The Pulaskian., 1921-12-29

l claIfy strange, MolilE--WLGH He was born and brought mp in town three hundred miles from here. I don't see just how we could have heard his 1 name-un1ess he visited here, or got into the papers in some Way.'' l Mrs Atwater seemed unwilling to yield mysterious point. She rocked decorously in her chair, shook her head, and after setting her lips rigid | Iy, opened them to insist that she could never change her mind: Julia had acted very abruptly. "Why couldn't she have let her poor father know, at l least a few days before she did?" MT. Atwater sighed. ''NWhy, she cx- plains in her letter that she only knew 1t, herself. an hour before she. wrote"
 .Her poor father!" his wife repeat ed commiseratingly
 "Wlly, Mollie, don't see that fath- CTS especially to be pitied." Don't you?" said Mrs. Atwater. s'That old man, to have to live in tEat big house all alone, except few ne gro servants?'
 "Why, no About half the houses in the neighborhood, up and down the street, are fully occupied by close rela- lives of his; I doubt if he'll be really as lonely as he'd like to be. And he's often said he'd give a great deal if Julia had been plain, unpopular girl. I'm strongly of the opinion, myself, that he'll be pleased about this. Of course it may upset him little, just at first"
 "Yes; I think 1t willl" Mrs. At water shook her head forebodingly. And he isn't the only one it's going to upset"
 "No, he isn't" her husband admit ted, seriously. "Thats always been the trouble with Julia; she never could bear to seem disappointing; and so, of course. I suppose every one of 'em had a special idea that he was really about the top of the list with her.
 Every last one of 'em was positive of it." said Mrs. Atwater "That was Julia's way with 'em! !"
 "Yes, Julias always been much too kind-hearted for other peoples good v Thus .aMr Atwater summed up-and he was this Julia's brother. Addition ally, since he was the older, he haa known her since her birth.
 "If you ask me-" said his wife, "I'H really be surprised if it all goes through without a suicide"
 "Oh, not quite suicide, perhaps" Mir. Atwater protested. I'm glad it's a dry state, though !"
 She failed to fathom his simple meaning. ''Why?'
 'Well, some of 'em might feel that desperate at least" he explained. Prohibitions a safeguard for the dis appointed in love-"
 This phrase and previous one stirred Florence, who had been sitting quietly, according to request, and resting; but not resting her curi- osity ''Who's disappointed in love, papa?" she inquired with an explosive eagerness which slightly startled her preoccupied parents. ''What is all this about Aunt Julia, and Grandpa goin to live alone, and people committing suicide and prohibition and every thing? What is all this, mama?"
 'Nothing, Florence"
 Nothing That's what you always say about the very most interesting things that happen in the whole fam ily What is all this, papa?"
 "It's nothing that would be inter- esting to little girls, Florence. Mere ly some family matters.
 My goodnessI" Florence exclaimed. "Tm not a little girl any more, papa You're always forgetting my age! And if it's a family matter I belong to the family, I guess, about as much as any body else don't I? Grandpa himself isn't any more one of the family than I am. don't care how old he is !" This was undeniable, and her father laughed. "It's really nothing you'd care about one way or the other" he said
 "Well, I'd care about 1t if it's a se- cret," Florence insisted. If it's se- cret I'd want to know 1t whatever it's about"
 "Oh, it isn't a secret, particularly, I suppose. At least, it's not to be made public for a time; it's only to be known in the family"
 .sWell, didn't I just prove I'm as much one O the family as"
 Never mind," her father said sooth- ingly. "I don't suppose there's any harm in your knowing tiff you won't go telling everybody. Your aunt Julia has just written us that she's en- gaged.'
 Mrs. Atwater uttered an exclama- tion, but she was too late to check him.
 sWhats the matter?" he asked. I'm afraid you oughtn't to have told Florence. She isn't just the most discreet-"
 .Pshaw p he laughed. "She certain Ixv s~ opa op tho far,1ilxr hnyavor on1