Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-07-13
CHAPTER vIl-Continued.
~
AUGUST

this Is the topsy-turviest, l am 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 con-
tradiction, with father that wants
me to be one thing and mother that
wants me to be another! 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, mean,
and l 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 l 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 l going
to know what anybody wants, ever?
Besides, it was getting to be such
beautiful love story-Father and C0u-
sin Grace. And now
But let me tell you what happened.
1t was last night. We were on the
piazza. Father, Cousin Grace, and l.
She got up and went into the house
for something-Cousin Grace, / mean
and all of sudden determined to
tell Father how glad l was, about him
and Cousin Grace; and how I hoped
1t would last-having him out there
with us, and all that. And told him.
l don't remember what said exact
~. But / hadn't anywhere near said
what I wanted to when he did stop
me. Why, he almost jumped out of
his chair
MARY" he gasped "What in the
world are you talking about"
"Why, Father, / was telling you" I
explained And / tried to be so cool
and calm that it 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
FhatD
ITO Cousin Grace-yes. But Father,
you-you are going to marry Cousin
Grace, aren't your" l cried-and did
most cry, for / saw by his face that
he was not.
THAT is not my present Intention"
ne said. His lips came together hard,
and he looked over his shoulder to see
If Cousin Grace was coming back.
But you're going to some time"
begged him.
10 70
fell back in my chair, and know
looked grieved and hurt and disap-
ointed, as / almost sobbed:
"Oh, Father, and when l thought
ecu were going tot"
There, there, child He spoke,
stern and almost cross now. "This alb
burd nonsensical idea has gone quite
star enough. Let us think no more
about it."
1T isn't absurd and nonsensical"
cried. And / could hardly say the
words, / was choking up so. Every
Dody said you were going to, and.
wrote Mother so; and"
'You wrote that to your mothery'
He did jump from his chair this time.
.Yes; and she was glad"
''Oh, she was!' He sat down sort of
dmp-like and queer.
'sYes She said she was glad you'd
found an estimable woman to make
home for you" L. e. .... -
: ooh, 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 sudden, that
maybe he didn't appreciate Mother as
much as she did him; and 1 deter
mined right then and there to make
him, if / could. When / remember all
the lovely things she'd said about
him
Father" began and spoke this
time, even more decided and firm. Il
don't believe you appreciate Mother"
"Eh, what?"
He made me jump this time, he
turned around with such a jerk, and
spoke so sharply. But in spite of the
Jump l still held on to my subject,
firm and decided.
u say l don't believe you appreciate
fmy mother. You acted right now as
told you she was glad you had found
m estimable woman to make home
Tor you. But she did mean it. know,
because she said it before, once, last
year, that she hoped you would find
one. Yes, and that isn't all. There's
another reason why I know Mother
always has-has your best interest al
heart. She-she tried to make me over
into Mary before came, so as to
please you"
"She did what?" Once more he made
me jump, he turned so suddenly, and
spoke with such short. sharp snap
But in spite Of the jump went right
IN, just as l had before, firm and de
cided. told him everything about
<he cooking lessons, and the astronomy
book we read an hour every day, ani
the pink silk dress couldn't have, ant
e-aI4 afx1It I. IL :