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


And that's just the thing I didn't
want TO say; and knew 1t the minute
I'd said 1t. Why. Ii sounded as IL
missed Aunt Jane, and wanted her In
stead of him, when all the time I was
so pleased and excited to see him thai
/ could hardly speak.
He just kind Of smiled. and looked
queer. and said that Aunt Jane-er-
couldn't come Then / felt sorry; fol
| saw, of course, that that was why he
had come; not because he wanted TO
but because Aunt Jane couldn't, so he
had to- And / could have cried, all
the while he was fixing IL up about
my trunk.
He turned then and led the way
straight over to where the carriages
were, and the next minute there was
John touching his cap to me; only II
was a brand-new John looking toe
sweet for anything In chauffeur
cap and uniform. And, what do you
think? He was helping me into thai
beautiful big green car before knew
It.
"Why, Father, Fatherv' l cried
"You don't mean" I just couldn't
finish; but he finished for me.
sit is ours-yes. Do you like lit"
Like it," / guess he didn't need to
have me say any more. But I did say
more. / just raved and raved over
that car until Fathers eyes crinkled
all up in little smile wrinkles, and he
said:
"Pm glad. l hoped you'd like it."
81 guess do like it ~ l cried. Then
I went ON to tell him how I thought
1t was the prettiest one / ever saw,
and way ahead of even Mr.. Easter
brooks.
"And, pray, who is Mr.. Easterbrook? 2"
asked Father then. 1.-The violinist,
perhaps-eh?"
Now, wasn't it funny he should have
remembered that there was violin
list? But, Of course, l told him no, it
wasn't the violinist. 1t was another
one that took Mother to ride, the one
I told him about in the Christmas let
ter; and he was very rich, and had
two perfectly beautiful cars; and I
was going on to tell more-how he
didn't take Mother now-but / didn't
get chance, for Father interrupted,
and said, eyes, yes, to be sure" And
he showed he wasn't interested, for
all the little smile wrinkles were gone
and he looked stern and digniied,
more like he used to. And he went on to
say that, as we had almost reached
home, he had better explain right away
that Aunt Jane was no longer living
there; that his cousin from the West,
Mrs. Whitney, was keeping house for
him now. She was a very nice lady,
and he hoped 1 would like her. And
I might call her cousin Grace"
And before could even draw breath
TO ask any questions, we were home !;
and a real pretty lady, with light
blue dress on, was helping me out of
the car, and kissing me as she did so.
Now, do you wonder that I have
been rubbing my eyes and wondering
II I was really I, and IL this was An
dersonville?
ONE WEEK LATER
1t isn't a dream. It's all really,
truly true-everything: Father COM
ing to meet me, the lovely automobile,
and the pretty lady in the light-blue
dress, who kissed me. And when I
went downstairs the next morning I
found out it was real, specially the
pretty lady; for she kissed me again,
and said she hoped I'd be happy there.
way liked, and said, il wanted to,
might run over to see some Of the
girls, but not to make any plans for
the afternoon, for she was going to
take me to ride.
Now, what do you think Of that?
Go to see the girls in the morning,
and take a ride-an automobile ride
i'm the afternoon. In Andersonville
Why, couldn't believe my ears. OF
course, was wild and crazy with de-
light-but 1t was all so different. Why, ]
began to think almost that I was Ma
RE, and not Mary at all.
And it's been that way the whole
time. I've been so excited And Moth
er is excited, too. OF course, wrote
her and told her all about it right
away. And she wrote right back and
wanted to know everything-every-
thing / could tell her; all the little
things. And she was so interested In
Cousin Grace, and wanted to know all
about her; said she never heard Of her
before, and was she Fathers own cou.
sin, and how old she was, and was she
pretty, and was Father around the
house more now, and did 7 see n LOT
Of him? She thought from something
I said that I did.
I've just been writing her again, and
I could tell her more now, Of course
than I could In that first letter. I've
been here a whole week, and, OF
course, know more about things, and
have done more.
I told her that Cousin Grace wasn't
roo1Iv Eotbor<S oouSip ar oil So a