The Hope pioneer., 1922-05-25

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objecting to. Do you realize what It
will lead to--what it"
"JaneW with jerk Father sat up
straight. Il realize some things that
perhaps you do 13t. But that Is
neither here nsr there. do not wish
Mary to go to school any more this
spring. That is all; and tktE&.''it
is sufficient"
Certainly" Aunt James lips came
together again grim and hard. "Pcr-
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 ques-
tion with a hateful little smile that
Father would have been blind not to
have understood. And he was equal
to it-but l most fell over backward
when found how equal to it lie was.
Certainly" he says. "study. I'm
hear her lessons myself-in the IL
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.
I didn't say anything. victors
shouldn't boast-and l was victor,
Of course, about the school. But
when i thought of wha, 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, couldn't even imagine such q
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
I went up to mine. (You see what
perfectly wildly exciting life L4ary ia
living! And when 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, Mar;. See that you learn we'll
your LESSONS, so as not 10 annoy your
father
"Yes, Aunt Jane," said Mary, po-
lite anG proper, and went upstairs
obedien.ly; but even Mary didn't
know exactly how to study those les
sons.
| Carrie had brought me all my books
F! from school. had asked her to
when kew that I was not going
back There were the lessons that
had been assigned for the next day,
of course, ana I supposed probably
Father would want me to study those.
But couldn't imagine Father teaching
me all alone. couldn't imagine my
self reciting lessons to Father!
But needn't have worried. II
could only have known. Little did I
think-But, there, this is no way to
tell story. read in hook. "yIow
to Write Novel;" that yau n,rsrn't
Anticipate" Il thought folks always
anticipated novels. do. I thought
you wanted them toy
Well. to go on.
Father got home at four o'clock. 1
saw him come up the walk, and I
waited till was sure he'd got settled
in the library, then I went down.
He wasn't there.
A minute later I 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 Masie have her way.
Rush after him and tell him he'd
forgotten to hear my lessons? Fa.
ther? Well guess not Besides, it
wasn't my fault. I was there all
ready. II 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 l went to
one Of those bookcases and pulled out
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. didn't dare to look at
him-until Aunt Jane said, in her
chilliest manner:
II trust your daughter had good
lessons. Charles"
had to look at him then. / 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 l 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 looking at Aunt Jane.
II have no cause to complain-of
my daughters lessons today" he said
very quietly. Then he glanced over
at me again. But I had to took away
quick, or would have laughed right
out.