The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-02-12
By BOOTH HARRINGTON


10 Ourselves from cd unhspydness and
! mistskes But Dow we're faced With
not the SANDER and not cur own fear
q Il. becaese ne haven't any. bur
S0rne0oe eise's fear Of it-your sons
And. Oh. dearest woman Ga the world
i i know what your son T. TO you. and IL
I t-ightens ne Let me explain a little:
cont think he'll ehanEe-At twenty
on. or twenty-tEo 80 many things ap-
I peay solid and permanent and terrible
which forty sees are nothing hut dis
appearing miasna. Forty can't tell
twenty about this; that's the pity OF
I III Tweaty can fnd out Only by get
ting 20 BE furty. And so we come 10
this. dear: VII you live your own life
your way. or Georges vayf Tn going
little further. because IL would be
fatal not to D. wholly frank now
George will act toward you only ss
your long worship Of him, your sac
rihees-all the unseea little ones every
day since he was borts-wiil make him
act Dear. Il breaks uSy heart for you.
but what you have TO oppose now -
]
perfect motherhood. remember say
ing once that what you worshiped in
/ your son was the angel you saw in him
and l still believe that Is true OF
every mother. But In a mothers wor-
ship she may not see that the win in
her son should not always be offered in
eense along with the angel. I grow sick
] rrf 10
me-when think how the viii against
Us two has grown strong through the
love you have given the angeI-and
how long your own sweet will has
served that other. Are you strong
enough, IsabeIf Can you make the
fghtr / promise you that II you will
take heart for II. you Will find 50 quick
ly that II has all amounted to nothing.
You shall have happiness. and. In a
little while. only happiness. You need
only to write me a line-I can't come
TO your house-and tell me where you
will meet me. We will come back In
mohth. and the angel In your son
Will bring him to you; l promise Il.
What Is good In him will grow so fine.
4
wili-but II must be beafeni
.Your brother. that good friend. IS
waiting with such patience: I should
not keep him ionger-and am saying
too much for wisdom, fear. But. oh.
my dear, wont you be sirong-such a
little short strength II would need :
Don't strike my life down twice, dear
this time I've not deserved II.
~EUGENE."
Concluiing this missiye, George
tossed " abruptly from him so one
sheet fell upon his bed and the others
upon the floor; and at the faint noise
Of their falling Isabel came. and, kneel-
ing. began to gather them up.
"Did you read II, dearT'
Georges face was pale no longer,
but pink with fury. "Yes, / did"
"All OF itf" she asked gently, as she
rose.
Certainly"
She did not look at him. but kept her
eyes downcast upon the letter in her
hands. TREMENDOUSLY rearranging the
sheets In order as she spoke-and
though she smiled. her smile was as
tremulous. ss her hands Nervousness
and an Irresistible timidity possessed
her. IL wanted to sag, George" she
faltered. II felt that if-lf some day
IL should happen mean. II you came
to feel differently shout IL. and Eu-
gene and I--that Is II we found that Il
seemed the most sensible thing TO do
was afraid you might think Il would
be little queer about-Lucy. | mean
lf-if she were your step-sis;er. or
course. she'd not be even legally re-
lated to you. and II you--lf you cared
for her"
Thus far she got stumblingly with
what she wanted TO say, while George
watched her with a gaze that grew
harder and hotter; but here he cut her
OF. Il have already given up all idea
OF Lucy" he said. Naturally, /
couldn't have treated her father as
deliberately did treat him-I could
hardly have done that and expected his
daughter ever to speak to me again"
Isabel gave a quick cry OF compass
sion. but he allowed her no opportunity
TO speak You needn't think I'm
making any particular sacrifice" he
said sharply, though I would. quickly
enough, II thought II necessary in a
matter OF honor like this / was inter
ested In her. and I could ,eyen say
did care for her; but she proved pretty
satisfactorily that she cared little
enough about me The truth IS, we're
not congenial and we'd found that
much out. at least, before she left We
should never have been happy; she
was superior all the time. and critical
OF nie-not very pleasant, that /
don't think she has the very deepest
nature In the world, and"
But Isabel put her hand timidly on
his arm. George. dear. this Is only a
quarrel; all young people have them
before they get adjusted. and you
mustn't let"