Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-12-14


wouldn't you If she said you wrote
down how pretty you knew your eyes
were, HerbertT'
whats this about Herbert having
pretty eyes'?' Mr.. Joseph Atwater in
qulred; and Herbert shuddered Un-
Gle Joseph had an unpleasant repnta-
tion as a joker.
The nephew desperately fell back
upon the hopeless device of attempt
ing TO drown out his opponents voice
as she began to reply. He became
vocIferous with scornful laughter bad
| ly cracked in the scorn. Florence
got mad" he shouted, mingling the
purporteG information with loud cack-
| lings. "She got mad because ! and
/ Henry played games with Patty! She's
/ tryin' to make up somepm to get even.
/ She made Il up! It's all made upi
! She"
mo, no." Mr.. Atwater interrupted.
Let Florence tell us. Florence. what
was it about Herbert knowing he had
pretty eyes?"
Herbert attempted to continue the
drowning out He bawled, "She made
1t up It's somepm she made up
herself! She"
Herbert" said Uncle Joseph-"if
you don't keep quiet. I'll take back
the printing press"
Herbert substituted another gulp
for continuation of his noise.
-,
tell us what you were saying about
how Herbert knows he had such pref
ty eyes"
Then il seemed miracle befell.
Florence looked up, smiling modestly.
ooh. It wasn't anything Uncle 10
seph," she said. 81 was Just trying
to tease Herbert any way l could
think up"
"Oh. was that all?" A hopeful light
faded out Of Uncle Joseph's large
and inexpensive face. 81 thought
! perhaps you'd detected him in some
! indiscretion."
Florence laughed 81 was just
teasin' him. 1t wasn't anything, Uncle
Joseph"
Hereupon. Herbert resumed a con-
fused breathing. Dazed, he remained
uneasy, profoundly so; and gratitude
was no part of his emotion. He well
understood that Florence was never
susceptible to impulses of compassion
in conflicts such as these; In fact. IL
there was warfare between them. ex-
perience had taught him to he wariest
when she seemed kindest He moved
away from her. and went into another
room where his condition was one Of
increasing mental discomfort, though
he looked for while al the pictures
in his great-uncle's copy Of Paradise
Lost" These Illustrations by NJ. Gus
tave Dore. failed to aid in reassurfng
his troubled mind.
When Florence left. he lmpulsively
accompf led her, maintaining a nerv-
GUS silence as they compassed the
short distance between Uncle J0seph's
front gate and her own. There, how
ever, he spoke.
'Look here! You don't haf TO go
and believe everything that ole girl
told you, do your"
mo" said Florence heartily. 81
don't hat to-"
well, look here" he urged help
less but to repeat. you don't haf to
believe whatever II was she went and
told you, do your"
"what was It you think she told
me, HerbertT'
IAN that guff-you know Wen,
whatever It was you said she told
you"
81 didn't" said Florence al didn't
say she told me anything at all"
well. she did, didn't she?''
"Why. no." Florence replied, light
| ~. "She didn't say anything to mes
Only I'm glad to have your opinion
Of her. how she's such a story-teller
and aIl-if I ever want to tell her,
and everythingr"
But Herbert had greater alarms than
this. and the greater obscured the
lesser. Look here" he said "lf she
| didn't tell you, how'd you know IL.
/ thenr'
"How'd know what7"
'That-that big story about my ever
eavI''' '-',o,v had"-he guiped again
! ''nrettv eyes"
/ "Oh. about that" Florence said ard
swung the gate shut between them.
/ well, ! guess it's too late TO tell you
! tonight. Herbert; but maybe if yol
and that nasty little Henry Rooter do
every single thing tell yon 10, and
/ do It Just exackly like l tell you from
this time on. why maybe-I only say
( 'maybe'-well maybe I'll tell you
some day when I feel like IT,"
To be continued
MONEY TO LOAN