Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1921-08-12
Swami and the
Judge
By MARTHA MAcwILLIAMs


ruptcy or breach Of promised
what?'
Nothing so simple" Pop otherwise
Hon. Arson Trimble, growled, crush
ing the sheet he held. 1.-THE mater
writes she is bringing home with her
one Of those Swami things, bIaeker, no
doubt, than the ace of spades-and is
sure I'll be delighted to have him stay
a month
Good Lord" with whistled OBJ
bligato. Surely not herel Has she
clear forgot her raisingT
Looks like it-but there's a lot more
she says all the fashionables in town
are daffy about the fellow-and that
TO carry him off this way puts her
quite at the top Of the heap. He's
going to lecture-talk sablimated
d-n foolishness, and do mystic
stunts"
Eureka Then we're safer than
safe. See him now In a purple tur-
ban, and green swaddlings, gazing into
crystals and things-at so much a
gaze-and telling the world things it
has known since Adam was a year
ling-but won't recognize in his
lingo" Tony interrupted. BE sure the
women will all fall for him-hard.
Freakish to the freaks, you know. Our
game is to sit tight, dad, look i'm
pressed-solemn as billed Owls--and
have our laughs together"
Here's better dad Interrupted
'Tm going to be a shining convert
plan giving my life, also my money,
to the great cause. That will fetch
the mater to her senses-you know
she's keen on having things for her
self and baby. Wouldn't bat an eye
If said her soul was in perl-but din
ner rings, and tiaras and things-and
n coming-out party to knock Hillwood
silly--a hint of losing them will make
her sit up and take notice.
Let me salute-a diplomat wasted"
Tony said, rising tc make an exagger-
ated reverence. "Sirr' with oratorical
iniexions. Had you been in Paris
! make no doubt you could have
fcbbed off our dear allies with Green
lands icy mountains-and tucked Mes
cpotamia oil fields into Uncle Sans
vest pocket"
swell, l have to live down to my
son" dad said modestly. Then the
two went gayly about their several
affairs. The letter, coming in the last
mail, had waited over dinner. Luckily
1t was fine dinner-the thought of
mamma and the impending Swami on
the morning train might have lessened
relish for it.
On the steps Mr.. Trimble said:
"You tell Florry, Of course; but mind
she don't pass 1t on to her father.
Then the fat would surely be In the
! fire."
Mrs. Trimble's protege failed utterly
to run to Swami form. His complexion
of the palest olive was set off by Lon
don garments Of the best, mighty we'll
chosen as to lines and color The sole
oriental touch was queer, heavy
bracelet locked about the left wrist
and visible but rarely. His voice was
clear, of singular range, and for the
most part pleasant, but with now and
then a grating note. Possibly that
was what moved Tony to say to Miss
Flora Campbell: Il want to wiring
his neck, for all he looks so like
white man." In response Flora gig
gled softly-perhaps over memories
of ardent Swami glances encountered
only that afternoon. Hillwood fem
ininity had surely fallen for him
hard. His conferences In the big Trim
Bile parlOrs were veritable brushes.
Thus the town knew that, though Tony
guyed Swami-ism and all its works,
his father, sitting remote, listened APP
parently spellbOund. Yet it was some
thing of shock to have him bring
Baby, sole daughter Of the house, home
from school over the week end, ex-
planning that he was conscience bound
not to let her miss this chance of COM
ing to the truth and the light. Mrs.
Trimble ragged, but vainly. She was
an adept in the patter of the cult, but
when her husband began speaking it
the very deepest purple variety-she
reverted violently to the speech Of san
ity. She was answered only with a
rapt far-off gaze. Evidently her hus-
band had gone into the silence" mark
ing the true mystic convert. She want
ed to shake him, to stick pins In him
even. But when, after bit, he reused,
saying passionlessly:
"All must be laid on the altar-our
fortune, our children, ourselves" she
Smothered shrek. cried hard for
three minutes, then rushed to call
privately, not doctor, but her father,
famous retired judge.
"Comel At oncel" was all she said,
but her tones spoke volumes. Hence
the judge came next day, the very
moral and pattern Of bland uncOn-
seriousness. Tony met him at the train,
on the surface quite the same. But as
they stepped from the car he said, with
a twinkle: IF you could land an am
bassadorship under the new admins
tration. think the mater would
go joyously to head the household
and give her family change of air"
She did not fall upon her fathers