The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-05-11

For q minute he sat and stared at
me just as Aunt Jane had done; then
he lifted his head and threw back his
shoulders as If he was throwing on q
heavy weight.
"Come, come, Mary" he said stern
ly. II am not patient man, and my
temper has reached the breaking
point. You will 60 back to school and
you will 60 now. I mean that, Mary"
"But, Father, can't" choked; and
I guess there was something In my
face this time that made even him see.
For again he just stared for minute,
and then said:
"Mary, what in the world does this
mean? Why can't you 90 back? Have
you been-expelled"
"Oh, no, sir"
"Then you mean you won't go
back"
II mean I canton account Of
Mother"
I wouldn't have said it If hadn't
had to. I didn't want to tell him, but
I knew from the very first that I'd
have to tell him before got through.
I could see it in his face. And so, now,
with his eyes blazing as he jumped al
most out of his chair and exclaimed:
"Your mother!" I let 1t out and got
it over as soon as possible.
IT mean, on account Of Mother
that not for you, or Aunt Jane, or
anybody Will I 60 back to that school
and associate with folks that won't
associate with me-Op account OF
Mother"
And then / told it-all about the
girls, Stella Mayhem, Carrie, and
how they acted, and what they said
about my being DR.. Jekyll and Mr..
Hyde because was a Mary and a
Marie, and the ice-cream, and the
parties they had to give up II they
went with me. And know was cry
ing so I could hardly speak, before /
finished; and Father was on his feet
tramping up and down the room mutt
tering something under his breath, and
looking-oh, can't begin to tell how
he looked. But it was awful.
"And so that's why wish," I I'm
ished chokingly, 'that 1t would hurry
up and be a year, 50 Mother could get
married"
"Married!" Like a flash he turned
and stopped short, staring at me.
"Why, yes," explained; "for If she
did get married, she wouldn't be d..
vorced any longer, would sheY'
But he wouldn't answer. With a
queer little noise in his throat he
turned again and began to walk up
and down, up and down, until I thought
for q minute he'd forgotten I was
there. But he hadn't. For after
while he stopped again right in front
Of me.
$50 your mother is thinking Of get
ting married." he said in voice 80
queer it sounded as If it had come
from away off somewhere.
But I shook my head and said no,
of course; and that was very sure she
wouldn't till her year was up, and
even then I didn't know which she'd
take, so I couldn't tell for sure any
thing about it. But hoped she'd take
one Of them, so she wouldn't be d.
vorced any longer.
Father turned, and began to
walk up and down again, with his
hands in his pockets; and didn't
know whether to 60 away or to stay,
and I suppose I'd have been there now
If Aunt Jane hadn't suddenly appeared
in the library doorway.
Charles, if Mary is going to school
at all today it is high time she was
starting" she said. But Father didn't
seem to hear. He was still tramping
up and down the room, his hands in
his pockets.
"Charles!" Aunt Jane raised her
voice and spoke again. 81 said if Mary
is going to school at all today 1t Is
high time she was starting"
"Eh? What?" If you'll believe it,
that man looked as dazed as If he'd
never even heard Of my going to
school. Then suddenly his face
changed. ooh, yes, to be sure. Well,
er- Mary is not going to school to-
day." he said. Then he looked at his
watch, and without another word
strobe into the hall, got his hat, and
left the house, leaving Aunt Jane and
me staring into each others faces.
But 1 didn't stay much longer than
Father did. I strobe in to the hall, too,
by Aunt Jane. But l didn't leave the
house. 1 came up here to my own
room: and ever since I've been writ
ing it all down in my book.
Of course, I don't know now what's
going to happen next. But I wish you
could have seen Aunt James face when
Father said I wasn't going to school
today! I don't believe she's sure yet
that she heard aright-though she
didn't try to stop me, or even speak
when left and came upstairs. But
just know she's keeping up a power
fI1l thinking