Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-05-22
CHAPTER X.-Continued.

knew what II meant. II meant an
nuuuccmcut To- her mother that SI'' |
had met Dave downtown. II meant |
rrrhaus n -uppo~ition ON her mothers |
uurt that she had gone downtown Tor F.
that purpose. II was far-r"nch'nE. |
Eut she said simply. 81 should ENJOY !
driving home with you"
ON the wuy they planned that IN"
following Sunday they would drive
into the foothills together. OF course
they would ask Mrs Hardy I" accom-
pauy them. OF course. But 1t might
happen that Mr.. Hardy would b" in
disposed. Irene was of the opinion That
what her mother needed now WINS rest.
As it happened Mrs. Hardy was ut
TN" gate. She greeted Dave cordially
enough. Encouraged 10y her mood.
Irene determined to settle the sun
day program ut once.
"Davo was good enough I" bring IN"
up in his ear" She said. And just
think, ffc invites us to drive into III"
foothills with him next Sunday. VIII
you come? II will b" delightful. or
are YOU feeling"
MIR. Eden is very Kind" said Mrs.
Hardy. with dignity. 81 have no doubt
Mr.. Coward will accompany us. II"
is to call this evening and ! will ASK
MIN. Yes, ! think it very likcl"
We will go"
The summer wore ON. and autumn
followed ON it's heels. The processes
which had been di~cc.ucd by Coward
aud other aStutc operators wCr" now
apparent 10 the mob which forever
follows I'm the wake of the successful
bur usually at such distance rs to
bc overwhelmed i'm the rcCcdinE Hood
The forces which had built W fahu-
lous fortunes were now in reverse
Gear. and the same mechanism that
had built up was now tearing down.
As the boom had fed upon Itself. car
rying prices To heights justiiable only
to the most insane optimism, so did
the subsequent depression bear down
upon values until they reached depths
justifinhle only to the most abandoned
dependency. The rosy bubble. inflat-
ed with the vapOrs of irresponsible
speculation. had dissolved into thin
air.
Mrs Hardy was among the last to
admit that she had bought on nm
ebbing tide She cOntended that her
house was well worth the price she
had paid; what II speculation had
come to stop? SO much the better
her house was still worth its price
She would stand firm.
Mrs. Hardy consulted Coward. II
had grown to be her habit to consult
Coward on, all matters In which she
, found an interest.
How is It, Mr.. Coward" Mrs
Hardy said to him one evening ovel
her fancy work--for she practiced ar
9 interchangeable industry in matters O
;. no importance-"how is it that ther'
a Is no demand for property? You ar
q reAl-estate expert; you should b.
able to answer that Isn't this cit.
as good today as It was year ago
= Doesn't 1t occupy the same site? Ar
y not the farms still prOduCingT
q That's just 1t. dear Mrs. Hardy
Why, indeed2 Simply because tn
= booster has given way to the calamit
bowler It's psychological explanation
Is simple enough. The world lives b
faith. Without faith there would b
: neither seedtime nor harvest. That
true OF raising cities as well as Q
, raising crops. But there are Away
s Those who ridicule faith; always wer'
l. always will be. And as soon as fat
l. disappears things begin to sink"
u "Ah" said Mrs. Hardy gently. "S
we owe all this-these empty house
and shops. unstable property and O.
crylhlng to those who have lO'
- faith-or never had It. To men lib
- air. Eden. for instance. You remeu
Der now he tried TO discourage IT
from the very frst-tried to brea
M down my faith-that was 1t. Mr.. Co
10 ward-I see it all very plainly now
and he and others like him ha'
brought things to their present pas
Well. they have great respOnsib
ds ity."
H. As n result Of this discussion Da'
US found himself rather less popul
ia with Mrs. Hardy than before. Da
do accepted her displeasure with a ligl
ed heartedness that was extremely tryil
10 the good woman's temper. Had
not been for his desire to spare Ire
any unhappiness he would have tre'
cd ed it with open fippancy. He W
engaged In the serious business
capturing the heart of Irene Hardy
ny task made none the easier by {
self-impOsed condition that he mt
conduct no offensive but must avn
,M with such patience rs he could co
mand the voluntary capitulation Of t
Ia hesieged, On the whole he told hi
all self he had no reason to be dissatlsfi
We. with the progress of events. He n
we Irene often m0tored together. fredue
Tor ly accompanied by Mrs Hardy, son
es. times by Coward as well. but oc'
no SiOnally alone. And Irene made no
ma cret of the fact that she preferred I
eld trips In which only she and Dave p
emit ticipatld
jo.' The gradual shrinkage OF walt
To the vanishing point imposed VI
Dave many business duties VIII
oa he would very gladly have evaded. I
~. Office of Coward & Eden. which !
- once been besieged by customers ca
M To buy. was now a center of groups
less eager to sell: and when Il
could not sell they contrlved to