Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-08-24
CHAPTER lx-continued.


everything he did, everything he said.
! so wanted Mother to like him / so
wanted Mother to see how really fine
and splendid and noble he was. But
that evening-Why couldn't he stop
talking about the prizes he'd won,
and the big racing car he'd just or
dered for next summer? There was
about that. And were his finger nails
always so dirty?
Why, Mother would think
Mother did not stay in the room all
the time; but she was in more or less
often to watch the game; and at half
past nine she brought in some little
cakes and lemonade as surprise.
thought it was lovely; but I could
have shaken Paul when he pretended
to be afraid of 1t, and asked Mother
If there was stick In 1t.
The idea-Motherl A stick
just knew Mother wouldn't like
that. But If she didn't, she never
showed a thing In her face. She just
smiled, and said no, there wasn't any
stick in 1t; and passed the cakes.
When he had gone I remember I
didn't like to meet Mothers eyes, and
didn't ask her bow she liked Paul
Mayhem. I. kept right on talking fast
about something else. Some way, ]
didn't want Mother to talk then, for
fear Of what she would say.
And Mother didn't say anything
about Paul Mayhew-then. But only
few days later she told me to In
vite him again to the house (this time
to chafing-dish supper), and to ask
Carrie Haywood and Fred Small, too.
We had beautiful time, only again
Paul Mayhem didn't "show Off at all
in the way wanted him to-though
he most emphatically Showed OFF, in
his wayl 1t seemed to me that he
his belongings than he had before.
And / didn't like at all the way he
ate his food. Why, Father didn't eat
like that-with such noisy mouth,
and such rafting of the sifverware
And so 1t went-wise mother that
have anything to do with Paul May
.heTg, she let me see all wanted to
lof him. particularly in my own home
She let me go out with him, properly
chaperoned, and she never, by word
or manner, limited that she didn't ad-
lmire his conceit and braggadocio.
And it all came our exactly as /
suspect she had planned from the be-
ginning. When Paul Mayhem asked to
be my escort to the class reception In
June, declined with thanks, and I'm
mediately afterward told Fred Small
would go with him. But even when
j told Mother nonchalantly, and with
carefully averted eyes, that was go
ing to the reception with Fred Small
even then her pleasant well, that's
good!" conveyed only CHEEKY mother
interest; nor did hasty glance into
her face discover so much as lifted
eyebrow to hint, 81 thought you'd
come to your senses sometime r
Wise little mother that she was!
In the days and weeks that followed
Though nothing was said) 1 detected
subtle change In certain matters,
however. And as look back at it
now, am sure / can trace its origin to
my 'affair" with Paul Mayhem. Evil
IDENTITY Mother had no intention of run
ming the risk of any more courtships;
also evidently she intended to know
who my friends were At all events,
the old Anderson mansion soon be-
came the rendezvous Of all the boys
and girls of my acquaintance. And
such good times as we had, with
Mother always one of US, and ever pro-
posing something new and interesting
And because boys-not a boy, but
sboys-were as free to come to the
house as were girls, they soon seemed
10 me as commonplace and matter-of-
course and free from sentimental In
terest as were the girls.
Again, wise little motheri
But, Of course, even this did not
prevent my falling in love with some
lone older than myself, some one quite
outside Of my own circle of intimates.
My especial attack of this kind
came to me when T was barely eigh-
teen, the spring / was being gradu-
tated from the Andersonville High
school. And the visible embodiment
of my alteration was the head master,
Mr.. Harold Hartshorn, handsome,
'clean-shaver,, well-set-up man Of Il
should judge) thirty-f1ve years Of age,
rather grave, little stern, and very
dignifed.
But how / adored him How hung
upon his every word, his every glance
How 1 Unanswered to win from him
few minutes conversation on q Latin
verb or French translation! How l
thrilled II he bestowed upon me one
OF his infrequent smiles How /
grieved over his stern aloofness!
By the end Of month had evolved
this: his stern aloofness meant that
he had been disappointed In love his