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

Is one or the FAMILY, however, and julia
wrote that all OF the family might be
,old. You'll not speak Of it outside the
family, will you. Florence"
But Florence was not yet able to
speak Of II even inside the f&mily--So
surprising. sometimes, are parents the
orjes OF what will not interest their
children. She sat staring. her mouth
open. her throat closed, and In the un-
certain illumination OF the room these
symptoms OF her emotional condition
went unobServcd.
II say you won't speak Of Julia's en-
saSement outsnde the family. will YOU.
Florence"
Papa" she gasped. Did Aunt Julia
write she was cnSagedZ"
Yes"
ITO get married.?
1T would seem So"
TO who
ITO whom. Florence" her mother
suggested primly.
Mammal" the daughter cried. Who's
Aunt Julia engaged to get married to:
Noble DIP"
Good gracious, no" Mrs. Atwnter
exclaimed. What an absrud idea: It's
u
ing-a stranger TO all OF us. Julia only
met him a few weeks ago" Here she
forgot Florence and turned again to her
husband. wearing her former expression
of experienced foreboding. IT'S just as
said. It's exactly like Julia to do
such a reckless thing
But We don't know anything at all
about the young man." he demonstrated.
How do you even know he's young:
Mrs. Atwater asked crisply. All in
the world she said about him was that
he's a lawyer. He may be widower,
for all We know. or divorced, with
seven or eight children"
oh. no. Mollie!"
Why. he might" she Insisted For
all We know. he may be widower Tor
the third or fouth time, or divorced
with any number OF children. II such
a person proposed to Julia. you know
yourself she'd hate to be disappoint-
ing"
Her husband laughed. Il don't think
she'd 10 so far as TO actually accept
such a person and write home to an
nouncc her engagement 70 the family.
| suppose most Of her SWANS here have
been in the habit Of proposing 10 her
lust "a frequently as she was unable
TO prevent them from going that tar;
and while I don't think she's been as
discouraging with them as she might
have been, she's never really accepted
any Of 'em. She's never been engaged
before"
No" Mrs. Atwatcr admitted. Not
TO this extent. She's never announced
It to the family before"
We'll, I'd hate TO have Jula's Joo
when she comes back" julius brother
said ruefully.
What's that"
breaking 1t to her admirers.
"Oh. she isn't going 10 do that
She'll have to now" he said. She IL
either have to write the news 10 EN-
or else tell 'em. face to face. when she
comes home.
she won't do either"
Why, how could she get out or II
His wife smiled pityingly. she
hasn't set time for coming nome mas
sheo Don't you know enough OF julia $
ways to know she'll never In the "ora
stand up to the music? She writes that
all the family can be told. because sne
Knows the news will leak out here and
there. in confidence. little by litLe' 80
by the time she gets home they'll all
and after that she hopes they'll just
send her some forgiving flowers and
gree, her with manly hand clasps-ano
get ready to usher at the wedding.
wall said Mr.. Atwater, I'm AFRAID
you're right. 1t does seem rather ike
I,,1,a 70 stay away till the first or the
uorst is over. I'm really sorry for some
~ her loye-lorners. 1 suppose 1t Will
get whispered about and they'll near
II. and there are some OF the poor
,hinrs that might take It pretty hard'
take IL pretty hard" she echoed
loudly. There's one OF EN-. at least.
who will just merely lose his reason
Which one?
Noble Dill"
4, this the slender form Of Florence
underwent a spasmodic seizure IN her
chair. but as the At was short, ana also
noIseless, II passed without being
t.ced. ,..,,,,
II suppose he will
He certainly will" Mrs. Atwater de-
c,.rs6 Mobiles mother told me last
week that he'd gotten so he was 1ust
a. liable TO drop q fountain pen In ms
coffee as q lump OF sugar; and ~nen
anyone speaks to him he either aoesn
know IL, or else jumps. When ne says
ANYTHING himself she says they can
scarceIy ever make out what he's Talk
tnr about. He was trying enough Pc
fore Julia went away: but SINCE sne
been gone Mrs. Dill says he's IKE noth.
inv in her experience. she says t'
t anssn't inherit Il: Mr.. Dill wasn't any
thing like this about her. ~ .u-s
nv Atawter smiled family: MIS-
DnI wasn't anything like Julia.
No" said his wife. 'She was quit
a sensible girl. I'd hate to be IN ~
place now. tho. when she tells NoO'e
How can Mrs. Dill tell him, since
sho doesn't know 1t herself?
"Well-perhaps she ought to know Il,
so that she could tell him. Someooey
ought 70 tell him. and II ought 70 Se
done with the greatest tact. ~ oS SsiiS
to be broken to him with the most ueiI-
cate care and sympathy, or the conse-
Nobody could foreten the conse-
her husband Interrupted no
matter how tactfully KS broken I"
Noble .a
NO" she said. Il suppose that's true
I think he's likely 10 lose his reaSoh
unless it Is done very tactfully. tho
DO you think we really ought to tell
Mrs. Din. Mollie: l mean, seriously
Do YOU $1,000, :,
then answered. NO. It's pos
sIble we'd be following Christian
course in doing IL but still "ere ralnsr
bound not to speak or II outside the
family. and when II does get outslae
the family think we'd better not DC
the ones responsible--cspecial since
II might easily be traced TO US. THINK
it's usually better TO keep out OF Things
when there's any doubt
yes" he said. meditating. I never
knew any harm to come OF people )
sticking to their own affairs.
But as he and his wife became silent
for a time musinE in the firelight. the'r
daughters special convictions were iar
from coincidinE with theirs. altho sne,