The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-01-27
CHAPTER VII

been Tilted Is probably not very pleas
ant anywhere, but there is no place
on earth where 1t is quite as hard
as in a small country village. But
Mary went about her usual occupa-
lions, after Branches wedding and the
storm that followed it, with her head
fheld high, and her back straighter
than ever. She got, of course, no
credit for this. 1t was set down
against her that she had never really
cared for Paul. after all, or she would
feel 1t more" Almost in the same
breath she was accused by some one
else-or even by the same person-of
having worn her heart upon her
sleeve, for all to see.
If village gossip was hard to bear,
however, the family attitude was
worse. Cousin Jane had a good deal
to say about the inevitably Afate Of
girls who ran after men didn't
want them, instead of att Ag their
plain Christian duty. lid very
little, but his silent, deJs attitude
made his daughter feel more than any
unkind words could have done, that he
felt she had disgraced him almost be-
yOnd utterance. AS for Violet, she
became so violently nervous about
the whole affair, that Mary dreaded
to see her more than all the others
put together. She never guessed that
Paul was also suffering from his
,,okl,<r,<, Uv,orvoc
ssIf you had the slightest considera.
ton for me, you never would have let
It happen she lamented over and
over again to her son. my life is so
full of grief and trouble that it takes
d good deal Of fortitude to bear it.
Here is Blanche married."
You were tickled to death over
that" muttered Paul.
"Paull How can you be so vulgar !!
! tried to be cheerful, of course. But
no one knows how miss her. And
Marys money would have come in
very handy, too"
Il didn't know Mary had any
money"
She will have, as soon as she's
twenty-one, and that's very soon now.
Laura had little property of her own,
and she left it all to Mary. don't
know as Mary knows 1t herself. but of
course Seth will tell her soon, now"
But this was not the way Violet
talked to Mary. She dwelt on the fact
that the girl had not made herself
attractive enough" to Paul, that she
was always neglecting to change her
dress and tidy her hair, that she didn't
Join with him in those little pleasures
that all young men like to "share with
their fiancees."
''But Paul didn't expect to share
them with mel" fiared Mary, stung be-
yond endurance. HE didn't even
want tol And ! guess if you did all
the cooking and cleaning and washing
and ironing for four people, and took
care Of two children into the bargain,
you wouldn't always look as nice as
you do! Don't you suppose I've longed
to be comfortable and rested-and
pretty whenever Paul saw me? /
guess I'm just as human as any other
girl, and / guess know the way to
do things just as well as you do"
swell, should manage to do them
then. and to look well at the same
time!" retorted Violet. "rhat's every
woman's duty to herself"
"What about her duty to her family,
If the two conflict"
Mercy, Mary, what a temper you
havel No wonder Paul couldn't stand
It'll I'm sure do my duty to my fam
lily, If any woman ever did, but keep
myself up. too. If you had more sys-
tenn about your homework you could
get 1t done all rights all IN the
way you do it."
Violet felt that she had come out
ahead in this tilt. Nevertheless, II
fused her up to have Mary so shock
ingly impertinent to her, as she said
TO Jane In telling her about it after.
wards. and she did not attack her In
this same way again. Instead, she
brought Blanche's letters and read