The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-05-16

for somethlng-Cousin Grace. mean
and all OF sudden / determined TO
tell Father how glad l was, about him
and Cousin Grace: and how I hoped
II would lasr-having him out there
with Us. ard al that And I told him
don't remember what said exact
". But hadn't anywhere near said
what l wanted III when he did stop
me. Why. he almost jumped out Of
his chair
Mary" he gasped what In the
world are you talking abeut?"
"Why. Father. i was telling YOU" I
explained. And tried to be so cool
and calm that il would make him calm
and cool, too. (But 1t didn't calm him
or cool him one bit) Its about when
you're married and"
Married." he interrupted again.
(They never let me interrupt like
that D
TO Cousin Grace-yes But Father,
you-you are going to marry Cousin
Grace, aren't your" cried-and did
most cry, for 1 saw by his face that
he was not.
''That Is not my present intention"
| he said. His lips came together hard,
and he looked over his shoulder to see
If Cousin Grace was coming back.
"But you're going to some time" /
begged him.
II do not expect to-"
fell back In my chair, and know
| looked grieved and hurt and disap-
pointed, as I almost sobbed:
"Oh, Father, and when I thought
| you were going tot"
There. there, childi He spoke,
! stern and almost cross now. 'This alb
surd nonsensical idea has gone quite
| far enough. Let us think no more
! about it."
'1t isn't absurd and nonsensicali I"
cried. And I could hardly say the
words, was choking up so. Every
body said you were going to, and
wrote Mother so; and"
you wrote that to your motherr
He did Jump from his chair this time.
Eyes; and she was glad"
"Oh, she wasI" He sat down SORT Of
Hmp-like and queer.
YES She said she was glad you'd
( found an estfmable woman to make a
/ home for you"
"Oh, she did" He said this, too, in
that queer, funny, quiet kind Of way.
yes" / spoke, decided and firm. I'd
begun to think, all of a sudden, that
maybe he didn't appreciate Mother as
| much as she did him; and / deter
mined right then and there to make
him, if I could. When remember all
the lovely things she'd said about
him
| Father" began; and spoke this
| time, even more decided and firm. 81
don't believe you appreciate Mother"
| "Eh, What?"
| He made me jump this time, he
turned around with such jerk. and
spoke so sharply. But in spite Of the
firm and decided.
81 say don't believe you appreciate
my mother. You acted right now as
If you didn't believe she meant 1t when
I told you she was glad you had found
an estimable woman to make a home
for you. But she did mean it. I know,
because she said it before, once, last
year, that she hoped you would find
one. Yes, and that isn't all. There's
another reason why I know Mother
always has-has your best interest at
heart She-she tried to make me over
into Mary before I came, so as to
please you"
"She did what?" Once more he made
me jump, he turned so suddenly. and
spoke with such a short, sharp snap.
But in spite of the jump went right
on, just as had before, firm and de-
cided. told him everything-aH about
the cooking lessons, and the astronomy
book we read an hour every day, and
the pink silk dress couldn't have, and
the self-discipline. And how she said
If she'd had self-discipline when she
was a girl, her life would have been
very different.
I talked very fast and hurriediy.
was afraid he'd interrupt, and ]
wanted to get In all could before he
did. But he didn't interrupt at all. He