The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-13
Eoeni7g Story
The Dill Pride
By CLARIssA MACKIE.

Dill was knitting a sweater for Glenn
| entine.
Il am glad chose scarlet said
Miss Dill. tapping CIem's smooth head
with her ivory needle
| 1T is pretty agreed Glenn, dream
lily.
1T will give you some color. child.
You are as pale as war berries. am
going to call on DR.. Brown"
Aunt Emily, pleased" Clementine
looked distressed. am quite all right,
/ only don't get out of doors as much
as I used to: but I will take a long
walk every day after this
Miss Emily looked intently at the
| girl she had reared as her own daugh-
ter. She had always meant wen by
Clementine, and they had always been
| so happy together in the old red brick
house-happy, that is, until Jerry
Landers had come a-wooing.
Jerry Landers? MOI" announced
Miss Emily coldly.
| ''Clementine Dill, Emily DiIPs niece :?
MOI" shouted Ebenezer Landers
fiercely as he rode toward the planta-
ton of young spruces that his men
We're setting out on the north slope.
''Why?" asked Clementine, with
wonder in her big blue eyes.
Emily Dill blushed and looked very
handsome with her crown of silver
hair piled high above her still youth
full face. ''Why?" she repeated. Be
cause do not approve of the Landers
and I am sure you would not marry in
Clementine made no reply. Secretly
she believed her aunt's reason was alb
surd-it sounded like a sentence from
some early Victorian novel. She had
always been an obedient child, so now
she meekly accepted the verdict and
hopefully waited for Emily Dill to
change her mind.
On this pleasant winter afternoon
several months afterward, while Glenn
entlne sat by the fire and idly watched
Miss Emily as she knitted the red
sweater that was to bring color to a
pale girls cheeks, Fate in the prosaic
shape of Augusta Barnes was hurry
ing thru the snowy paths to the Dill
house.
you two are cozy as cats and
cream" breezed Augusta as she swept
into a chair and tossed her cape and
hat to Glenn and shuffIed her rubbers
off and put them near the hearth to
dry. well, some folks can be happy
and agreeable and others quarrel and
fight-it's just as the good Lord makes
EN-, I supposed"
''I suppose so, Gussie. Now, Glenn,
my dear, suppose you bring in some
the room Miss Dill laughed and shook
her head disapprovingly at her caller.
More gossip, Gussie? You are incor-
rigible."
IT may be that" agreed the other
bluntly, but you must admit, Emily,
that I am interestin'.''
Emily DiIFs eyes twinkled merrily
and one could see what a pretty girl
she must have been not so very many
years ago by "love's time" You are
interesting. Gussie! Who is it now?
Jake, Harry and Betsy"
white folks, this time, Emily-one
of your old beaux. too. They say Capt
Ebenezer and Jerry have ouarreled
about a girl
"A girI?'' repeated Emily. growing
"Yes-not over a girl. The captain
hasn't looked at a woman except to
scowl since you gave him the right
about years ago"
You were speaking about Jerry and
some girl" suggested Miss Dill, re-
gaining all her color
Didn't hear who the girls name
the one who told it to me said they
heard the first of it last September;
seems Jerry wanted to marry some
have it; said the girls family was a
high-handed, proud, resentful race,
and he would have none of it. Then
this same person, mind you. heard the
captain and Jerry at 1t again TO-DAY;
and Jerry said he was going away and
his father said he would disinherit him,
and Jerry sputted out that money
wasn't everything; love counted some
times, and he was going to nave ms
Emily y
s'I hope it isn't as bad as it sounds"
said Emily pleasantly, as she arose to
open the door for Glenn and heavliy
laden tray. "I have forgotten how
you like your tea, Gussie' sne aooeo
as she led her seat and lifted the
old-fashioned teapot
''Cream and two Jumps of sugar.
My, those cakes are good to look at
Emily" And Gussie plunged once
more into her bag of gossip and drew
forth another tale to regale aunt and
niece as they drank their tea Just
as she was going down the path Au-
gusta turned her sharp nose over her
shoulder. IT forgot to tell you, Emily,
that Jerry IAanders left town on the
noon train; said he was going out
west somewhere" The gate clicked
sharply as she went out and the clos
ing of the house was like a faint echo.
Emily Dill faced her niece with con-
Germ. Now, CIenaantine, don't be
foolish The Dills have got too much
pride to wear their hearts on their
sleeves, I hope-and- stop your cry
ing, child, you will make yourself
sick" They were back in the sitting
room again and Emily was holding
Glen in her motheriy arms as If she !
had been a. little child again.
"He-he went away and never said
good-by to me-" sobbed the girl
Il KNOW know it is hard to bear, |
but have some pride. about it. Glenn |
"P-pride isn't everything in this
world, auntie," flung out the girl |
Love means more-and forgiveness
and getting along-and Jerry and |
I loved each other
Strange expressions crossed Miss |
Dills' face. Pain and wonder and re- |
zret-theu determination. Suddenly /
she arose and placed Glenn on the old /
couch before the fire, picked up two |
kittens from a basket and dropped |
them in the girls arms and hurried |
into some outdoor garments Il will !
49,, II, Iittla 1.-IaiIa >, sln said and |