The Glenwood post., 1919-10-18

WH1' &uo uucK p6fte0 NM t01C8 800
loogish black hair on the side; his
tie was forgetful-looking thing, and
his coat. though It fitted q good
enough middle-aged figure, no product
Of this year. or Of last year either.
Observing only his questionable hair,
his preoccupied tie and his old coat,
the Olympic George set him down an
a queer-looking duck. and having thus
completed his portrait took no inter
est in him.
The Sharon girls passed on, taking
the queer-looking duck with them, and
George became pink with mortiflca-
ton as his mother called his attention
to q white-hearded guest waiting to
shake his hand. This was Georges
great-uncle, old John Ainafer: It was
old Johns boast that In spite of his
connection by marriage with the Am
bersons he never had worn and never
would wear swaller-tall coat. Mem
bers Of his family had exerted their
influence uselessly at eighty-nine
conservative people seldom form rad
ical new habits, and old John wore his
SUNDAY suit" of black broadcloth to
the Anderson ball. The coat was
square, with skirts to the knees; old
John called 1t ''Prince Albert" and
was well enough pleased with 1t, but
his great-nephew considered 1t the
next thing to an insult.
The large room had filed, and 80
had the broad hall and the rooms on
the other side of the hall where there
were tables for whist. The imported
orchestra waited In the ballroom on
the third floor but local harp, cello,
violin and flute were playing airs from
''The Fencing Master" In the hall, and
people were shouting over the music.
Old John Minafer's voice was louder
and more penetrating than any other,
because he had been troubled with
deafness for twenty-five years, heard
his own voice but family, and liked to
hear 1t. "Smell o. flowers like this al,
ways puts me in mind O. funerals" he
kept telling his niece, Fanny Minafer.
get great deal of satisfaction out of
this reminder. His tremulous yet stri-
dent voice cut through the voluminoua
sound that filled the room. and he was
heard everywhere.
Presently Georges modification was
increased to hear this sawmill dronins
harshly from the midst Of the thick
ening crowd: "Ain't the dancin' broke
out yet, Fanny Hooplal Les push
through and go see the young women
folks crack their heelsl Start the cir
cusl Hoopsey-daisy" Miss Fanny
Minafer, in charge of the lively vet.
eran, was almost as distressed as her
nephew George, but she did her duty
and managed to get old John through
the press and out to the broad stair
way, which numbers of young people
were now ascending to the ballroom.
George began to recover from the deg
radiation into which this relic Of early
settler days had dragged him. What
restored him completely was dark
eyed little beauty Of nineteen, very
knowing in lustrous blue and Jet; al
sight Of this dashing advent in the line
of guests before him George was fully
an Anderson again.
"Remember you very well indeed 7"
he said. his graciousness more earnest
than any he had heretofore displayed.
Isabel heard him and laughed.
But you don't, Gsorgew she said
"You don't remember her yet, though
of course you will! Miss Morgan, is
from out Of town, and I'm afraid this
is the first time you've ever seen her.