The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-02-12
PART TWO

They went sattricaily down the street
their chumminess with one another
bountitully increased by their common
derision OF the outsider on the porch:
and even at a distance they still con-
trived TO mako themselves intolcrable.
looking back over their shoulders n, In
tervals with say-not-so expressions on
their faces Even when those faces were
far enough away TO be but yellowish
oval planes. their say-not-so express
sions were still bitinEly eloquent.
Now q northern breeze chilled the air
as the hateful three became indistin-
Euishable In tho haze OF autumn dusk.
Florence stopped swinging her foot.
left the railing and went moroscly into
the house. And here it was her for
tune TO make two discoveries vital TO
her present career. the first arising out
Of conversation between her father
and mother in the library. where
gossipy fire OF soft coal encouraged this
proper Sunday afternoon entertainment
for man and wife.
sit down and rest while. Flor
ence." said her mother. I'm afraid you
play too hard when Patty and the boys
are here. Do sit down quietly and rest
yourself a little while" And as Flor
ence obeycd Mrs. Atwater turned TO her
husband. reSuming: Well that's what
/ said. l told Aunt Carrie l thought
the same way about il that you did. or
course nobody ever knows what Jultas
going to do next. and nobody needs to
! be surprised at anything she does do.
NEiver since she came home from school
about four-hfths OF all the young men
in town have been wild about her-and
sos every old bachelor for the matter
of that
Yes" Mr.. Atwatcr added Every
old widower. too
His wife warmly accepted the amend
ment. And every old widower. too,
she said. noddihg. Rather. And "
course Julia'S just done exactly as sho
pleased about everything, and naturally
she's going TO do as she pleases about
lsthis"
We'll. OF course. II is her own affair
Mouie." Mr.. Atwater said mildly. She
couldn't be expected 10 consult the
whole Atwater family connection be-
fore
"oh. no" she agreed Il don't say
she could. STILL 1t is rather upsctting.
coming so suddenly like this, when not
one of the family have ever seen him
never even heard his very name be-
fore
We'll, that part OF il isn't especially
strange, Mollie-whcn he was born and
brought up in a twon three hundred
miles from here. l don't see just how
We could have heard his name-unless
he visited here. or got into the papers
In some way"
Mrs. Atwater seemed unwilling to
yield a mysterious point. She rocked
decorously in her rocking chair. shook
B her head, and after setting her lips
rlgidly 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 know. at
keast. few days before she did,"
Mr.. Atwater sighed. Why. she ex-
plains in her letter that she only knew
: herself an hour before she wrote"
Her poor father" his wife repeated
commiseratingly.
Why Monie. don't see that
fathers especially TO be pitied'
Don't you?" said Mrs. Atwatcr.
THAT old man, to have TO live in that
ERAig house all alone except few negro
SER ants"
".Yhy. no. About half the houses in
the neighborhood, up and down the
street. are fully occupied by close re!a-
lives OF his: l doubt II he'll be really
as lonely as he'd like TO be. And he's
often said he'd give great deal IL
Julia had been a plain. unpopular 8ir:.
I'm strongly OF the opinion myself that
hell be pleased about this. or course
Il may upset him little just at hrst.
Yes. l think il will Mrs Atwater
shook her head forebodngly. And he
inv fn
NO. he isn't" her husband admitted
seriously. That's always been the
trouble with Julia; she never coule bear
10 seem disappointing: and so, OF
course. suppose every one OF en- had
a spec!al idea that ne was really about
the top Of the list with her"
= EVERY last one OF EN- was positive
NJ IL" said Mrs Atwater. THAT was
Julia's way with en-.
"Yes, Julia's always been much too
kInd-hcarted for other peoples good
Thus Mr.. Atwater summed up-and he
vas this Julia's brother. Additionally,
since nc was the older. nc had known
hcr since her birth.
"Ir YOU ask me-" said his wife. IN
really be surprised II ii all goes
through without suicide.
"Oh, not quite suicidcr perhaps" Mr..
saltwater protested. l m gao us
dry state. though
She failed to fathom his simple
meaning. Why:
Wen, some OF 'em might feel that
desperate at least" he explained. Pro
hibItion's safeguard for the dtsap-
pointed in love
This phrase and previous one
stirred Florence. who had been sitting
quietly. according 10 request. and rest
INK" but not resting her curiosity.
who's disappointed in love. papa! she
inquired with an explosive eaYerness
which slightly startled her preoccupied
PARENTS. What is all this about Aunt
Julia and grandpa Gotn' to live alone.
and people committing suicide and pro-
hibition and everything? What is all
this. mamma
Nothing. Florence"
Nothing. That's what you always
any about the very most interesting
Wings that happen in the whole family.
What Is all this. papa"
IT'S nothing that would be interest
ing to little girls. Florence merely
some family matters.
MY goodness" Florence exclaimed.
I'm not a little girl any more. papa!
You're always forgetting my age. And
n It's a family matter. l belong 10 the
Hfamily. 1 guess, about as much as any
3 hody else. don't I? Grandpa himself
Alsn't any more one OF the family than
l. am, I don't care how old nc is"
This was undeniable. mad her father
yiauShed. IT'S really nothing you'd
care about ono way or the other. he
AAid.
well. I'd care about it II it's a