River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-01-15

to an alarming blaze which scorched
the white mantelpiece, but Lucy stood
and looked on without moving.
1t was not Eugene who told her
what had happened at Isabel's door.
When she got home, she found Fanny
Minafer waiting for her-a secret ex.
cursion Of Fanny's for the purpose, pre-
sumably, of letting OUT again; be-
cause that was what she did. She told
Lucy everything Except her own Ia
mentable part in the production of the
recent miseries) and concluded with
a tribute to George; "The worst of il
Is, he thinks he's been such a hero
and Isabel does, too. and that makes
him more than twice as awful. It's
been the same all his life; everything
he did was noble and perfect. He had
domineering nature to begin with
and she let it go on, and fostered II
till it absolutely ruled her. / never
saw a palmer case of persons fault
making them pay for having it! She
goes about, overseeing the packing
and praising George and pretending to
be perfectly cheerful about what he's
done. She pretends he did such a fine
thing-so manly and protective-go
ing to Mrs. johnson. And so heroic
doing what his principles made him
even though he knew what it would
cost him with you! And all the while
it's almost killing her-what he said
to your father! She's always been
lofty enough, so to speak, and had the
greatest idea of the AmbersOns being
superior to the rest of the world, and
all that, but rudeneSS, or anything like
scene, or any bad manners-they
always just made her sick! But she
could never see what Georges man.
ners were-oh, it's been a terrible
adulation ;. It's going to be a task
for me, living in that big house, all
alone; you must come and see me
mean after they've gone, of course.
I'll go crazy If don't see something
of people. I'm sure you'll come as
often as you can. know you too well
to think you'll be sensitive about COM
ing there, or being reminded of
George. Thank heaven you're too we'll
balanced" Miss Fanny concluded,
with a profound fervor, you're too
well-balanced TO let anything affect
you deeply about that-that monkey"
The four photographs and the paint
ed lFlorentine box went to their crema-
ton within the same hour that Miss
Fanny spoke; and little later Lucy
called her father in, as he passed her
door, and pointed to the blackened area
on the underside of the mantelpiece,
and to the burnt heap upon the coal,
where some metallic shapes still re-
tanned outline. She flung her arms
abput his neck in passionate SYM
paihy, telling him that she knew what
hal happened to him; and presently
heIbegan to comfort her and managed
an embarrassed laugh.
dWeIl, we'll" he said Il was too
old for such foolishness to be getting
ints my head, anyhow"
NO, nor she sobbed. "And if you
knew how 1 despise myself for-for
eyg having thought one instant about
Oh. Miss Fanny called him the right
name: that monkey! He ISL
dThere, think l agree with you,"
Eugene said grimly, and in his eyes
there was steady light of anger that
was to last. Eyes think | agree with
yoh about that!''
There's only one thing to do with
sueh person." she said vehemently.
"Th hats to put him out of our thoughts
forever-forever
And yet, the next day, at six o'clock,
which was the hour, Fanny had told
hef. when George and his mother were
to leave upon their long journey, Lucy
toeched that scorched place on her
mantel with her hand just as the little
clock above it struck. Then, after this
odd. unconscious gesture, she went to
window and stood between the cur
tains, looking out into the cold No
vennber dusk; and in spite of every
reasoning and reasonable power within
hef a pain of loneliness struck through
her heart. The dim street below her
window, the dark houses across the
way, the vague air itself-all looked
empty. and cold and (most OF alD I'M
interesting. Something more sombre
than November dusk took the color
from them and gave them that air of
desertion.
The light of her fire, Pickering up
behind her, showed suddenly q flying
group of tiny snowfiakes nearing the
'ndow-pane: and for an instant she
felt the sensation Of being dragged
through a snow-drift under broken
cutter, with boys arms about her
an arrogant, handsome, too-conquering
boy, who nevertheless did his best to
get hurt himself, keeping her from any
possible harm.
She shook the picture out of her
eyes Indignantly, then came and sat
before her fire, and looked long and
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