The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-03
DORA FALLS IN LOVE
Chapter is

Aunt Maude had made many changes
in the farm when she entered it as
a bride p years before. In fact. she
planned the changes when as Maude
White, she visited Peter with her
mother.
AT that time she was a slender girl
OF 20, with clear cool grey eyes, full,
req cheeks, a resolute chin and a nice
mouth that showed neither too much
sweetness, nor any sense of humor
She kept the muslin dress she wore on
that occasion-rot from any feeling of
sentiment, she had none of that-but
because she never could think of any
further use to make of its good mate
rial 1t was made with a very tight
basque waist, and wrinkled and draped
Itself over a stiff foundation, into a
large hustle in back She wore a band
OF black velvet around her smooth
brown hair, and black velvet made into
rosettes on the dress. She was the
best dressed girl for 20 miles and
proud of it,
But won't live in a cramped house,
| want room to breathe" She told
Peter, who obediently sent for builders
and let her double the size of his home
She had the plain porch pillars torn
doWn-they were really rotting-and
put in spindly ones turned in fancy
shapes, joined at the top under the
porch roof by a trellis of little spin
dies and curiously cut pieces of wood,
painted green and white and consid-
cred very ornamental and beautiful at
that period
Peter to pay pay the cost of all this,
worked doubly hard at his farm, and
began 10 thrive
She sent all the old pieces of furni-
ture his mother and grandmother had
used to the little tumble down house
Dora like so, and put in new things her
family gave her-a parlor suite consist
Ing of dark walnut chairs covered with
blue carpet, with a Persian design
placed neatly in the center of each
back and each seat; a dining room
suite of shining oak with a carved
sideboard boasting a dozen shelves for
unused bits of china-suites, in fact.
for every principal room.
Gradually she took over the manage
ment OF the house, most of the farm.
OF Peter, of Peters queer brother Jim;
eventually of poor Jim's poor wife and
the strange little Dora who fed from
the sight of stranger Meantime,
there was son as buxom as she was,
VINO grew to the age of five, climbed a
ladder into an apple tree, fell, and died
three days later. A year or so after.
Gladys was born and was doubly loved
she often said that Jim was the only
problem of her married life. She had
no fondness for him, for she confessed
she could not understand him. and she
never liked anything she could not I'M
derstand Dora was different-she was
easy enough to comprehension so she
thought
But many things went on inside
Dora's head that her aunt never knew.
Dora fell in love with Morton, and
her aunt never knew that, though
Gladys did
1t really happened because Of the
little house full Of broken old furni-
lure. Morton rode out again the next
sunday, and spring shower overlook
them as they started for a walk, send
ing them into the little house as the
nearest shelter. Morton found a book
Of "Orations by Great Statesmen of
The Nineteenth Century" Thev amus-
ed themselves reading extracts,
That's what l want to be-a great
statesman" Morton confessed with
small boy simplicity. "A lawyer has a
good chance-if he can speak in pub
iic.'
You've taken elocution lessons"
Dora put in.
Yes, but that's only part of the
training. They never kept me from
getting so nervous l stutter when try
10 make a speech. l don't think my
voice would carry in a large hall.
either"
You only need practice" Dora con-
soled him. Il think it was Demosthe-
mes who trained his voice by talking
with his mouth full of pebbles-and
some other famous orator used to adj
dress the sea, until he made his voice
heard above the waves"
Morton began TO laugh
The sea is 200 miles away and if I
alled my mouth with pebbles I might
swallow some
The rain has stopped" Dora an
swered. Well walk to the rock on
Knob Kill, and YOU can read one of
those speeches aloud 10 me That will
De good practice for you"
She sat on a damp little ledge of
rock; little distance away Morton