The Jasper news., 1922-09-14


he came through that crowd, straight
toward me, without paying one bit Of
attention to the folks that tried to
stop him on the way. And when he
got to me, he looked so glad to see me,
only there was the same quick search
Ing with his eyes, beyondsand around
me, as II he was lookinggfor somebody
else, just as he had done the morning
of the lecture. And knew it was
Mother, Of course. SO l said:
mo, she didn't come"
$50 see," he answered. And there
was such hurt, sorry look away back
In his eyes, But right away he smiled,
and said: Bus you came I've got
you"
Then he began to talk and tell
stories, just as II was yonng lady
to be entertained. And he took me
over to where they had things to eat,
and just heaped my plate with chicken
patties and sandwiches and olives and
pink-and-white Frosted cake and ice
cream (not all at once, of course, but
In order.) And had perfectly beautl-
ful time. And Father seemed to like
It pretty well. But after while he
grew sober again, and his eyes began
to rove all around the room.
He took me to a little seat in the
corner afterward, and we sat down
and began TO talk-only Father didn't
talk much. He just listened to what
] said, and his eyes grew deeper and
darker and sadder, and they didn't
rove around so much, after time, but
just stared fixedly at nothing, away
out across the room. BY and by he
stirred and drew long sigh, and said.
almost under his breath:
ut was just such another night as
this" ~
And of course, asked what was
and then l knew, almost before he had
told me.
THAT l first saw your mother, my
dear"
"Oh. yes, know" !" cried, eager to
tell him that l did know. "And she
must have looked lovely In that per-
fectly beautifulf blue silk dress oil sill.
yer lace"
He turned and stared at me.
"How did you know that?" he de-
manded.
81 saw IT,"
"You saw It'll"
Yesterday. yes-the Dress" I
nodded. M
"But how could your" he asked,
frowning, and looking SO surprised.
"Why, that dress must be-seventeen
years old, or more"
nodded again, and suppose I did
look pleased; It's such fun to have a
secret, you know, and watch folks
guess and wonder. And / kept him
guessing and wondering for quite
while. Then, of course, told him
that 1t was upstairs in Grandfither's
trunk room; that Mother had got 1t
out. and ] saw II.
"But, what-was your mother doing
with that dressT" he asked then, look
ing even more puzzled and mystified.
And then suddenly l thought and
remembered I at Mother was crying.
And, Of course. she wouldn't want Fa.
ther to know she was crying over it
that dress she had worn when he first
met her long agol Il don't think wom-
en- ever want men to know such things,
do you? / know l shouldn'tD So l
didn't tell. Father had begun to talk
again. softly, as If to himself
81 suppose tonight, seeing you, and
all this. brought 1t back TO lie so vivid
ly." Then he turned and looked at
me. "You are very like your mother
tonight, dear"
~ suppose l am, maybe. when I'm
Marie" ! nodded.
He laughed with his lips, but his
eyes didn't laugh one bit as he said:
"What quaint little fancy Of yours
that is. child--as If you were two In
one"
"But j am two In one" declared.
That's why I'm cross-current and
contradiction. you know" l explained.
"A what?" he demanded.
"a cross-current and a contradic-
tion." explained once more. "Chil-
dren'Cf unllkes. you know. Nurse Ss-
rah told me that long ago. Didn't you
ever hear that-that child of unlikes
was q cross-currert and a contradic-
! tionT"
swell, no--I-hadh't." answered Fa-
ther, in a queer. half-smothered voice.
IL suppose, Mary. we were-unlikes,
your mother and l. That's Just what
we were though ! never thought of II
before, in just that way"
He waited, then went on, still half
to himself, his eyes on the dancers:
"She loved things like thls-music.
laughter, gayety. I abhorred them. !
remember how bored was that night
here-till ! saw her"
| mAnd did Won fall In lnNa with hAr