The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1922-02-17

sweep of gesture. Il near this dread
ful story about poor Mr. Crumr'
But it's true. though" he said
That's what hurts me, Julia %
Noble DillY
Julia :"
do you dare to say you believed
it,"
He spran9 up. 'It isn't true?"
Not one word of it l 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. Il 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. 81
suppose it can be lived down." she
said ITO think of Uncle Joseph put
ting such a 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 to
words; and if 1 used the word you
mention in writing home to the family,
may have used a certain shade and
| they may have thought l intended an
| other"
But, Julia"
Mr.. Crum is charming young
man." she continued, with the same
| primness. II liked him very much.~ 1
liked him very much indeed l liked
him very, very much. / liked him
very
st understand he interrupted.
Don't say it any more, julia
No; you don't understand. At first
liked him very much-in fact l still
| do, of cOurse-I'm sure he's one of the
best and most attractive young men in
the world. 1 think he's a man any girl
ought to be happy with, if he were
only TO be considered by himself
don't deny that l liked him very much
indeed. and l don't deny that for sew
eral days after heater he proposed
to me- don't deny 1 thought some
thing serious might possibly come of
1t. But at that time, Noble, hadn't
hadn't really thought of what il meant
to give up living here at home, with all
the family and everything-an friends
friends like you, Noble. l hadn't
thought what it would mean to me TO
give all this up. And besides, there
was something very important. AT the
time 1 wrote that letter mentioning
poor Mr. Crum TO the family, Noble. 1
hadn't hadn't" She paused, in
some distress. II hadn't
You hadn't what?" he cried.
Il hadn't met his mother -
Noble leaped to his feet. Julia
You aren't-you aren't engaged?'
II am not" she answered decisiveIy.
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? Julia-prom-
Use to promise me something"
II WILL she said quickly. What do
you want me 70 do?''
Give me your word" he said, still
radiantly struggling. "Give me your
word-your word and sacred promise,
Julia-you'n never be engaged to any
body at all -
At six minutes after four o'clock of
the second afternoon following Julias
return. Noble Din closed his own gate
behind him as he set forth upon the
four-minute walk that would bring him
to Julia'S. He wore a bit of indoor
geranium in the buttonhoIe of his new
light overcoat.
Passing the foot of an alley which
debouched upon the street. he was
aware of a commOtiOn, of missiles
hurled and voices clashed.
Casting a glance that way, Noble
could see but one person; a boy of
thirteen or fourteen who looked
through a crack in a board fence,
steadfastly keeping an eye to this aper-
ture, and as continuously calling
through ii, holding his head to one
level for this purpose. but at the same
time dancing-and dancing tauntingly,
1t was conveyed-with the other parts
of his body. His voice was now sweet, |
now piercing, and again far too
dulcet with the overkindness of bur- |
lesque; and if, as it seemed, he |
was unburdening his spleen, his spleen |
was powerful epe, and gorged. He |
appeared to be In a torment of tor
menting; and his success was proved |
by the pounding of bricks, and rocks /
of size, upon the other side of the |
fence
'Oh, dolIing!" he walled, his tone
amorous. "Oh. dolling /
Henery. Cos dot de mos booful eyes
in dray bid nasty world, Henery /
Oh. has I dot booful eyes, dolling PAT
tywatty? Yes, / hasl / has dot
pretty eyes - His voice rose to an
piercing climax "Oh, what
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