The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-12-27
Providing the
Cure

By ELLA SAUNDERS
t0. 1898. western Newspaper Union,

(0 1898 Western Newspaper Union.)
NOBODY had objected. That was
IN almost as hard to bear as any
was well lost for loves sake.
In her case the world was represent
ed by her mother and father, and her
brother Peter And even Peter, who
was always sneering at everything.
and lust as horrid as he could be. had
been silent.
Peter was most silent when Carrie
announced that she was very nearly
engaged to Michael, and that he was
Just as good as anybody else, and she
wasn't going to hear a word against
him.
Michael Slinknovitch was the son Of
an immigrant push-csrt man, and they
had met at the high school. He was
studying to be lawyer.
"Ask the young man to dinner Sat-
urday night, Carrie" said father.
Carrie glanced at her father In
amazement. Her father. the doctor.
universally esteemed, universally
feared, a type Of that world Carrie was
50 willing to lose. to have said that
Father, who was so stern, so unbend-
ing. so insistent on good manners and
decorum
"AIl right" Carrie had Mustered ~
she went out Of the room.
And Peter, home from college, where
he was a member of the most exclusive
societies, had not even sneeredi
htc ~
that was getting upon Carries nerves.
However, she didn't care what nasty
tricks the family was up to. She was
nineteen now, and quite able to take
care Of herself.
At the same time. she felt that she
had gained victory. She had had her
engagement-it was almost an engage
ment, though nothing had yet been
said-practically acknowledged. She
must push that point home. 1t was
too late; the family had outwitted
themselves.
For, of course, they were planning
some stroke against her and her hap
piness, as they always did. They
thought she couldn't be trusted.
Again she felt suspicious when MI
chael was received so cordially. MI
chael's clothes were certainly a little
exaggerated, but his cuffs and collar
were scrupulously clean, and he looked
dandy. A splendid dinner had been
prepared for him.
Carrie certainly felt a little uncom-
Portable at the noisy way in which MI
chael swallowed his soup. But nobody
seemed to notice 1t.
When he had finished he handed his
plate to her mother.
"That soups the stuffr' he said.
"Td like little more If it's not depriv-
ing anybody else" -r
mot in the least, Mr.. Slinkovitch."
responded Carries mother, reflling
his plate from the tureen, which, In
the old-fashioned style. was kept on
the table.
Somehow Carrie felt more uncom-
Portable still when she saw Peters alb
solutely expressionless face. But It
was worse when the meat came on. for
Michael took a great slice on his fork
and nibbled 1t. And as for the peas
well, he spread them on his knife and
thrust 1t down his throat.
And nobody seemed to notice. Carrie
knew they were all laughing at her.
As II the way man ate had anything
to do with love. She wished her ears
didn't feel SO red. She wished Peter
would say something.
When Michael took a potato in each
hand and gnawed at each alternately,
for the first time a dull resentment
against him came into Carries heart.
How stupid of him! Why hadn't no
taken the trouble to learn to eat prop
erly7
There was nothing the matter with
the pudding, only Michael. when he
had finished, scooped up the crumbs
with his thumbs and fingers.
And then the finger-bowls. Why in
the world did mother bring on the fin-
ger-bowls? Oh. horrori What was
Michael doing?
Raising his finger-bowl to his lips, he
drained the contents at gulp, set 1t
down. and looked lnquiringly about
him.
"Gee," he said. "that tasted just like
waterr'
And Peter said not a word.
How the remainder Of the evening
passed Carrie never knew. But when
Michael was gone mother came to Car
rie, and found her weeping in her
room.
Honey, dearI" said mother.
That was all. There was infinite
comfort in the touch Of mothers
hands. And nobody said word, not
even Peter.
But was 1t necessary