The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-02-15
he found no trace of what he remem-

ERALD
he found no trace of what he remem
,bered.
witch work! Lucky this is not
the day of Salem" he said as they sat
down to supper. but have to laugh
thinking of what Kate and Clare would
say to 1t all-you know they made me
call them that way-seemed to think
1t made us of an age"
And every bit as old as am" Miss
Polly interjected mildly. but, la!
Who'd blame emf They were born
fifty at least. So it made no difference
how they dressed or spoke, or any.
thing. Truly, give thanks to God
when they got married after such long
tryin. Women ought all to marry
once. amt sayin' they ought to
stay married If the yoke gals too
hard"
Men ought to marry as often as
they get the chance" Epictetus said
superbly. Il tell dad so every day, al
most. wonder why he don't marry?
He lost my mother when | wasn't
three months old"
He may have his reasons" Miss
Polly said, but she looked steadily into
her plate for at least two minutes.
Epictetus came often-sometimes he
brought his father. Miss Polly quickly
made her house, Cedar Trees, hos
pitable center. Squire Johnson swal-
lowed his grievances, whatever they
were, and tagged along with Son
Tommy, personable. brOad-shoul-
dered six-foot fellow, as sunny-faced
as the squire himself was sour.
Tommy rather put Epictetus out of
court, but nothing to compare with
the eclipse that Likens pere cast over
the 'squire-who might have taken out
copyright on the adjectives hard
timey and hard-boiled. There was
armed truce betwixt him and Miss
Polly, but Elsa could twist him about
her taper finger.
"You hound!' he said affectionately
to Tommy; "if you go and let that
ganglin' big-nose splay-foot Likens fell
low cut me out of the daughter have
set my heart on you'll be sorry for
it good and plenty"
"Surest thing you ever know, sir"
cOuntered Tommy; "but not on your
account-strictly on my own"
Likens pere talked to Miss Polly,
not his son. "You must know my wife
is Dead" he began. ELSE / should not
be coming here. But l must tell you
something more-she went mad when
our boy was bOrn-and tried to kill
him-her own little child. Thank God,
she never knew-after years of raving
she became imbecile. Too late knew
her mother had been the same
her mothers grandfather likewise.
So am going to counsel my son
against marriage especially now that
cynic fate has made him rich. Almost
on her deathbed his mother inherited
a fOrtune-a trust fund passes to him.
want him to get the good of it
to travel, to see, know, hear, all that
family curse-at least not pass it on.
have tried to save him by keeping
him busy. happy-and poor. You
know l am not quite pauper, but
have let him work his way as far as
possible. Now-what do you adviser"
"Why ask me?" said Miss Polly.
He gave her compelling look, say
ing: Because you have known all
along the truth-and helped me to
face it as never man was helped.
was scarcely older than my eldest pu-
pill when l came to teach here: Your
bright bravery, your sympathy saved
me from despair. Can l requite all
that by making the child of your love
unhappy?"
Never you worry over that. Tommy
Johnson is sufficient antidote-even
eff 'Tetus hadn't the nose he carries"
Miss Dolly flung back at him. But,
oh, how I'll miss the child! When
lose her it will be like the world COM
ing to an end"
let me try to fill the void,' Likens
pere said gently. Polly! You know
how ii was. / could not love thee,
dear, so much, loved I not honor
| more"
LET it go at thai" said Miss Polly
but she put her hand in his with
dazzling smile.