Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-07-14

surmised 1t, for then his efforts would
go for naught.
i Moreland was speaking again. and
his eyes were brighter now.
Il agree at David would want as
to develop the coal, eff he could know.
It's like light a-breakin' to me. But
that coal Is sacred to us, Bill Dale,
and afore We go any fu'ther I'll hat
to ak We to tell me all about yeself.
A city man up here In he wilderness
it don't look s'picious, Bill, mebbe,
but--well, ! hopes We can pardon me
TO AKIN 1t. shore got to be keer-
full about Brother David's coal. Addie
and the boys'll go out and leave Jest
us two in here; and when ye're a-talk-
in to me it's the same as talkin' to a
tombstone so fer as telin' Is con-
sarned Addie, honey; Luke, you and
Gale"
! Mrs. Moreland and her sons arose
and left the room, closing the door be-
hind them. Bill Dale paced the floor.
arms folded. brows drawn. Finally he
talted before the Moreland chief.
There's nothing I'm ashamed of,
gness," he said. II don't like to tell 1t
simply because / don't like to tell 1t.
But--Tll do It."
He sat down In his sheepskin-lined
rocker. lay back and closed his eyes
as though to visualize the story, to
live 1t over.
Maybe It's not very much in my
favor, John Moreland," he began. Il
never could get along with my parents,
or with the set was born into. Some
how, was different. Father and
mother wanted me to be dandy; they
even wanted me to let servant dress
me. The climax came when they tried
to marry me to young woman who
didn't want me any more than ] want
ed her."
He opened his eyes, looked straight
at Moreland, and went on:
"You see, they wanted to marry us
In order to unite old Clavering's for
tune and my dads: Patricia, like me,
|
and dried for us, for years. They put 1t
fup to me like this: they said owed 1t to
them, thatsit was my duty; that ! had
always been q severe trial St0 them;
that my savagery had put gray into
my mothers hair, and lot .of things
of that kind. / fell for II at last; 1t
was sort of matter of self-defense.
With Patricia, 1t was case of--well,
a case Of simple obedience. Pat Is a
good girl. :"
A minute of silence; then:
| "I'll hurry along with 1t, John More
land. l had one fine friend back there.
1t was Robert McLaurin, reporter
on the city's leading newspaper. My
parents didn't take to him because he
was worker, and not fop. Mother
wanted Pats cousin, poor dear Har-
nv Clavering, for my best man. Poor
dear Harry and I had a. fight, once
upon a time, and III had whipped
him; and didn't like him. ! chose
Bobby McLaurin for my best man, and
wouldn't give him up.
1T was only when we met before
the chancel In big crowded church
that | fully realized the tragedy Of 1t
for Pat. saw that her face was a
clean white, and that her eyes held
the shadow of something that was
very terrible. l turned my head and
saw the same shadow In the eyes Of
my greatest friend, Bobby McLaurin.
knew then. Bobby and Patricia loved
each other, John Moreland! Bobby
didn't have any money to speak Of,
and that had held them apart.
at had been the finest thing In the
world, McLaurin's acting as best man
for me. There was friendship for you
couldn't take from them their one
chance Of happiness. :.
4 II couldn't see anything else to do,
so I ran. i went home. pulled off my
wedding rig and put on the clothes
I'm wearing now, threw some things
into a bag and hurried down to the
union station. / found that l could
have my choice between a flier for
Atlanta and the - the train that
brought me here. bought passage to
Atlanta, but l never meant to use 1t;
I meant to take the other train and
pay a cash fare. In doing that,
hoped to lose myself from them. L
wanted to 60 unhindered to some
country where wouldn't be consid-
cred IA savage, y'know.
II went out to the train-shed, and
/ hadn't been there minute when
Bobby McLaurin came. ! asked him
how he knew where to find me. He
said:
"T thought you wouldn't care to
stay here after doing what you did.
and | wanted to say good-by, BILL He
always called me that, and it made
me feel like a man. Then / put my