Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-03-17
MR., FORBES
BY JACK LAYTON.
| (copyright, 1920. Western Newspaper Unionl


and listened, as her garrulous neigh
Dor talked She was well aware OF
the jubilant spitefuIness of Abbie
Mead's tone, yet almost convinced OF
it's truth. Her own patient lips
trembled In an effort to keep back
protesting words of denial-of what
use to deny that of which she knew
nothing? Bob had been strangely ret
icent concerning this well published
love affair of his. Every one seemed
to have known of Bob's marked at
tention to the pretty stranger, before
his mother had taken note of his alb
sent evenings.
Guess I'll run out for awhile" Bob
would say while she would nod smil-
ingly, and get out the silk muffier she
was knitting for him. Mary Todd
was very proud of her sons position
in MiIlville's only bank. All the men
of Bob's family had been clerical men,
Mary was proud that her son added
honorably to, the line. The Todds had
always been Cooked up to"-as AbDle
Mead had just repeated. 1T was
really too bad" she continued that
Bob should go and take up with
queer actin stranger instead OF nice
girls he'd been brought up with. ADJ
bie's own niece had seen Bob night
after night, sittin' right out with the
girl from the city on the porch of the
Hall house, which she, herself, had
rented and furnished, when the Halls
went off to stay with their sons folks
for the summer.
''My father and 1 will move in at
Once,p the girl said, and the very next
day she drove up in a car with big
man, who hurried into the house be-
fore those watching could catch
glimpse of his face, and nobody"-Ab-
bie'S voice dropped impressiveiy-
nobody had seen the man since. Not
even Jim Burley, when he left the
groceries, or Ann Cloud, when she
went there to work.
"'My father, Mr. Forbes, doesn't
wish TO be disturbed the girl says
cain as you please, an Ann says that
the girl even carries his meals up to
him in his room; an when one passes
the door all one can hear Is rattle
Of papers, or smell cigar smoke be-
reath the door. Jim was telling Ann
yesterday that this mysterious Mr..
Forbes might be bank rObber from
the way I've hides his face. No one
here pays any attention to the girl
but-your Bob. A quick choice she
made too. No one else was worth
smilin' up to- I reckon, in her opinion
cause Bob's q good salaried man. UP
an down the street she goes in dresses
like those on fashion cover, her COM
2leNion too good says, to be true, an
her hair done up like dancers" Abb
bic Mead coughed. II always like to
know what there is to know before l
condemn folk" she went on, $50 l
stopped in myself TO call on Mis-
Forbes, an / asked straight out for
her Pa.
"He is not seeing anyone while we
are here" Miss Forbes says real
smooth. you must try to let me en-
terrain YOU"
"Well | didn't let her entertain me
,oAg; but if l was you, Mary, I'd ask
Bob, seeing how things is going, if he
has seen the father of this new girl
he's so crazy about, am If not, what's
the man hiding fora Ann says the
door of his room was open one day
when she went up the stairs, an the
girl. Fran-outlandish Rame-just
few ahead to close it before she got
there Well, good by Mary, hope you
realize this is told in friendly spirit"
Mary Todd arose as her neighbor
left and wiped the tears from her
glass es. 1t was all nonsense of course,
to- be so disturbed over Melville Cos
sip; vet Mary was disturbed. Bob's
unusual reticence' In tfhfS affair grieved
her. When he came i'm she met him
gravely. Bob DEAR" she said, Sab
bic Mead has been TELLING me of your
attachment for-the, young stranger
in our town. Your mother would be
the first to rejoice with you if it is a
happy attachment, Bob. Or is there
no truth in their suppositions? I
want very much to know" Robert
Todd drew his mother back to her
chair, then looking down upon her
slowly replied.
$50 much truth, mother, that have
just come from asking Frances Ken
nedy to marry ME-"
A light came to Bob's dark eyes,
his voice rang triumphant.
''Fran has accepted met is incon-
ceivable with her beauty, her knowl-
edge of bigger, better men in a world
outside our little one. But my girl
loves me mother, she really does
women are strange. And I'm bringing
her to meet you tonight. She is SC
anxious to know you, mother-can you
believe it?-to make her home humbly
with us if you are willing My gold