Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1934-03-16

you Marty you were gong To saw
I don't really think you are going to
be married." he confessed III yon
were. the man wouldn't let me come
here like this"
''What sort of crime do you want to
make me believe you have comnitted?r
Sniff asked crisply. Except for the
fact that you have evidently trided
with Miss Mercedes young affections
I'd take you for fairly harmless in
dividual"
I'm practically a pariahtr John
stone Nesbit exclaimed hoarsely, with
such an entire change of manner that
she felt amazed and shaken. IT'S pos
sible that when I've told you about
myself you'll never LET me come here
again. That's why I'm in no hurry to
begin. 1t meant a great deal to me
when you said might come here as
friend"
Take your time" Sniff suggested.
There's no hurry. although ! feel con-
WINGED that nothing you can say will
alter my attitude toward you. Have
cigarette and think things over. May
be you'd rather not go into this at all;
but, If you decide you wish me to hear
1t, please begin at the beginning. I'm
a firm believer in the effect of ones
childhood on ones afterlife. Where
did you live when you were a little
boy?" she asked. seeking to lead him
to begin his story.
II was born in Paris" Nesbit told
her after lighting her cigarette and his
own. My father was one of the lazy
rich. He'd never done days work
Of any kind. but he loved to splurge
about where he could pass himself
OFF as one Of the great American fnan-
ciers. Then he was enjoying himself.
d--n his fat carcass. We followed the
fashions. That is, we had home of
sort, magnificent hut unhomelike, IN
Paris; and were dragged about from
one watering place to another at my
fathers heels. If Jasper s. Rockwell
tiattered 1t with his patronage. it
needed no further advertisement to
proclaim 1t the most fashionable of
resorts. And he was popular. That
great fat lump of man oozed wit.
laughter and good nature EXCEPT in the
heart of his family.
81 don't mean that my father was
brutal to my mother in the ordinary
sense Of brutality. | am certain there
was nothing of which she could make
legal complaint. He practlced a re.
fined cruelty. What she liked-mnslc
to give you one instance-he protested
to he unable to endure. his nerves
would not permit il: and it was the
same with everything she cared for
Perhaps it will set the case clearly be
fore you if say very early in life
learned to make no demonstrations of
affection for her in his presence. She
never actually told me that we must
conceal our love for each other; but.
when with him. her manner to me
was SO distant that took the cue and
repressed my natural exuberance.
When we were alone, which was not
SO often as she wished, we were happy
and in those hours. snatched from
what recognized even then as a mis-
cradle existence. she devoted herself
TO instilling in me sense of patriot.
ism, possibly with an intention of over
coming TIE handicap of my foreign
birth. must never forget that / was
an American. The Americans were
the best. the bravest, the kindest PEG
pie in the whole world. Over and over
again she told me this, interlarded
with scraps OF American history. with
anecdotes, with tales of our forefa-
Tiers; and | soaked it Up as If nv
mind were dry sponge, ready to alb
sorb anything. suppose really IL was
something like that. You see. was
receiving no education. or almost none.
My only attendant was my fathers
valet ToiSon a gross and ignorant
man past middle age, with whom al
one time or other visited all the
convenient brasseries. My father did
not concern himself about me. NV
mother feared to show her solicitude.
a. uSau VI what hdppeieu little 4
later. She taught me to read; but my
lessons were irregular, since her time
was never her own and there was all
too little opportunity for her to de-
vote herself to me. You must under
stand that was not the only one who
thought her beautiful My father was
tlattered by the sensation she created
at social functions. Was she not one
of his possessions? He thoroughly en-
joyed exhibiting her and gave an
amount of thought to her adornment
that she never did. There must have
been a story to explain their marriage.
What it was was too young to be
told. No doubt I was a sadly neglect
ed child but so long as maman and
could steal our moments together,
was happy. The crisis came on their
return from a fortnight's stay with
the Connie and Comtesse de Chatillon
at their chateau near Ruel. Their two
sons, one older, one younger than l,
were both so far advanced beyond me
In education that my poor mother was
forced to face the fact that at last
come action must be taken for my