Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1920-01-15

pose 1t Is. I've seen Fanny with Mrs.
Johnson quite lot; and that old
lady is a notorious gossip, and that's
why she ordered you out Of her house
when you pinned her down that she'd
been gossiping. J suppose it's true
that the whole town lot of Others,
that is, do share In the gossip. In this
town, naturally, anything about any
Anderson has always been stone
4 dropped into the center of pond
and a lie would send the ripples as
far as truth would. You can be sure
that for many years there's been more
gossip in this place about the Amber
sons than about any other family. /
dare say 1t isn't so much so now as
Z it used to be, because the town got
too big long ago, but it's the truth
: that the more prominent you are the
! more gossip there is about you, and
the more people would like to pull you
down. Well, they can't do it as long
as you refuse to know what gossip
/ there is about you. But the minute
( you notice it it's got you! I'm not
speaking Of certain kinds of SANDER
! that sometimes people have got to take
| TO the courts; I'm talking of the
! wretched buZzing the Mrs. JOhnsOnS
dO-the thing you seem to have such
horror of-peOple 'taliling'-the kind
Of thing that has assailed your mother.
People who have repeated a Islander
/ either get ashamed or forget it, Il
they're let alone. people will forget
almost any SANDER except one that's
been fought"
as that all?' George asked.
II suppose So" his uncle murmured
sadly.
"Wdl, then, may ask what you'd
have done in my place."
I'm not sure, George. When / was
your age l was like you in many ways,
especially in not being very cool
headed, so can't say. Youth can't be
trusted for much, except asserting
itself and fighting and making love-"
"Indeed" George snorted. May 1
ask what you think l ought to have
done?"
Nothing"
NothingY" George echoed, mock
ing bitterly. 81 suppose you think I
| mean to Jet my mothers good name"
Your mothers good name" AM
berson cut him off impatiently. mo
body has good name in bad mouth.
Nobody has good name in silly
mouth, either. Well, your mothers
name was in some silly mouths, and
all you've done was to go and have
scene with the worst old woman Cos.
sip in the tOwn-a scene that's going
to make her into partisan against
your mother, whereas she was a mere
prattler before. Don't you suppose
she'll be all over town with this to-
morrow? And she'll see to it that
everybody who's limited anything
about poor Isabel will know that
you're on the warpath; and that will
pat them on the defensive and make
them vicious. The story will grow as
1t spreads and" =
George unfOlded his arms to strike
his right fist into his left palm. But
do you suppose I'm going to tolerate
such things? he shouted. "What do
you suppose. I'll be doingT
"You can do absolutely nothing"
said Anderson. Nothing of any use.
The more you do the more harm you'll
do"
you'll see! I'm going to stop this
thing if have to force my way into
every house on National avenue and
ANDERSON boulevard 1"
His uncle laughed rather sourly but
made no other comment.
"Well, what do you propose to dor |
George demanded. DO you propose
TO sit there"
Eyes"
AMI let this riff aft handy ~
mothers good name back mu fc'
among them? Is that what you pro-
pose to do?"
Its all can do" Anderson re-
turned TITS all any of us can do
now: just sit still and hope that the
thing may die down in time in spite
of your Stirring up that awful old
woman"
George drew long breath, then ad.
vanced and stood close before his
uncle. Didn't you understand me
when told you that people are say
ing my mother means to marry this
MANI"
eyes, 1 understood YOU"
"YOu say that my going over there
has made matters worse" George went
on. How about 1t If such a-such an
unspeakable marriage I'D take place7
DO you think that would make people
believe they'd been wrong in saying
you know what they say"
NO" said Anderson deliberately;
II don't believe it would. But 1t
hurt Isabel and Eugene, If
they never heard of it; and If they did
hear Of it, then they could take their
choice between placating gossip or llv-
ing for their own happiness. If they
have decided to marry"
George almost staggered. Good :