The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-12-16

I tives of his; I doubt If he'll De reall,
as lonely as he'd like to be-. And he.
often said he'd give a great deal +
Julia had been plain. unpopular girl
I'm strongly of the opinion, myself
that he'll be pleased about this. Oh
course il may upset him little, JUS
at first"
Yes; / think Ii will y Mrs. At
water shook her head forebodingIy
I 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, 1 suppose every one of 'em had
a 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 'em!"
yes, Julia's always been much too
kind-hearted for other peoples good y
Thus Mr.. Atwater summed up-and
he was this Julia's brother. Addition
ally, since he was the older, he had
known neF since her DlrTn.
If you ask me- said his wife, ''Pll
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
dry state, though ~
She failed to fathom his simple
meaning. "WhyT'
'Well. some of 'em might feel that
desperate at least" he explained
"Prohibition's a safeguard for the dis
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 her
preOccupied parents what is all this
about Aunt Julia, and Grandpa goin'
to live alone, and people committing
suicide and prohibition and every
thing? What is all this, mama?"
Nothing. Florence"
Nothing That's what you always
say about the very most interesting
ilyl What is all this, papa?"
It's nothing that would be inter-
esting to little girls, Florence. Mere
ly some family matters"
My goodness % Florence exclaimed.
I'm not a little girl any more, papa
You're always forgetting my age! And
If it's a family matter l belong to the
family, I guess, about as much as any
body else, don't 1? Grandpa himself
isn't any more one Of the family than
am. don't care how old he is"
This was undeniable, and her father
laughed. IT'S really nothing you'd
care about one way or the other" he
said.
well, I'd care about 1t if it's a Sc
cret," Florence insisted. IF it's a Sc
cret I'd want to know it whatever it's
about"
"Oh, it isn't secret, particularly.
I suppose. At least, it's not to be
made public for a time; it's only to
be known in the family"
"Wen, didn't l just prove I'm as
much one o. the family AS
Never mind" her father said sooth-
ngly. Il don't suppose there's any
harm in your knowing tiff you won't
20 telling everybody. Your aunt Julia
mas just written us that she's en-
gagged"
Mrs. Atwater uttered an exclama-
ion, but she was too late TO check
lin.
whats the matter?" he asked.
I'm afraid you oughtn't to have !
old Florence. She isn't just the most /
liscreet-"
"Pshaw 20 he laughed. "She certain
Y is one of the family. however. and |
Julia wrote that all of the family I
night be told. You'll not speak of it I
outside the family, will you, Flor
nce?"
But Florence was not yet able to
peak of it, even inside the family
o surprising. sometimes. are parents
heories of what will not interest
heir children. She sat staring, her
louth open. her throat closed; and in
he uncertain illumination of the room
hese symptoms of her emotional con-
ition went unObServed.