The Nevada County picayune., 1922-08-24

past nine she brought in some lit Q cakes and lemonade as surprise. thought It was lovely; but I could have shaken Paul when he pretended to be afraid of it. and asked Mother If there was stick in 1t.
 Thes idea-MOtherl A stick just knew Mother wouldn't like showed thing in her face. She just smiled, and said no, there wasn't any stick in it; and passed the cakes. When he had gone I remember didn't like to meet Mothers eyes. and I didn't ask her how she liked Paul Mayhew. l kept right on talking fast about something else. Some way, didn't want Mother to talk then. for fear of what she would say.
 And Mother didn't say anything about Paul Mayhew-then. But only a few days later she told me to in- vite him again to the house (this time to a chafing- dish supper), and to ask Carrie Haywood and Fred Small, too
 We had beautiful time, only again Paul Mayhew didn't "show off" at all in the way I wanted him to-though he most emphatically showed off" in his wayl It seemed to me that he bragged even more about himself and his belongings than he had before. And I didn't like at all the way he ate his food Why, Father didn't eat I.t and such rattllng of the silverware :!
 And so 1t went-wise mother that she was Far from prohibiting me to have anything to do with Paul May hew, she let me see Rl l wanted to of him. particularly. in my own home She let me go out with him, properly chaperoned. and she never, by word or manner. hinted that she didn't ad- mire his conceit and braggadocio.
 And 1t all came out exactly as I suspect she had planned from the be- ginning. When Paul Mayhew asked to be my escort to the class reception in June. I declined with thanks, and inn mediately afterward told Fred Small I would go with him. But even when I told Mother nonchalantly, and with carefully averted eyes, that l was go- ing to the reception with Fred Small even then her pleasant Well, that's good !" conveyed only cheery mother interest; nor did a nasty glance into her face discover so much as lifted eyebrow to hint, Y thought you'd come to your senses sometime |"
 Wise little mother that she was!
 In the days and weeks that followed (though nothing was said) l detected subtle change in certain matters, however. And as l look back at It now, am sure l can trace its origin to my affair" with Paul Mayhew. Evi- dently Mother had no intention of run ming the risk of any more courtships; also evidently she intended to know who my friends were. At all events, the old Anderson mansion soon be- came the rendezvous of all the boys and girls of my acquaintance. Ana such good times as we had. with Mother always one of us, and ever pro- posing something new and interesting
 And because boys-not boy, but boys-were as free 10 come to the house as were girls, they soon seemed to me as commonplace and matter-of- course and free from sentimental in- terest as were the girls.
 Again. wise little mother
 But. of course, even this did not prevent my falling in love with some one older than myself, some one quite outside of my own circle of intimates.
 My especial attack of this kind came to me when I was barely eigh- teen. the spring l was being gradu- ated from the AndersonVille Hlgh school. And the visible embodiment of my adoration was the head master Mir Harold HartshOrn. a handsome, cleans shaven well-set-up man of N should judge) thirty-five years of age, rather grave, little stern, and very dignified.
 But how 1 adored him How l hung upon his every word, his every glance How maneuvered to win from him few minutes conversation on Latin verb or French translation How thrilled if he bestowed upon me one of his infrequent smiles How grieyed over his stern alOofness
 By the end of month l had evolved this. his stern aloofness meant that he had been disappointed in love his melancholy was lonehness--his heart y.. brsskiDs. How l lOnged to help.