The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-07-27

Will lead to-what it"
Jane" with a jerk Father sat up
straight. Il realize some things that
perhaps you do not. But that is
neither here nor there. l do not wish
Mary To 60 To school any more this
spring. That is all and l think-it
Is sufficient"
Certainly" Aunt James lips came
together again grim and hard. Per
haps you will be good enough to say
what she shall do with her time"
Time? Do: Why-er-what she
always does; read, sew, study"
Study" Aunt Jane asked the ques-
ton with Il hateful little smile that
Father would have been blind not To
have understood. And he WAS equal
To it-but | most fell over backward
when | found how equal t. it hc WAS.
"Certainly," he says, study. I'm
hear her lessons mySe!f-in the Ii
brary, after | come home in the aft
rrnUUn. Now let US hear no more
about it,"
With that he pushed back his plate
and left the table without waiting
for dessert. And Aunt Jane and |
were left alone.
| didn't say anything. Victors
shouldn't boaSt-aud | was victor,
Of course, about the school. But
when | thought of what Father had
said about my reciting my lessons to
him every day in the library
wasn't So sure whether I'd won out
or not. Recite lessons to my father?
Why, | couldn't even imagine such
thing,
Well, Aunt Jane ana I didn't speak
that night at the supper table. We
finished i'm stern silence then; Aunt
Jane went upstairs 10 her room and
| went up To mine. tYou see what a
perfectly wildly exciting life ..ary is
living, And when | think of how full
of good times Mother wanted every
minute to he. But that was for
Marie. of course.)
The next morning after breakfast
Aunt Jane said:
"You will spend your forenoon study
ing, Mary. See that you learn well
your lessons, so as not to annoy your
father"
Yes, Aunt Jane" said Mary. pO-
lite and proper. and went upstairs
obe .iently; but even Mary didn't
know exactly how To study those les
sons
Carrie had brought me all my books
from school. | had asked her TO
when | knew that I was not going
back There were the lessons that
had been assigned for the next day.
Of course, and | supposed probably
Father would want me To study those.
But | couldn't imagine Father teaching
me all alone. ! couldn't imagine my
self rCCiting lessons 80 Father!
But | needn't haze worried. If |
could only have known. Little did |
I think-But, there. this is no way 10
tell a story. | read in a book. How
To Write a Novel" that you mustn't
"anticipate." q thought folks always
anticipated novels. | Go. | thought
you wanted them to-
W ell, IL 10 tll.
Father got home ut four o'clock.
/ saw him come up the walk. and |
/ waited till | was sure he'd cot settled
/ in the library. then | went down.
| He wasn't there.
A minute later | saw him crossing
/ the lawn to the observatory. Well.
/ what 10 do ] didn't know. Mary said
/ 10 90 after him: hut Marie said nay
nay. And in spite Of being Mary just
now, I let Marie have her way.
Rush after him and tell him he'd
forgotten 70 hear my lessons? Fa'
Their? Well. guess not! Besides. il
wasn't my fault. was there al
ready. II wasn't my blame that he
wasn't there to hear me. But he
might remember and come back. Well
| If he did. I'd be there. So | went t.
one of those bookcases and pulled out
a touch-me-not book from behind the
glass door. Then sat down and reat
till the supper bell rang.
Father was five minutes late TO sup
per. | don't know whether he looked
mt me or not. didn't dare to look al
him-until Aunt Jane said, in hel
chilliest manner:
81 trust your daughter had good
lessons. Charles"
I had to look at him then. 1 just
, couldn't look anywhere else. So
WAS looking straight at him when he
gave that funny little startled glance
into my eyes. And into his eyes ther
there crept the funniest. dearest little
understanding twinkle-and ! sudden
" realized that Father. Father, wa.
laughing with me at little secret he
tween us. But I was only for a sec
ond. The next moment his eyes were
very grave and loo"ing At Aunt Jane
az have no cause to complain-ot
nv daughters lessons today" he saiC
very quietly. Then he glanced Ovel
AT me again. But had 10 look away
quick, or l would have laughed right
out.