Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-09-15

lcaln Inc sOIIect use OF words: and
: Mrs. Dale had been patient. painst al, !
] Ing and efficient In her teachings NJ.
that Elizabeth was educated. IN an
J real sense Of the word. Far from =
> But her improvement was, in ali ir;,t =
! quite remarkable. She wore mora ~
less costly gowns now, and 4 faw
jewels, thanks to Mrs. Dale. and
wherever she went she attracted adj
! miring glances.
: Jimmy Fayne had been coming to
see her when Mrs. Dale would ner.
NIT It. which was not very often. Tim.
my Fayne, as Patricia McLaurin had
once been moved to say, was far
seeing young man for all his veal.
nesses; he had known in advance that
the laurel bloom would change 70 ]
rose, and then to a white hyacintb
Perhaps he even considered the fact
that she would make better wife for
him, and better mother for his chill.
dren, than some fragile and .oyer-cnl.
tured woman Of patrician house thar
had about run out. At any rate. Jim
my Fayne. the ultra-spoiled. had do.
cided that he would marry her.
During those weeks that had boon
made happy by an occasional hour at
the home Of the Dales, Fayne had not
once mentioned marriage. He figured
| and wisely enough, that to be too
quick with his proposal would be to
lose everything.
But now he meant to propose. for he
knew that Miss Littleford intended go
ing home for visit--and he knew that
when she went home she would see
Carlyle Dale. The truth was. of
course. that Miss Littleford was go
Ing to Tennessee to attend the Oc-
tober term of court at Gainesville.
It was a little after the middle Of a
bright afternoon. He found her sit
ting on an iron settee in secluded
corner of the lawn, where cape jessa-
mines and lilac bushes grew In order
ly array. She wore light wrap. and
there was an easy-to-read book in her
hands; but she wasn't trying to read
at the moment.
He barred his head, greeted her
pleasantly and asked permission to
sit down beside her. She looked up
ut him. He was Immediately dressed.
"Of course" she granted with
smile that was very winsome.
He stated his mission briefly. for
Mrs. Dale might appear at any min
ute.
Il came, Elizabeth, to ask you to
marry me-
She sat as still as though she had
not heard. He went on hastily:
Il confess that I'm little ashamed
of trying to take you away from Car
lyle Dale. for he was always very nice
TO me. But may be forgiven for
that, think, because care for you
great DEAL Anyway-'All Is fair
III love and war'--you know
His voice was hardly businesslike.
pat 1t lacked original fire. Elizabeth
Littleford closed the book in her lap.
and lifted her clear brown eyes to his
eager face.
No." she disagreed. call ain't-lsn't
fair In love and war. That's one o.
the very silliest sayins I've ever heard.
AS for the other--I like you, Jimmy.
but not in the way you want me to.
It's Bill Dale that like--in that way.
Jimmy"
Fayne looked disappointed. He was
silent.
You're a good boy. Jimmy" she
went on. "and hate to make yoC
feel the least bit bad. 1t makes me
Oh. Jimmy, 1t makes me blue. wish
you hadn't asked me. I'm sure you'u
lind some better girl than me-than
for wife,"
There Is no better girl than you
Elizabeth. I'm going to wait--and
lope."
He took up one of her hands and
sissed 1t, rose and went toward the
street Before he had gone a minute
me rose. her face a little pale. and
'tared after him, sorely tempted-for
sayne's money could bring her people
'ut Of their long night Of ignorance!
Well. II she didn't marry Bill Dale
land she feared that she wouldn't
ne would marry Jimmy Fayne. IL he
It'll wanted her--if he would agree
0 help her people. After all, 1t wasn't
Q much to give. What was one poor
title, unhappy human life?
1t was late, that night. when Eliz-
beth Littleford went to sleep. And
When at last she slept. she dreamed of
Walking through fragrant green
meadow with Bill Dale. There was
ne low humming Of wild bees about
he purple crowns Of the ironweed and
he scarlet bloom of the clover; there
fas the mating call of the partridge,