The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-10-19
Training a Man
Halter
HaCer
By MYRA CURTIS LANE

line Trevor WOuleU were QUccre
every one agreed-Old Miss Mary
and her niece Helen. Three days
before the date set for Miss Mnry's
wedding che had been Tilted; her
lover had run away with another
woman. Miss Mary Trevor had
Withdrawn into her house, no man
had been allowed to eater 1t there
after.
She was known as d map.hater.
In her old age she adopted her
niece, Helen. BY this time Mary
Trevor was harsh, gdunt, eagle-
beaked old wOmdn, universally
dreaded in the village. She walked
with masculine stride, and treat
ed men as II they were the dirt be-
meath her feet.
The women lived In q wing of
the Trevor home. All the rest had
been shut up. left just as It was
when Mary Trevor was Tilted.
When she adopted Helen and made
her her heiress, 1t was understood
that Helen was never to speak to
a man, was to carry on her tradi-
ton Of man-hatred throughout her
own days.
Scandal flies quickly through a
small town. At twenty-five Helen
Trevor was small. pretty, with q
quick, bright, timid way about her.
People said 1t was q shame that
she couldn't even have u beau.
Then they began to couple the
name Of the sources son with hers.
All eyes were in the conspiracy
Of observation. If the squire's son.
Jim Benson, were near. It was said
Helen's quick color came and went.
It was rumored that they had been
seen talking on the outskirts Of the
town. -
Everybody said that II old Mary
learned of 1t Helen Trevor would
be turned out without a penny. The
old squire had nothing, and a large
family to support on IT. Jim Ben.
son had a clerical position in the
bank. It would be madness to
affront sich old Mary Trevor.
Nevertheless the gossip persist
ed. Once It was said they had been
seen together at a nearby town,
walking hand in handy along the
roads. Nothing more developed,
however. Not for long time. at
least.
Did old Miss Mary really expect
to mold her niece into a man.
hater like her grabbed, bitter old
self She was sharp as hawk she
watched Helen all the time from
behind her shade-even when the
postman came or the baker called
No man had ever set foot within
the precincts of the Trevor home
since she had been Tilted. Age was
creeping on her, but, instead of
softening, she grew harder. She
was even. folks said, suspicious of
the airplanes that sometimes flew
! overhead, for fear that some lover
Of Helen's might be aboard, looking
down. It was a mania, Ut course
Helen grew more wistful as the
summer days grew into winter. One
day whisper ran like wildfire
through the town, terrible, devas.
tating whisper. Another day It was
confirmed. After that the women
watched her from behind their
shades. Some turned away when
she passed. -
Old Mary began to watch. She
| began to taunt her. She grew sar-
castle; then she grew sweet. Then
one day her rage overlooked In q
| fury like Storm ~
It beat down. the defenses OF the
stammering, terrified girl. and that
long, beringed, accusing finger
pointed at her like sword.
! "Y0u--!" ~
! It was a word that had never
passed Miss Mary's lips before.
HIt's truel" Es
| Helen could not speak. A mis-,
was circllng round her, ont Of Il
those terrible old eyes. blazing into
hers.
"Go into the streetsi Stop
Who is the manl" ID
The name filtered though Helen,
lips. s..
j Il shall kill him. ! We Trevor
| women are able to defeni our own
honor" III So
| Suddenly Helen felt at her Tee,
and clasped her knees. Listen
You shall listen to me now. Jim
and I are married"
''What7"
"We were married last spring II
Tilton. We loved each other. we
couldn't live without each other
Many a time ] wanted 10 tell you
and beg your forgiveness, but /
didn't dare. Now I'm going, bul
Tim not ashamed. I2love Jim. and
( I'm proud OF him r.
j She walked to the door, head IN
shoulders squared Then some
thing II Miss Mary broke.
Il "Helen!"
i The girl turned.
| "Run and open up the rest Of thu
houaG, my dear. We've been shut
up In this wing too long,
o. 1879. Westsrn Newspaper Union.> :.