The Hope pioneer., 1922-06-08
"why, Father, IL don't know"

SCdmmereQ asdln. |
"Come, come, of course you know"
he cried "You know what you want
to Go, don't you?'
shook my head. I was so aston
ished I couldn't even think. And when
you can't think you certainly can't
talk.
"Nonsense, Mary" scowled Father.
"Of course you know what you want
to do! What are you in the habit OF
doing with your young friends-your
Carries and Charles, and all the
rest?"
guess just stood and stared and
didn't say anything; for after min
ute he cried: "Well--well-well! I'm
waiting"
'Why, we've walk-and falkland
play games," began; but right away |
he interrupted.
"Good! Very well, then, We'll walk. i
I'm not Carrie or Charlie, but l be.
lieve I can walk and talk-perhaps |
even play games. Who knows? Come.
get your hat"
And got my hat, and we went.
But what a funny, funny walk that
was! He meant to make 1t a good
one, 1 know he did. And lie tried.
He tried real hard. But he walked
so fast 1 couldn't half keep up with
him; then, when he saw how was
hurrying, he'd slow down, way down,
and look so worried-till he'd forget
and go striding off again. way ahead
of me.
We went up on the hill through the
Benton woods, and it was perfectly
lovely up there. He didn't say much
at first. Then, all ,f sudden, he be-
gan to talk, about anything and every
thing. And knew. by the way he
did it. that he'd just happened to
think he'd got to talk.
| And how he talked! He asked me
was 1 warmly clad (and here it is
August y, and did have good break
fast, and how old was I, and did en-
, joy my studies-which shows how lit
tie he was really thinking what he was
| saying. He knows school closed ages
} ago. Wasn't he teaching me himself
2 the last Of it. too? All around us were
e flowers and birds, and oh, so many,
r many lovely things. But he never said
{, word'about them. He just talked
+ because he'd got to talk. I knew 1t,
o and it made me laugh inside, though
y all the while it maze me sort of want
to cry, too. Funny. wasn't 1t?
After time he didn't talk any more
e but just walked on and on and by and
d by We came home.
e OF course, it wasn't awfully jolly
l. that walk wasn't; and guess Father
4! didn't think it was either. Anyhow
he hasn't asked me to go again this
week, and he looked tired and worried
and sort of discouraged when he gol
back from that one.
The next evening he took me out tc
the observatory to see the stars. THAI
was lovely. Honestly had perfect
ly beautiful time, and think Father
did, too. He wasn't stiff and polite
one bit. Oh, don't mean that he wa:
impolite or rude. It's just that he
wasn't stiff as if was company. Ant
he was so happy with his stars ant
his telescope, and so glad to show
them to me-oh, I had beautiful
time, and told him so; and he looked
real pleased. But Aunt Jane came fol
me before I'd had half enough, and
had to go to bed.
The next morning l thought he'd bt
different, somehow, because we'd hat
such lovely time together the nigh
before. But he wasn't. He just said
"Good morning, Mary" and began t.
read his paper. And he read his pa
oil ~ 70
ing another word to me. Then he go
up and went into the library, and
never saw him again all day excep
at dinner-time and supper-time, ant
then he didn't talk to me.
But after supper he took me ou
again to see the stars, and he wa
just as nice and friendly as could be
Not bit like man that's only
father by order of the court. But th
next day.
l Well-and that's the way it's beel
d all the week. And that's why l sa,
u he's been so queer. One minute he'll
II. be just as nice and folksy as y61
"a could ask anybody to be, and the YER
~ next he's looking right through yo
ut as. If he didn't see you at all, and yo
I'll wonder and wonder what's the mat
d ter, and if you've done anything t
IT, displease him.
~ ~ Sometimes he seems almost glad an
u happy, and then he'll look so sorr
=" and sad!
~ just can't understand my fathe
~ at all.
M
ly ANOTHER WEEK LATER.
O 4