Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-09-07

gan seriously to annoy heri a rather
grave symptom, had Cherry but known
It. He danced his big fingers on the
handle Of the sugar spoon at break.
fast, sitting the sugar over his cereal
she had to turn her eyes resolutely
away from the sight. He blew his
nose. folded his handkerchief. and then
brushed his nose w.,h 1t firmly left and
right; she hated the little performance
that was never altered. He had q
certain mental slOwness; would blink
ut her politely and patiently when she
flashed plans or hopes at him: IL
don't follow you, my dear!" This
made her frantic,
She was twenty, undisclpllned and
exacting. She had no reserves within
herself to which she could turn. Dad
things were hopelessly bad with Cher
ry; her despAirs were the dark and
fearful despnirs Of girlhood, prema-
turely transferred to graver matters.
Martin was quite right In some Of
his contentious; girl-llke, she was
spasmodic and unsystematic in her
housekeeping she had times Of being
discontented and selfish. She hated
economy and the need for careful man.
aging.
In October Alix chanced to write
her long AMI unusually gosslpy let
ter. AllN had Il new gown Of black
grenadine, and she had sung at an
afternoon tea, and had evidently sue
ceeded In her first venture. Also they
had had mountain climb and en-
closed were snapshots Peter had taken
on the trip.
Cherry picked up the little kodak
prints; there were four or five Of them
She studied them with pang ut her
heart Alix IN loose rough coat,
with her hair blowing In the wind
and the peaked crest Of Thmalpais be-
hind hSi-AliX busy with lunch boxes
-Alix standing on the old bridge by
the mill. A wave Of homesi.knesa
swept over the younger sister; life
tasted bitter. She hated Alix, hated
Peter; above all she hated herself.
She wanted to be there, In Mill Valley,
free to play and to dream again
A day or two later she told Martin
kindly and steadily that she thought
1t had all "been q mistake" She told
him that she thought the only digni-
fed thing to do was to part. She liked
him; she would always wish him we'll,
but since the love had gone out Of their
relationship, surely 1t was only honest
to end 1t.
"What's the matterr' Martin de-
manded.
Nothing special" Cherry assured
him, her eyes suddenly watering. "Only
I'm tired Of 1t all. I'm tired Of pre-
tending. I can't argue about 1t. But
know It's tho wise thing to do"
you'd 80 back to your father, I
suDposeT Martin said, yawning.
"Until I could get into something"
Cherry replied with dignity. A vague
thought Of the stage fitted through her
mind.
"Oh" Martin said politely. "And
I suppose you think your father would
agree to this delightful arrangementY'
he asked.
II know he wouldi" Cherry an.
swered eagerly.
"All right-you write and ask him I"
Martin agreed good.naturedly. Cherry
was surprised at his attitude, but
grateful more than surprised.
"Not cross, Mnrtr' she asked.
mot the least in the worldi" he
answered lightly.
Because I truly believe that we'd
both be happier" the woman said
hesitatingly. Martin did not answer.
The next day she sat down to write
her father. She meditated. with
troubled brow. Her letter was unex-
pectedly hard to compose. She could
not take bright and simple tone, ask
Ing her father to rejoice in her home
coming. Somehow the matter persisted
In growing heavy and the words
twisted themselves about into ugly
and selfish sounds. Cherry was young,
but even to her youth the phrases, the
misunderstood" and the "uncongen-
lal," the friendly parting before any
bitterness creeps in" and the free to
decide our lives in some happier and
wiser way" rang false Pauline had
been divorced few years ago. and the
only thing Cherry disliked In her friend
was her cold and resentful references
to her first huband.
No, she couldn't be divorced won.
an. 1t was all spoiled, the innocent
past and the future; there was no
way outl She gave up the attempt at
letter and began to annoy Martin
with talk Of visit home again.
what you want to 80 for7"
"Oh, just-just-" Cherry's irrepres-
sible tears angered herself almost as
much as they did Martin. II think
they'd like mo tor she faltcred.
Go II you want tot" he said, but
she knew she could not 20 on that