Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-05-25

objecting to- Do you realize what it
will lead to--what it"
"Janew with a jerk Father sat up
straight. 81 realize some things that
perhaps you do not. But that is
neither here nor there. / do not wish
Mary to go to school any more this
spring. That is all; and / think-it
is sufficient"
Certainly" Aunt James lips came
together again grim and hard. Per-
haps you will be good enough to say
what she shall do with her time"
Time? Do? Why--er-what she
always does; read, sew, study"
"Study?' Aunt Jane asked the aues-
ton with hateful little smile that
Father would have been blind not to
have understood. And he was equal
to it--but most fell over backward
when ! found how equal to it he was.
Certainly" he says, study. I-I'n
brary after / come home in the aft
ernoon. Now let us hear no more
about it." ~
With that he pushed back his plate
and left the table without waiting
for dessert. And Aunt Jane and
were left alone.
/ didn't say anything. Victors
shouldn't boast-and j was victor,
of course, about the school, But
when l thought of what Father had
said about my reciting my lessons to
him every day in the library-I
wasn't SO sure whether I'd won out
or not Recite lessons to my father?
Why, l couldn't even imagine such
thing
Well, Aunt Jane and didn't speak
that night at the supper table. We
finished in stern silence then; Aunt
Jane went upstairs to her room and
went up to mine. (You see what a
perfectly wildly exciting life luary Is
living, And when I think of how full
of good times Mother wanted every
minute to be. But that was for
Marie, Of course.)
The next morning after breakfast
Aunt Jane said:
''You will spend your forenoon study
ing, Mary. See that you learn well
your lessons, so as not to annoy your
father"
Eyes, Aunt Jane" said Mary, po-
lite and proper, and went upstairs
obediently; but even Mary didn't
know exactly how to study those les
sons.
Carrie had brought me all my books
from school. / had asked her to
when I knew that was not going
back. There were the lessons that
had been assigned for the next day,
of course, and supposed probably
Father would want ME to study those.
But couldn't imagine Father teaching
me ali alone. / couldn't imagine my
self reciting lessons to Father!
But I needn't have worried. If I
could only have known. Little did I
think-But, there, this is no way to
tell story. read in book, "How
to Write a Novel," that you mustn't
anticipate" IL thought folks always
anticipated novels. do. / thought
you wanted them toy
Well, to go on.
Father got home at four o'clock. I
saw him come up the walk, and
waited till I was sure he'd got settled
in the library, then 1 went down.
He wasn't there.
minute later / saw him crossing
the lawn to the observatory. Well,
what to do / didn't know. Mary said
to go after him. but Marie said nay,
nay. And in spite Of being Mary just
now, let Marie have her way.
Rush after him and tell him he'd
forgotten TO hear my lessons? Fa-
Their? Well, guess not! Besides, it
wasn't my fault. was there all
ready. 1t wasn't my blame that he
wasn't there to hear me- But he
might remember and come back. Well.
if he did, I'd be there. So / went to-
one of those bookcases and pulled out
a touch-me-not book from behind the
glass door. Then sat down and read
till the supper bell rang.
Father was five minutes late to sup
per. l don't know whether he looked
at me or not l didn't dare to look at
him-until Aunt Jane said, in her
chilliest manner:
Il trust your daughter had good
lessons, Charles"
/ had to look at him then. l Just
couldn't look anywhere else. So I
was looking straight at him when he
gave that funny little startled glance
into my eyes. And into his eyes then
there crept the funniest, dearest little
understanding twinkle-and I sudden
ly realized that Father, Father, was
laughing with me at little secret be-
tween us. But t was only for a sec
ond. The next moment his eyes were
very grave and locking at Aunt Jane.
IT have no cause to complain-of
my daughters lessons today" he said
very quietly. Then he glanced over
at me again. But had to look away
quick, or I would have laughed right
out.