The Lamar register., 1922-01-25
LAVINIA BRAND
Continued from Page Two)


and even a third time, and each time
her world got blacker. for the writing
on the paper said:
"Lavinia Brand
Now who could Lavinia Brand be?
Susan Mary sat down on the uncom-
Portable edge Of chair and thought
and thought. and the more she
thought, the more certain she became
For up In Hinsville there was IA fam
fly by the name of Brandt, and one
OF the daughters had gone to school
with her. What could be more nat
ural than In these days OF anti-every-
thing that sounded German the family
had dropped the obnoxious ST. and
become plain Brand? And that girl
her name began with L, she was sure.
Lucretia, Leonora-what was 1t?
I'm p-p-positive it's Lavinia," wall
ed Susan Mary. and with sudden,
fierce little gesture she tore the offend
ing slip of paper In a hundred pieces.
Then one morning bit of paper
fell out of Peters coat pocket as he
pulled out his handkerchief. and Susan
Mary. picking 1t up, inquired Innocent
ly as to what it was. knowing perfect
ly well that 1t was That Name"
With an expression almost guilty
Peter snatched 1t and crammed 1t back
in his pocket. hurriedly telling Susan
Mary that II was nothing at all and
1t was very late and he must hurry or
he would miss the car.
The climax came that afternoon
when Peter called up and told her
that he was bringing Mr.. Grayson to
supper. Mr.. Grayson was the man
ager, and Peter worshiped him.
OF course everything went beauti-
fully. Susan Mary was too proud to
let Mr.. Grayson know that there had
been any suspicion of coldness be-
tween Peter and herself, and she was
honey-sweet to both the men. Peter
was a bit puzzled, for the atmosphere
Of late had been decidedly frigid. and.
manlike, he put the crowning touch
npon It all. AS Mr.. Grayson was
leaving Peter went out to the hall
with him. and stood talking In a low
voice, but not quite so low but what
Susan Mary could hear the managers
voice.
"And Lavinia Brandt And then
Peters voice. worried, hasty-"For
heavens sake-my wife doesn't know
anything about thatT
Quite convinced that her heart was
broken, Susan Mary still bided her
time.
She had become quite resigned to
the bits of paper floating around ev-
erywhere, and she was really very
calm and cool and collected when Pc
ter called her up and told her that he
was bringing Lavinia Brand hsme that
evening.
.Ys. / remember her. said Susan
Mary sweetly. and was rewarded by
burst Of laughter from the other end.
and, "Oh. LordI You remember herr
and then the receiver clicked aggra-
vatingiy.
But Peter came alone. Only he car
rfed a bundle, which he waved at her
as she stood on the piazza, and then,
wondering at the exultation In his
face, she felt herself picked up bodily
in his arms, and heard only con-
fused-.Darlingi Lavinia Brand
success-fortune's made" before she
had sense enough to disengage herself
and demand Historically what 1t all
meant.
Here's what It meansw cried Pc
ter jovously. waving the package
again, and when at last they were
safely indoors he opened It. talking
all the while. you see Graycon want
ed some other line besides just bread
and rolls, and / sent up to mother for
that recipe for crullers she used to
make-you know, dear7-and when
she sent It back. and they enlarged 1t.
we had to have some kind OF name
for them, and because 1t was she who
did II, took her name, and we called
them Lavinia Brand-you know her
name is Lavinia. And we were scared
stiff that the other chaps would get
hold of It somehow, and we had to
keep It such a secret. l couldn't even
tell you about 1t. and I've been so
darned worried"
Susan Mary flung her arms around
his neck and hid her face on his
shoulder. "Oh, Peter" she cried. TO
think that was Jealous Of herr
The Modern Fourth.