The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-06-29

duU just UC0pCo LILY pAS<tS 'AS>~
patties and sandwiches and olives and
pink-and-white frosted cake and 1cel
cream (not all at once, Of course, butt
in order.) And had perfectly beautt'
full time. And Father seemed to like
IL pretty well. But after while hel
grew sober again, and his eyes began
to rove all around the room. !
He took me to little seat IN the.
corner afterward, and we sat down
and began to talk-only Father didn't
talk much. He just listened to what
I said. and his eyes grew deeper and
darker and sadder, and they didn't
rove around so much, after time, but
Just stared fixedly at nothing, away
out across the room. BY and by ne
stirred and drew a long sigh, and said,
almost under his breath: /
1T was just such another night as
this"
And of course, I asked what was
and then I knew, almost before he had
told me. !!
THAT first saw your mother, my
dear"
"Oh, yes, know !" cried, eager to-
tell him that I did know. "And she
must have looked lovely in that per-
fectly beautiful blue silk dress all sill
yer lace" =,
He turned and stared at me.
"How did you know that?'' he de-
manded.
81 saw it." !
"You saw it," !,
yesterday, yes-the Dress" =
nodded.
"But how could your he asked.
frowning, and looking so surprised
"Why, that dress must be seventeen
years old, or more"
I nodded again, and I suppose ] did
look pleased; it's such fun to have q
secret, you know, and watch felix's
guess and wonder. And I kept him
guessing and wondering for quite q
while. Then, Of course, I told him
that it was upstairs in Grandfathers
trunk room; that Mother had got II
out, and I saw 1t.
"But, what-was your mother deiHS
with that dressT' he asked then, leoks
ing even more puzzled and mysthed.
And then suddenly I thought an@
remembered that Mother was crying
And, Of course, she wouldn't want Fa+
ther to know she was crying over it
that dress she had worn when he hrse
met her long ago! Il don't think wom-
en- ever want men to know such things,
do you? I know I shouldn't!) So I
didn't tell. Father had begun to talk
again, softly, as If to himself:
81 suppose tonight, seeing yeu, and
all this, brought it back to me SO vivid
ly." Then he turned and looked at
me-. "You are very like your mother
tonight, dear"
81 suppose I am, maybe, when I'm
Marie" I nodded.
he laughed with his lips, but his
eyes didn't laugh one bit as he said:
"What quaint little fancy of yours
that is, child-as If you we're two In
one"
"But am two in one" declared.
"That's why I'm cross-current and q
contradiction, you know" I explained.
"A what?' he demanded.
"A cross-current and contradie-
tion," I explained once more. "Chil
dren Of undkes, you know. Nurse Sa-
rah told me-. that long ago. Didn't you
ever hear that-that child of urlikes
was a cross-current and a contradie-
tion?'
"Well, no-I-hadn't," answered Fa'
ther, in a queer, half-smothered voice.
II suppose, Mary, we were-unlikes,
YOUR mother and ]. That's just what
we we're; though I never thought OF 1t
before, in just that way"
He waited, then went on, still half
to himself, his eyes on the dancers:
"She loved things like this-music,
laughter, gayety. 1 abhorred them. !
remember how bored I was that night
here-till I saw her"
"And did you fall In love with her
right away?" I just couldn't help ask
ing that question. Oh. I do so adore
love stories!
A queer little smile came to Father
"Well. yes. / think I did, Mary. I
Just looked at her once-and then kept
On looking till it seemed as if l just
couldn't take my eyes off her. And
after a little her glance met mine.
and the whole throng melted away,
and there wasn't another soul in the
room but just US two. Then she
looked away, and the throng came
back. But 1 still looked at her"
"Was she so awfully pretty, Fa-
ther?" I could feel the little thrills
tingling ali over me. Now I was get
ting a love Story!
"She was, my dear. She was very
lovely. But it wasn't just that-it was
a joyous something that I could not
describe. It was as If she were q
bird. poised for flight. I know it now
for what it was-the very incarnation
Of the spirit Of youth. And she was
young. Why, Mary, she was not 80