The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-12-16

Herbert's the editor"
"And that Rooter boy" Noble said
sadly. II think maybe your little niece,
Florence, has something to do with 1t,
too"
Something to do with lit She
usually has all to do with anything she
gets hold Of! But what's it got to do
with me?"
you'll see !" he prophesied accu-
rately.
She began to read, laughing at some
of the items as she went along: then
she suddenly became rigid, holding the
small Journal before her in a trans
fixed hand.
"OhT" she cried. "Oh, OIL"
"That's-that's WHAT meant"
Noble explained.
Julias eyes grew dangerous. "The
little flends!" she cried. 'Oh, really,
this is long-suffering family, but it's
time these outrages were stopped"
She jumped up. isn't it frightful?"
she demanded of Noble.
Eyes, it is" he said. with a dismal
fervor. Nobody knows that better
than I do, Julia!'
II mean this!" she cried, extending
the Oriole toward him with a fine
sweep of gesture. IT mean this dread
full story about poor, Mr.. Crum!"
But it's true, though" he said.
'srhat's what hurts me, JuliaT
"Noble Dilll'
"Juliaw
do you dare to say you believed
it."
He sprang up. "It isn't true?"
mot one word of it! / told you
Mr.. Crum is only twenty-six. He's
not been out Of college more than
three or four years, and it's the most
terrible SANDER to say he's ever been
married at all"
Noble dropped back into his chair of
misery. 81 thought you meant it
wasn't true"
i've just told you there isn't one
word of tr-"
"But you're-engaged-to him."
Noble gulped. you're engaged to
him, Julia!''
She appeared not to hear him. II
suppose it can be lived down." she
said. ITO think Of Uncle Joseph put
ting such thing into the hands of
those awful children!"
But, Julia, you are eng"
''Noble" she said sharply.
"Well, you are eng"
Julia drew herself up. Different
people, mean different things by that
word" she said with severity, like an
annoyed instructress. 'There are any
number of shades of meaning ito
words; and If I used the word you
mention in writing home to the family,
I may have used certain shade and
they may have thought intended an
other" q
But, Julia"
'Mr. Crum is charming young
man." she continued, with the same
primness. II liked him very much. l
liked him very much indeed. 1 liked
him very, very much. I liked him
very"
II understand" he interrupted.
Don't say it any more, julia"
mo; you don't understand. At first
1 liked him very much-in fact 1 still
do, Of course-Tm sure he's one Of the
best and most attractive young men in
the world. think he's man any girl
ought to be happy with, If he were
only to be considered by himself. /
don't deny that liked him very much
indeed, and don't deny that for sew
eral days after heater he proposed
to mel don't deny I thought some
thing serious might possibly come of
it. But at that time, Noble, hadn't
hadn't really thought of what it meant
to give up living here at home, with all
the family and everything -and friends
friends like you, Noble. 1 hadn't
thought what it would mean to me to
give all this up. And besides, there
was something very important. At the
time I wrote that letter mentioning
poor Mr.. Crum to the family, Noble, /
hadn't hadn't" She paused, in
some distress. II hadn't"
you hadn't what?' he cried.
81 hadn't met his mother!'
Noble leaped to his feet. "Julia
You aren't-you aren't engaged"
81 am not" she answered decisively.
IF I ever was, in the slightest, GER
tainly am not now"
Poor Noble was TRANSPORTED. He
struggled; making half-formed GEES
lures, speaking half-made words.
"Julia-Julia-" He choked: "Julia,
promise me something? Julla-prOm-
Use to promise me something"
II WILL" she said quickly. what do
you want me to do?"
"Give me your word" he said. still
radiantly struggling. "Give me your
word-your word and sacred promise,
Julia-youn never be engaged to any
body at ALI"
At six minutes after four o'clock Of
the second afternoon following Julia's
return, Noble Dill closed his own gate
behind him as he set forth upon the
four-minute walk that would bring him
IN IuliaiS He vvOro hit of indOOr