The Jasper news., 1922-08-31
AUGUST
oepJrisht b. EI..soE a. Porter
CHAPTER Vli-continued.
IL

Well, Of all the topsy-turvy worlds,
this Is the tOpsy-turviest, i ain sure.
What do they want me to do, and
which do they want me to be? Oh, !
wish | was just plain Susie or Bes-
sic, and not a cross-current and a con-
tradiction, with q father that wants
me to be one thing and a mother that
wants me to be anotherl 1t was bad
enough before, when Father wanted
me to be Mary, and Mother wanted
me to be Marie. But now
Well, to begin at the beginning.
It's all over-the love story, l mean,
and know now why it's been so hard
for me TO remember to be Mary and
why everything is different, and all.
They don't want me to be Mary.
They want me to be Marie.
And now | don't know what to
think. If Mothers going to want me
TO be Mary. and Fathers going to
want me to be Marie, how am | going
TO know what anybody wants, ever?
Besides, 1t was getting to be such a
beautiful love story-Father and Cou-
Sin Grace. And now
But let me tell you what happened.
1t was last night. We we're on the
piazza. Father, Cousin Grace. and |.
She got up and went into the house
for sOmething-Cousin Grace. | mean
and all Of q sudden ! determined to
tell Father how glad | was, about him
and Cousin Grace; and how | hoped
II would lnst-hnving him out there
with us, and all that. And I told him.
| don't remember what | said exact
ly. But l hadn't anywhere near said
what ] wanted to when he did stop
me. Why. he almost jumped out of
his chair.
"Maryl" he gasped. "What In the
world are you talking about?"
"Why. Father, | was telling you"
explained. And | tried to be so cool
and calm that 1t would make him calm
and cool, too. (But it didn't calm him
or cool him one bit.) ITS about when
you're married and"
Married." he interrupted again.
(They never let me interrupt like
thatD
ITO Cousin Grace-yes. But Father.
yOu-you are going TO marry Cousin
Grace, aren't yOu?" | cried-and did
most cry, for | saw by his face that
he was not.
THAT is not my present Intention" ;"
he said. His lips came together hard.
and he looked over his shoulder 10 see
If Cousin Grace was coming back.
"But you're -oing to some time," /
begged him.
II do not expect to-"
] fell back in my chair. and know
looked grieved and hurt and dlsap-
pointed. as | almost sobbed:
"Oh. Father, and when | thought
you were going to"
There, there, child He spoke.
stern and almost cross now. This alb.
surd nonsensical idea has gone quite
far enough. Let US think no more
about It,"
1T isn't absurd and nonsensicaI r.
cried. And could hardly say the
words, was choking up So Every.
body said you we're going to, and /
wrote Mother so; and"
you wrote that to your motherf'
He did jump from his chair this time
"Yes; and she was glad"
"Oh, she was" He sat down sort OF
limp-like and queer.
"Hes. She said she was glad you'd
found an estimable woman to make a
home for you"
"Oh, she did" He said this, too, in
that queer, funny, quiet kind of way
Yes" | spoke, decided and firm. I'd
begun to think, all of a sudden, that
maybe he didn't appreciate Mother as
much as she did him; and | deter
mined right then and there to make
him, If could. When l remember all
the lovely things she'd said about
him
Father" l began; and spoke thi.
time, even more decided and firm. "l
don't believe you appreciate Mother.
"Eh, WhatY
He made me jump this time, hi
turned around with such a Jerk, anC
spoke so sharply. But In spite Of the
jump ! still held on 10 my subject
firm and decided.
II say don't believe you appreciate
my mother. You acted right now al
II you didn't believe she meant IL wher
told you she was glad you had founC
ali esiimable woman TO make a hons
for you. But she did mean it. know