sure 1t was quite fair toto Eugene.
have-I seem to have that family
trouble-like father's-that I spoke
10 you about once" She managed a
deprecatory little dry laugh. mot
chat 1t amounts to much, but | wasn't
at all sure that it would be fair to
him. Marrying doesn't mean so much,
after all-not at my age. It's enough
10 know that-that people think of
you-and to see them. | thought we
were all--oh, pretty happy the way
j thugs were, and / don't think it would
mean giving up great deal for him
or me, either, If we just went on as
we have been. II see him almost
every day, and
"Motherw Georges voice was loud
and stern. "Do you think you could
go one seeing him after this p
She had been talking helplessly
enough before; her tone was little
more broken now. "Not-not even
See him?'
"How could your" George cried
Mother, It seems to me that if he
ever set foot in this house again
obi l 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
don'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 believe / amp
Then, after preliminary gesture Of
despair, as though he meant harm to
the ceiling, he flung himself heavily,
face downward, upon the bed. His
anguish was none the less real for
its vehemence; and the stricken lady
came to him instantly and bent over
him, once more enfolding him in her
arms. She said nothing, but suddenly
her tears fell upon his head; she saw
them, and seemed to be startled.
"Oh this won't dor she said. 1--WE
never let you see me cry before, ex-
cept when your father died. I
MUSTN'T"
And she ran from the room
4 little while after she had
gone, George rose and began solemnly
to dress for dinner.
He sat gauntly at. the dinner table
with Fanny to partake. of a meal
throughout which neither spoke. Is
abel had sent word "lot to wait" for
her, an injunction it was as well they
obeyed, for she did not come at ALL
But with the renewal Of sustenance
furnished to his system, some relax
alton must have occurred within the
high-strung George. Dinner was not
quite finished when, without warning
sleep hit him hard. His burning eyes
could no longer restrain the lids above
them; his head sagged beyond con-
troll; and he got his feet, and went
lurching upstairs, yawning with ex-
haustion. From the door of his room,
which he closed mechanically, with his
eyes shut. he went blindly to his bed,
fell upon 1t soddenly, and slept-with
his face full upturned to the light.
It was after midnight
| when he woke, and the room was dark.
; He had not dreamed but he woke with
the sense that somebody or something
had been with him while he slept
{ somebody or something infinitely COM
/ passionate; somebody or something in
| finitely protective, that would let him
| come to no harm and to no grief.
: TIo s,<,t ny, ard r,raSSad tho IiDht nm