The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1922-01-27
06e
ORIOLE

goes into wholly undnIlclpaIeu HtS Ol
horror Cause and effect~have no re-
lation: Fate operates without reason
able sequence-like a monkey.
And while Florence, thus pensively
disturbed, sat beside fat Uncle Joseph
during their long, long drive. relatives
of hers were indeed going into fits; at
least. so Florence would have de-
scribed their gestures and incOheren-
cies of comment. And straight into such
Il fitful scene did the luckless Herbert
walk when driven home, after the
movies, by thoughts of food. at about
six that evening. Henry ROoter had
strongly advised him against return
ing
1t may reasonably be felt that II
required no particular gift of prophecy
TO hazard the prediction that in all
probability a most unpleasant form of
inquisition awaited Herbert on his re-
turn TO his home. And Henry Rooter
had the wisdom (and experience) OF
thirteen
You better not" he said, wisely.
Honest, you better not. HERBERT
well, we got apple dumplings for
dinner" Herbert said. his tone show
ing the strain of mental uncertainty.
Eliza told me this morning we were
gOin' TO have 'em. l kind of hate TO
go. but / guess l better, Henry"
You won't see any apple dump
lings," Henry predicted
We'll, l believe 1 better try 1T,
Henry"
You better come home with me.
My father and mOther'n be perfectly
willing to have you"
Il know that" said Herbert. But
l guess 1 better go home and try it,
anyhow, Henry. l didn't have any
thing to do with what's in the Oriole.
It's every last word ole FlOrence's do
ing. l haven't got any more right to
be picked on for that than a child"
Yes" Henry admitted. But if you
go and tell 'em so. bet she'd get even
with you some way that would prob
ably get me in trouble, too, before we
got through with the job. l wouldn't
tell 'em if l was you, Herbert"
We'll, 1 wasn't intending to-" Her
bert responded gloomily; and the
thought of each, unknown to the other,
was the same, consisting of a symbolic
likeness of Wallie Torbin at his
worst 81 ought to tell on Florence;
by rights l ought" said Herbert; but
I've decided / won't. There's no tellin'
what she wouldn't do. Not that she
could do anything to me. particularly
Nor me. either" his frieRd inter
posed hurriedly "I don't worry about
anything like that Still, if 1 was you
l wouldn't rell She's only a girl, we
got TO remember"
YES" said Herbert. That's the
way look at it, Henry; and the way
l look at it is just simply this: long
as she's a girl, why, simply let her go
You can't tell what she'd do. and so
what's the use to go and tell on
grip
That's the way 1 look at it," Henry
agreed. whats the use? If 1 was
in your place, I'd act just the same
way you do"
We'll" said Herbert. Il guess
better go on home. Henry. It's a
good while after dark
You're maxim a big mistake y
Henry Rooter called after him. You
won't see any apple dumplings, 1 bet
a hundred dollars You better come
on home with me-"
And Herbert no more than half
opened his front door before he per-
ceived that his friends advice had
been excellent. So clearly Herbert
perceived this, that he impulsively de-
cided not to open the door any far
Their hut on the contrary to close it,
and retire; and he would have done
so had not his mother reached forth
and detained him. She was, in fact,
Just inside that door, in the hall with
one of his great-aunts. one of his
aunts, two aunts-by-marriage, and an
unmarried cousin. who were
all just on the point of leaving. How
ever. they changed their minds and
decided to remain, now that Herbert
was among them.
1t really seemed that to many per-
sons who were gathered there. appar- |
emily in important consultation. his
appearance was distinctly welcome. |
His own feelings were in nowise
mixed They were distinctly appre-
hensive, and the vOlley of mingled |
Iuestionings and reproaches which |
met him did not tend to remove them. |
Each member of the party seemed to |
feel i'm some manner particularly ag-
srieved.
Herbert's father Joined them. few |
minutes later, but it had already be- |
come clear to the son that the North
End Daily Oriole was in one sense a /
hing of the past, though in another
sense this former owner and proprie-
er was certain that he would never
near the last of ii. However, on ac-
,ount of the life of biacImail and
slavery new led by the members of
he Old regime. the Orioles extinction
vas far less painful 10 Herbert than
lis father supposed; and the latter
wasted Il great deal of severity, in
listing that the printing press should
e returned that very night to Uncle
oseph Herbert's heartiest RETROSPECT
i've wish was that the ole printing
ress had been returned to Uncle Jo-
eph long ago.
IF you can find him TO give ii to-"