The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1922-08-25
Patricia
Happy Day
By MARTHA MswILLIAMs


g 1871. BY Mcclure Newspaper syndicate
why so pensiveT' the new young
minister asked of Patricia Love, who
answered vaguely: Pm just wonder
dering.s
Wondering about what?" from the
cleric.
oh Whether it's more fun to be rich
or-wicked,' from Patricia, solemn
ly. Deep down she was laughing hard.
she was given, you see, TO laughing at
most things and people-herself not
barred. Her beaux, especially, Abe
ii she was outwardly the pink and pat
tern OF civility, were each and several,
Merry Andrews Of sorts.
Possibly because she lacked illusions
regarding them. They were keen to
marry, not the girl she was, but the
one who could bring to them her fa-
thcr's prestige, hard clear vision, and
influence, not to name a thing so ma
terial and gross as money. After that
you will understand why Brother Dor
set, after trying yainly to look very
much shocked, compromised with his
cloth and his conscience by answer
ing: Il doubt If you ever have the
chance to find out. Rich you are
wicked you never could be"
"Not so sure about that myself Pa
tricia flung back at him. II had a
blissful time once being worse than
/ ever dreamed l could be. Even yet
remembering 1t ! get thrills"
"Tell me about iti' the minister said
He was not merely a minister, not even
merely a man. Rather a human be-
ing Of aIl-arOund equipment, who took
souls for granted and set about the
saving Of them with zest and diligence.
Intelligent, but not intellectual, earn
est, honest, ardent, sincere in love Of
God and man, he swayed and led his
flock by the force Of example, rather
than the weight of reasoning.
Patricia puzzled him even as she
was puzzled by him. Three months
in the parish, he yet had shown no
trace Of adding himself to her list Of
victims. At first she had been rather
relieyed-to have had him signing for
her openly would have made the
other women, old and young, hate her
more than ever. They were mont so
kindly a~ffectionated toward her, even
without special cause-though their
spiteful sayings rolled Off her as wa
ter from a ducks back. II was ON the
whole, pleasanter to keep terms Of
reasonable amity. But when time
made no change in Dorset, Patricia
was a trihe piqued. He ought at the
least to find her refreshing, in that she
did not lay herself out for his en-
thrallment, as did almost all the 9th
ers.
ut is too bad to tell-almost," she
said, smiling roguishly. "But, remem-
Der, I was five, motherless, mighty bad
ly spoiled and just through having the
humps. Mumps alone, as / recall It,
Is enough to excuse any Of the seven
deadly sins. You hate yourself for
having anything 90 loathlng-and II you
dare look at yourself, never do you
quite regain vanity enough to be
healthy. Add that Aunt Lucy was
with us for a time--a try-out to see II
she could stand that awful child
meaning me She seemed to be stand
ing II beautifully-but / was not stand
Ing her at all. She dyed her hair.
and wore young. frilly clothes-the
plnks and blues and yellOws | longed
for. and was forbidden to have"
"YOu we're eIcusable, no matter
what you did" Dorset interrupted.
She flashed him n side glance, and
went on: Don't be rashl Walt and
hear. She had a tea hght one after,
noon-I wanted TO take part In Il. She
wouldn't let me, because ! had lait
down kicking and screaming for an
hour to prevent my hair being curled
1t was yellow then, and right pretty
/ fancy. That ls-as It grew. tn,
company saw II different" stopping
with an elfn smile.
you iyed II, l suppose" Dorse
commented. Patricia nodded. Eyes
also my hands and face, and most o
my fine white dress. She insisted Of
white for small children, as though
did not feel more grown up than
thought she was. You see, she maggie
and 0uarreled with servants. and wa
mean about m~oney-things I can
abide. / made free with all her max,
up-even put on her false curls at on
side, carried her best parasol and fal
and traIled her lace shawl behind M
a Before she saw me ] got to the mlddl
OF the room, bobbed my head and said
n Listen, people. I'm Miss PatrlcI
Love, and all Of you come to see n
tomorrow-come TO dinner, III haV
ice cream
Y Then she swooped on me ar
tried TO carry me out. scratcht
her face and kicked 80 hard 81
dropped me and crumpled down all
a heap. Daddy came and took n
upstairs. and said he ought to punt
: me. I think he ought to have dol