The Nevada County picayune., 1922-06-08

| made a big tear spot on the linen cover; and I wondered if 1t would dry up before Aunt Jane saw it, or if 1t would change color or leak through to the red plush underneath, or some other dreadful thing. And then, some way, found myself telling 1t all over to Father-about Mary and Marie I mean, Just as if he was Mother, or some one I loved-I mean, some one loved and wasn't afraid of; for of course l love Father. Of course l do
 Well, l told him everything (when I got started there was no stoppiug)- all aboN how hard 1t was to be Mary and how today I had tried to be Marie for just a little while, to rest me He interrupted here. and wanted to know If that was why l looked so different today-more as I had when l first came; and l said yes, that these were Marie things that Mary couldn't wear And when he asked, Why, prayf" in voice almost cross I told him, of course, that Aunt Jane wouldn't let me; that Mary had to wear brown Serge and calfskin boots that were durable, and that would wear well.
 And when 1 told him how sorry l was about the music and such noise as I'd been making, he asked if that was Marie's fault, too; and I said yes of course-that Aunt Jane didn't like to have Mary play at all, except hymns and funeral marches and Mary didn't know any. And he grunted s queer little grunt, and said, Well well, upon my soul, upon my soul v Then he said, "Go on" And l did go on.
 1 told him how I was afr Id il was going to be just like Dr. akyll and MT. Hyde. q forgot to say I've read it now. l found it in Fathers library,) Of course not just like it, only one of ne was going to be bad, and one good, 1 was afraid, if I didn't look out told him how Marie always wanted to kick up rugs, and move the chairs out of their sockets in the carpet, and leave books around handy, and such things. And so today it seemed as If
 
 Marys hot .gingham dresses and clumsy shoes. And I told him how lonesome 1 was without anybody, not anybody; and I told about Charlie Smith and Paul Mayhew and MT. Claude Livingstone, and how Aunt Jane wouldn't let me have them, either, even if I was standing where the brook and river meet.
 Father gave another funny little grunt here and got up suddenly and walked over to the window. l thought at first he was angry; but he wasn't. He was even more gentle when he came back and sat down again, and he seemed interested, very much inter ested in everything l told him. But stopped Just In time from saying again how I wished I could go back to Bos- ton but Pm not sure but he knew l was going to say 1t.
 But he was very nice and kind and told me not to worry about the music that he didn't mind 1t at all He'd been fin several times and heard 1t. And I thought almost hy the way he spoke. that he'd come In on purpose to hear 1t; but l guess that was 6 mis take. He just put it that way so l wouldn't worry over it-about its bothering him I mean.
 He was going 10 say more, maybe but 1 don't know l had to run. heard Aunt James voice on the piazza saying good-by to the lady that had brought her home so. of course, l had to run and hang Marie in the closet and get out Mary from the corner be fore she saw me And l did.
 By dinner-time l had on the ging- ham dress and the hot clumsy shoes again; and 1 had washed my face in cold water so l had got most of the tear spots off didn't want Aunt Jane to see them and ask questions of course And guess she didn't. Any way, she didn't say anything.
 Father didn't say anything, either, but he acted queer Aunt Jane tried to tell him something about the mis- sionary meeting and the heather, and great famine that WAS raging. At first he didn't say anything then he said, oh, yes, to be sure, how very in teresting. and he was glad, very glad. And Aunt Jane was so disgusted, and accused him of being even more ab sent-minded than usual which was en- tirely unnecessary. she said.
 But even that didn't move Father mite. He just said, yes, yes, very like ly; and went on scowlng to himself ana stirring his coffee after he'd drank it all up-I mean. stirring
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