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

CRY together, and vowed we loved
each other better than ever, and no
body could come between Us, not
even bringing acknowledgements
ma1low college ice-whicA we both
adore. But 1 told her that she would
be all right, just the same. for Of
course I should never step my fsot
inside Of that sehoolhouse again That
couldn't, out of respect to Mother.
That I should tell Aunt Jane that to-
MORROW morning. There isn't any
other school here, 50 they can't send
me anywhere else But it's most time
for school to close, anyway. There
are only two weeks more.
But don't think that will make any
difference to Aunt Jane It's the prin-
cple Of the thing. It's always the
principle Of the thing with Aunt Jane.
She'll be very angry, l know. Maybe
she'll send me home. Oh, hope she
Will
Well shall tell her tomorrow, any
way. Then-weu see
ONE DAY LATER.
And, dear, dear, what q day 1t has
been!
I told her this morning. She was
very angry. She said at 6rst: Mon
sense, Mary, don't be impairment OF
course you'll 60 to SCHOOL," and all
that kind of talk. But kept my tenn
per. 1 did not act angry. 1 was SIM
ply firm and dignified. And when she
saw really meant what said, and
that 1 would not step my foot inside
that schoolroom again-that 1t was
matter Of conscience with me-that
did not think it was right for me to
do 1t, she simply stared for q minute
a. IL she couldn't believe her eyes and
ears. Then she gasped:
MARY. what do you mean by such
talk to me? Do you think 1 shall per-
NIT this sort Of thing to 60 On for a
moment?'
I thought then she was going to
send me home. Oh, did so hope she
was. But she didn't. She sent me
to my room.
ther comes home this noon," she said.
This is a matter for him to settle"
Father! And never even thought
Of her going to him with it She was
always telling me never to bother Fa-
Their with anything, and knew she
didn't usually ask him anything about
me- She settled everything herself.
But this-and the very thing I didn't
want her to ask him, too. But of
course I couldn't help myself. That's
the trouble. Youth is so helpless in
the clutches Of old age.
Well. I went to my room. Aunt
Jane told me to mediate on my sins.
But / didn't. I meditated on other
peoples sins. I didn't have any to
mediate on. Was it a sin, pray, for
me to stand up for my mother and re
fuse to associate with people who
Of her? I guess not!
I meditated on Stella Mayhem and
her mother, and on those silly, faith
less girls that thought more Of ice
cream soda than they did of justice
and right to their fellow schoolmate.
And 1 meditated on Aunt Jane and
her never giving me so much as q
single kiss since I came. And medi
tated on how much better Father liked
stars and comets than he did his own
daughter; and 1 meditated On what q
cruel, heartless world this is, anyway
and what a pity 1t was that I, so fail
and young, should have found 1t out
so soon-right on the bank, rs it were
or where that brook and river meet
And I wondered, if I died if anybody
would care; and 1 thought how beau
tiful and pathetic I would look in my
on my breast And L hoped they'd
have the funeral In the daytime. be,
cause if it was at nighttime Father'd
be sure to have a star or something tC
keep him from coming. And i want
ed him to come. I wanted him to feel
bad; and 1 meditated on how bad he
would feel-when It was too late.
But even with all this to mediate
VIII ~ was ola u"AuAy 1O1E AAnS GULL
ing noon; and they didn't call me
down to dinner even then. Aunt Jane
sent up two pieces Of bread without
any butter and a glass Of water. How
like Aunt Jane-making even my din
ner a sin to mediate onl Only she
would call 1t my sin, and I would call
1t hers.
Well, after dinner Father sent for
me to come down to the library. So
knew then, of course, that Aunt Jane
had told him. I didn't know but she
would wait until night. Father usu-
ally spends his hour after dinner
reading in the library and mustn't be
disturbed. But evidently today Aunt
Jane thought was more consequence
than his reading. Anyhow. she told
him. and he sent for me.
My! but hated to goi Fathers and
Aunt James are two different propo-