The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-11-23

ohu o'ousEt up In town three
! hundred miles from here. / don't see
. JUST now We could have heard his
hhihe-unless he visited here. or got
! INTO the papers In some way"
Mrs Atwater seemed unwilling to
yield a mysterious point. She rocked
VIGOROUSLY In her chair, shook her
head' and after setting her lips rigid
~ 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 knox. at
least few days before she ddy
MIR. Atwater sighed. "Why. she OK.
pains In her letter that she only
knew 1t, herself an hour before she
wrote.r
Her poor father" his wife repeat-
ed commiseratingly.
why Noble, I don't see that faith
ers especially to be pitied."
Don't you?" said Mrs. Atwater.
Ihat old man, to have to live In that
big house all alone. except a few ne
gro servantsy
Why. no! About half the houses
IN the neighborhood, up and down the
street, are fully occupied by close rela-
tives OF his; doubt II he'll be really
az lonely as he'd like to be. And he's
often said he'd give a great deal IL
JuiIa mad been plain, unpopular girl.
I'm strongly Of the opinion. myself,
that he'll be pleased about this or
course it may upset him q little, Just
at first"
yes; think 1t Wilt" Mrs. At.
water shock her head forebodingly.
And he isn't the only one it's going
to upset"
mo, 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, 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
Julia's way with EN-"
yes. Julia's always been much toe
kind-hearted for other peoples good ~
Thus Mr.. Atwater summed up-and
he was this Julia's brother. Addition
ally. since he was the older, he had
known her since her birth.
IF you ask me-" said his wife, It'll
really be surprised If it all goes
through without a suicide"
"Oh, not quite suicide, perhaps" Mr..
} Atwater protested I'm glad it's a
r dry state. though
She failed to fathom his simple
meaning. Why"
: well. some OF 'em might feel that
desperate at least" he explained.
l Prohibitions safeguard for the dis
r appointed in love"
This phrase and a 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 hee
preoccupied parents. what Is ill this
about Aunt Julia, and Grandpa goin'
to live alone, and people committing
suicide and prohibition and every
thing? What is all this, mamar"
Nothing, Florence"
Nothing That's what you always
say about the very most interesting
things that happen in the whole fam.
uy! What is all this, papaT'
Its nothing that would be inter.
esting to little girls. Florence. Mere
IL some family matters"
MY goodness. :" Florence exclaimed.
I'm not little girl any more. papa
You're always forgetting my age. And
if it's family matter l belong to the
family. guess, about as much as enF'
body else, don't I? Grandpa himself
isn't any more one of the family thar
l am. I don't care how old he Isl"
This was undeniable, and her fathes
laughed. ITS really nothing youN
care about one way or the other" -
said.
We'll. I'd care ABOUT it if it's 50
cret." Florence insisted. If it's se
cret I'd want to know 1t whatever iti
about"
, "Uh. it isn't a secret, particularly
! | suppose. Al lctSt. II > Aot " "
made public for time; it's only ts
5 be known in the family"
I We'll, didn't l just prove Tn a.
! much one O. the family as"
=. Never mind her father said sooth
: ingly. II don't suppose there's any
, harm in your knowing lift you won't
go telling everybody. Your aunt Julia
r has just written US that she's en-
D gagged"
, Mrs. Atwaser uttered an exclana'
I ton, but she was too late to chers
: him.
, whats the NATTER" he asked.
: I'm afraid you oughtn't 10 have
I told Florence She isn't just the moSi
I discreet"
: "Pshaw. :" he laughed. "She certain
! ly is one of the family. however, ane
Julia wrote that all of the family
. might be told. You'll not speak OF II
outside the family, will you, Flor