Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-12-28
PART THREE


members of the Atwater family con-
nection made futile efforts to secure
all the copies of that weeks edition
of the North End Daily oriole. 1t
could not be done.
1t was a trying time for 1.-The fam
fly" Great-aunt Carrie said that she
had the worst afternoon of any OF
EN-" because young Newland Saun-
ders came to her house at two and did
not leave until FIVE; all the time count
Ing over, one by one, the hours he'd
spent with Julia since she was seven
teen and turned out, unfortunately,
TO be a Beauty. Newland had not re-
strained himself. Aunt Carrie said
and long before he left she wished
Jnlia had never been born and as
for Herbert Ilingswortb Atwater.
Junior, the only thing tc do with him
was to send him to some strict mill
tary school
Florence's father telephoned to her
mother from downtown at three, and
said that Mr.. George Plum and the
ardent vocalist, Clairdyce. two of the
suitors, had just left his Office They
had not called in company. however,
but coincidentally and each had a
copy of the North End Daily Oriole.
already somewhat worn with folding
and unfolding. Mr.. Clairdyce's condi-
ton was one Of desperate calm, Flor
ence's father said, but Mr. Plum's agi-
teton left him rather unpresentable
for the street, though he had finally
gone forth with his hair Just as he
had rumpled il, and with his hat in
his hand They wished the truth, they
said: Was II true or was 1t not true?
Mr.. Atwater had told them that he
feared Julia was indeed engaged.
though he knew nothing of her
fiance's previous marriage or mar
riages, or of the number of his
previous children. They had respond
ed that they cared nothing about that.
This man Crum's record was a matter
of indifference to them. All they
wanted TO know was whether Julia
was engaged or not--and she was
THE odd thing to me-" Mr.. Atwater
continued, to his wife, ''is where on
earth Herbert could have got his story
about this Crum's being widower. or
divorced, and with all these children.
Do you know if Julia's written any OF
the family about these things and they
haven't told the rest Of usf"
"No," said Mrs. Atwater. I'm sure
she hasn't. Every letter she's written
to any of us has passed all through
the family, and know I've seen every
one of EN-. She's never said anything
about him at all, except that he was a
lawyer. Tn sure / can't imagine
where Herbert got his awful lnforma-
ton: l never thought he was the kind
of boy % lust make up unpleasant
things"
Florence, sitting quietly In chair
nearby. with a copy of Sesame and
Lilies" ia her lap, listened to her
mothers side Of this conversation
with an expression of impersonal in
terest; and If she could have realized
how completely her parents had for
gotten NATURALLY en0ugh) the details
of their first rambling discussion Of
Julia's engagement, she might have
felt as little alarm as she showed.
"well,r said Mr.. Atwater, I'm glad
It isn't our branch Of the family that's
responsible. That's comfort, any
how. especially as people are reading
copies Of Herbert's manifesto all up
and down the town. my clerk says.
He tells me that over at the Cole com.
pany. where Young Murdoch Halves IL
cashier. they only got hold Of one copy.
but typewrote it and multigraphed 1t,
and some of EN- have already learned
It by heart TO recite TO poor young
Halves. He's the one who sent Julia
the three fiye-pound boxes of choco-
lates all at the same time, you re-
member"
'Yes," Mrs Atwater sighed. Poor
thingi"
Florence Il out among the family,
l supposeT' he inquired.
~No; she's right here. She's just
started to read Ruskin this afternoon.
She says she's going to begin and reads
all Of him straight through. That's
very nice. don't you thinkT
He seemed to muse before replying
Il think that's ye1y nice, at her
sge especially" Mrs. Atwater urged
-Do0,t your
Ts-esl On yesl At least. I sup