The Jasper news., 1922-07-27

"Cone. come. OF course you knowr
he cried. "You knoT what You want
to 90. don't youf'
shook my head. was 80 aston
ished couldn't even think. And when
you can't think you eer.nIr'y can't
talk.
Nonsense. Mary" scowied Father.
"of course you know what you want
to dol What are you in the habit Of
doing with your young friends-your
Carries and Charles, and all the
restT 49,.
guess l just stood and stared and
didn't soy anything; for after a MIN
ute he cried: "Well-well-welii I'm
waiting"
"Why, we've walk-and thlk-and
play games" began; but right away
he interrupted.
Good Very well, then. wen walk.
I'm not Carrie or Charlie. but bs-
lieve l can walk and talk-perhaps
even play games. Who knowsf Come,
get your hat"
And got my hat, and we went.
But what q funny, funny walk that
wasi He meant to make It a good
one, l know he did. And he tried.
BE tried real hard. But he walked
so fast couldn't half keep up with
him; then, when he saw how l was
hurrying, he'd slow down, 'way down.
and look so worried-till he'd forget
and 70 strldipg off again, way ahead
of me.
We went up on the hill through the
/ lN NoFfonflu
lovely up there. he didn't say much
at first. Then, all Of sudden, he be.
gan to talk, about anything and every.
thing. And l knew, by the war he
did 1t, that he'd just happened to
think he'd got to talk.
And how he talkedl He asked me
was l warmly clad (and here It is
August y. and did have a good break
fast, and how old was /, and did en-
Joy my studies-which shows how lit
tie he was really thinking what he was
saying. He knows school closed ages
ago. Wasn't he teaching me himself
the last Of 1t. tool All around us were
flowers and birds, and oh. so many,
many lovely things. But he never said
a word'about them. He just talked
because he'd got to talk. knew 1t.
and 1t made me laugh inside, though
all the while It mace me sort Of want
to cry, too. Funny, wasn't It'll
After time he didn't talk any more,
but just walked ON and on; and by and
by We came home.
OF course, It wasn't awfully jolly
that walk wasn't; and l guess Father
didn't think IL was either. Anyhow,
he hasn't asked me TO go again this
week, and he looked tired and worried
and sort of discouraged when he got
back from that one.
The next evening he took me out to
the observatory to see the stars. That
was lovely. Honestly ! had a perfect.
ly beautiful time. and / think Father
did. too He wasn't stiff and polite
one bit. Oh, don't mean that he was
impolite or rude. It's just that he
wasn't stlff as IL was company And
he was so happy with his stars and
his telescope, and so glad to show
them to me-Oh, l had beautiful
time, and tcld him so ; and he looked
real pleased. But Aunt Jane came for
me before I'd had hall enough.
The next morning l thought he'd be
different, somehow, because we'd had
such lovely time together the night
before. But he wasn't. He just said,
Good morning, Mary" and began to
read his paper. And he read his pa
per all through breakfast without say
I ing another word to me.
But after supper he took me out
I again to see the stars. and he wal
lust as nice and friendly as could be
". Not bit like man that's only q
father by order of the court. But the
next day
Weli-and that's the way It's beer
all the week. And that's why say
he's been so queer. One minute he'll
be Just as nice and folksy as yoT
4 could ask anybody to be, and the very
: next he's looking right through yor
3 as II he didn't see you at all, and yoV
a wonder and wonder what's the mat
ter, and If you've done anything Il
l. displease him.
. Sometimes he seems almost glad anC
happy. and then he'n look SO sorry
and sadl
1 Just can't understand my fathe
q at all.
ANOTHER WEEK LATER.
S I'm so excited l don't know what Il
:. do. Tie most wonderful. thing hal
happened. / can't hardly believe
e vet myself. Yet it's 80. Ny trunk {
y all packed, and I'm to % home tomor
|. row. Tomorrow 49,