Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-09-23
BY FANNIE HURST
Copyright 1899: BY News Syndicate Co. Inc.
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO


different He expressed himself to the
effect that Miss Haswell was a splen-
did woman, serious minded, reserved,
and a credit to the school system.
Mamma had met papa when she
was 10 and on visit from her par
entS' home in Chillicothe, O., to rel
ativeS in ST. Louis. 1t was love at first
sight, all right, because papa, a young
business man from the south, just
starting out for himself in st. Louis,
had pursued her right back to Chill
hcothe, marrying her two weeks later
on her 18th birthday.
Nevertheless, you always had the
feeling that mamma was something
that had happened to papa in a man.
had. Dramatically opposed to his ma
ture in almost every way, she held
him like the strong magnet she was
She held him as she held almost eV-
eryone with whom she came in con-
tact. AS all through her lifetime she
held me.
AS usual, in judgments of people
papa was slower than mamma and
sometimes although not always, surer
This time it was toward papas es-
innate of Miss HasWen that 1 eagerly
turned
It was shortly after mamma began
commenting with mounting frequency
on what she considered the ill-adviSed
social seclusion of one who depended
Miss Haswell, whether by intuition or
accident, invited the ladies Of the
boarding house to tea in her room.
Mamma returned from Miss Has
wells propitiatory occasion with glow
ing reports of an afternoon delight
fully spent.
The occasion had not been without
oad thrilling awards
Mamma had visited Miss HaSwell in
her rooml Odds and ends of comment
I was subsequently able to elicit, We're
stored like bits of bright JeweHy IN
my mind
One day. during this term of the
intensity of my interest in Miss Has
well, was sent up to the office OF
the assistant principal to explain the
misdemeanor of having prompted a
girl named Blanche Clotilda in her his
tory recitation.
we enjoyed the honor system at
General High, and prompting was
high offense AS a matter of fact l
had Kissed out the date Of the Diet Of
Worms, almost on a reflex, because
the girl in back of me had been des-
perately trying to pass 1t on TO her
chum, Blanche Clotilda.
An ardent disciple Of the honor sys-
tenn, this procedure Of being sent up
to the office for such an offense would
ordinarily have been fraught with des-
pair and chagrin. AS it was, however,
Mr.. Pickens had inherited the aura of
Illusion which lowered over every one
and everything even remotely con-
nected with Miss HaSwen and I al
most welcomed by chaStisement before
this narroW-shouldered, dry-ttngered,
smaIlish man who had headaches. With
the ruthleSsneSs OF youth l deteSJed
people who had headaches.
Sure enough, on the desk beside the
assistant principal, when / entered ms
office. was the small round bottle OF
white tablets and he was moving one
around under his tongue. Regarding
me through pince-nez, he began 70
handle, in his dry fingered manner, va
rious small objects on his geometrical-
ly neat desk, and it seemed TO me his
cold gaze came swimming at me like
the eyes of goldfish seen through the
bowl.
you understand, Miss Kirk, that
we consider violation of the honor Sys-
tenn a grave misdemeanor. A second
offense means you will be up oeIore
the committee"
The narrow stopped shoulders. The
fastidious small hands that never HoOA
hold of ANYTHING with vim ana Vlgor.
The perfectly brushed suiting, gun
of chalk dust. The narrow white braid
in the v of his waistcoat Inc, I'm
Beta Kappa key on his watch cnan.
Ugh. ,,4.,o ti,oor,
It was then that the door 10 ms nus
office opened and there entered Miss
Haswell, herself on a preteXt so tnlniy
apparent to me, at least, that l could
have wept for her. ;4ou
Il hope you don't nina my A 1S5L-
rllpting, Mr. Pickens, but saw MISS
Kirk come into your Office, ana SINCE
we live in the same house, am ask
ing her to take a package OF DOCKS
home for me after school since won't
be going home. I hope you don't
ni! Quite all right, Miss Haswell."
Miss Kirk, will you stop IN my
room before you leave the building!
yes, Miss HaSwell
could have cried, that's WIlaI L
could. I could have cried; 49,
She stood for an instant after that,
tall. impeccably calm Miss HaSWeH,
lust for a brief instant, as II TO drink
IN the occasion to its dregs ana tnen'
without even a glance from Mr. FER
kins. who was scrutinizlng tne caro-
that contained the report OF my mis-
demeanor. turned and went out.
The thin pretense OF what sne
wanted with me became even more
apparent, because by the time I reached
Miss HaSwell's room, she explalne9 70
me that after all, she had decioeo 70
90 directly home after school herself,
and thanks. lust the same, 1t would
not be necessary for me to carry the
books for her.
One morning as I passed Miss Has
wells door on my way from the patn-
room, I heard the strangest noise. ~
sornded like crying. Placing my ear
close as I dared to the panel It sound o. nd
were sobbing into a pillow or some
thing thick. l..
hear rushed over me. Mamma"
cried darling into our room, come,
listen. / think Miss Haswell is crying
inside her room. -,
In her dressing sacque and curl
v,anars Mamma fastened out into the
Rsfl and stood listening beside me:
Finally she dragged me back I'M into
our room. I remember was Gluten
A., nv, Toothbrush and soap, and CLOSED