Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-11-30

yes" Mr.. Atwater added. Every
old widower. too"
his wife warmly accepted the
amendment. "And every old widower,
too" she said. nodding, "Ratherl And
of course Julia's done exactly as she
pleased about everything. and natural
" she's going to do as she pleases
about this"
Well, Of course. II is her own af-
fair. Mollie," Mr.. Atwater said, mildly.
"She couldn't be expected to consult
the whole Atwater family connection
before"
"oh, no." she agreed, 81 don't say
she could Still, II is rather upset
ting, coming so suddenly Ike this.
when not one of the family have ever
seen him-never even heard his very
name before"
well. that part OF II isn't espe-
cially strange, Mollie-when he was
born and brought up In town three
hundred miles from here. / don't see
just how We could have heard his
name-unless he visited here, or got
into the papers Il some way"
Mrs. Atwater seemed unwilling to
yield mysterious point. She rocked
decorously in her chair, shook her
head. and after setting her lips rigid
~, opened them 10 insist that she could
never change her mind: Julia had
acted very abruptly. why couldn't
she have let her poor father know. at
least a few days before she did?"
Mr.. Atwater sighed. "Why. she ex-
plains In her letter that she only
knew il, herself, an hour before she
wrote"
"Her poor father" his wife repeat
ed commiseratingly.
"Why, Mollie, ] don't see that faith
er's especially to be pitied."
Don't your" said Mrs. Atwater.
THAT old man. to have to live in that
big house all alone, except few ne
gro seryants?
"why. no About half the houses
in the neighborhood. up and down the
street, are fully occupied by close rela-
tives of his; 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 IL
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 a little, Just
at first"
Eyes; l think II wilt" 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. That's always been
the trouble with Julia she never could
bear to seem disappointing; and so, Of
course, l suppose every one of 'em had
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
Jula's way with 'emi"
Yes, Julia's always been much too
kind-hearteG for other peoples good y
Thus Mr.. Atwater summed up-and
he was this Julia's brother, Addition
ally. since lie was the older, he had
known her since her birth.
'If you ask me" said his wife, "I'll
really be surprised If il all goes
through without suicide"
"Oh. not quite suicide, perhaps" Mr.
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
~ lot nd
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 Curl
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'
20 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
nyi What is all this. papa?'
"It's nothing that would be inter-
esting 10 little girls. Florence. Mere
ly some family matters"
MY goodness - Florence exclaimed.
"rm not a little girl any more, papa
You're always forgetting my age And
IL it's a family matter l belong to the
family. guess about as much as any
body else, don't /? Grandpa himself
isn't any more one Of the family than
am. ! don't care how old he is!
This was undeniable, and her father
laughed. Its really nothing you'd
care about one way or the other" he
said.
Wei. I'd care about u II it's Q -
msAr bieSence insists6 III It's 4 Sc
cret I'd wans TO know n whatever It's
about.h
"oh, It isn't secret, particularly,
/ suppose. At least. it's not to be
Il a