The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, October 7, 1915, Page 14

T — L 3 s THE NONPARTISAN LEADER PAGE FIFTEEN" —_— Ffrom: her comely yeillow face, ™ claimed as she made a good natored |- “I've kept everything ready for youw, face at him. Child.. since old mus’ died, and I aini *“That’s what Evelina said four years- |- never stayed offen the place a week at Ago, uand she has proved it he an- [# time. I was just visiting eut Petu- swered her, looking at me just exactly | bin's-way when I beard you'd come, as if he hnd never left off doing lt‘ and gittin’ a wife to tend to us and since that last dance, back 'to you quick was the only thing 1 <*How lovely to find Fou in’the samef | that - ¢oncerned me. ' Now we can ah i exuberant spirits in which 1 lef¢ you, | settle’ -down . comf'table ‘Wwhile - I “has Polk, dear?’ I exclaimed'as L gol, up toi Tuny:knock up ‘some Adinner, a. compa- ‘go and shake hands with him, .as he! | Dy one, I bopes, if Miss’ Martha and bad' sunk into the most coinfortable! | the rest will stay with us." . Jasper's chair in the room without-troubling to‘ manner is an exact copy of my father’s bestow that attention upon me. courtly grace, done in sepia, and my Some men’s hearts beat with such a’ | eyes misted for'a second as I recipro- strong rhythm that every feminine | cated the invitation, taking acceptnnce heart which comes within hearing dis- | for granted. tance immediately catches step .andi| “Of course they will stay, U!!CIG Jas- goes to waltzing. It has been four years | per.” . ; since mine swung around against hisi | “Well” remarked Sallie, with a gasp, at that dance, but I'm glad Cousint ‘you've: gone to housekeepmg in twe Martha was there and interrupted usi minutes, Eveling.” H enough to make me drag my eyes from: “Jasper has always been a very his as he Jeoked up and 1 leoked down.i forceful personality,” said Cousin May- “Please -help us to persuade Evehna | tha.. “He managed everything . for to come and. live with James and 'me, [ your father at the last, Evelina, and k Polk. dear.” she said, glaneing at him! | don’t know how the. whole town would- with the deepest confidence and affec- baive been easy about the colonel un- tion in her eyes. There is no sge-imit ||esg they hnd trusted’ Jasper." to Polk’s victims, and Cousin: Martha “I like the terms on which he takes had always adored him. i unto: himself i wife” drawled Polk. as “All women do, Evelina, why, not Y"’W he lighted' a cigarette without: lookh!g' =live with James?" he asked, aud.I fpt yne.: - “Géod-for-Jasper!” thought I dete:ted a mocking flicker | . “However; it does ‘take & ‘foveefin: ‘in bis big, hazel, dangerous-eyes: personality’ :to-capture g ‘suitable Wwo- ~“If T ever necd protection it wilt be man’ in t{hnt' m:nner.” 1 answeredt: James—and Cousin Martkr I will rum : uek one to for it—but I never will,”” L answered :hbbil;;‘ ed, h”c én l'd" th(;.» him very simply, with net a- trace- of 2 TRy Wi even - Salllg, in 3 . all her anxiety, joined in. lt:;:; gfg‘;&lc; ll.nywvaosi cgflgi,rimf:ing ek ‘The commangding, black old man and Paris and London and New. York are, | 1€ Bappy: faced; plump, little yellow ‘ice safe places to live fir in compari- woman had- saved one: sltmmop—nm}w son with Glendale, Tenn,, in some . re- | forced another, perhaps. spects. I wonder why I hadn't beem | JASDEF's:home. coming: dinner- party more scared than I wag last night as | #8582 large: and: successful: one: Two- the train whirled me down into prex- | Of the dear little old Horton:lady- cous- imity to Polk Hayes. But then I had | I8 &0t'so impatient at Cousin-Marthe's hag four years of forgetting him-stored | DOt hrmging mé: bucik<to’ Widegables | up as a bulwark. that- they: came teetering- over-to see | “But what are you going to do; Eve- about.it, heavily aecompanied by ‘Mty. lina?” Sallie again began to question; [ Hargrove, whese son had been Cousin with“positive alarm in her voicé,-and I |James” best-friend-at. the University: ‘saw:that it was time for me-to:produce [ of Virginia and. died: and left her to him ‘S0me: Sort’of . a - protector: ‘then and-|since I had:-been at college. 'The pon- :there or capitulate. derosity of her mind was only equaled "'And I record the fact that I wanted by that of ber body. I wust say Pefu- to go home with Sallie’ and’ Cousin:[nia made a. hit with. the dear old sou¥ Martha and the babies and—and live by the seasening of her ehicken:gravy. under the roof of the mossback far- Sailie¢ wanted- to- send: the children- ever. “All that citizenship: feeling I home; but- Jasper wouldn't let her: and- had got poured into me from- Jane.and mngether we had eleven:at tables tiad tried on Diclkie, “good old Dickie,; | Polk maneuvered for a seat:st the- had tspllle;lt houPt ]‘:{f me at thie* first en-" | hiend of my festive hoard, with a sparie counter w () l’lhele i;;dn great big hunt gulnbg;on in: ::nge ogegei;rggflzm ::; g::p}a;z_ this wor! and women-ave t ones: only a short lap ahead. - Can' . we turn: uie, and he seated Cousin Martha fv & 5 father’s: chair with great: ceremeny. and make good the fight—or won't we: |- And I looked down the-lon table be torn to death? It has come-to this a8 e 7 ONg ' it seems: Women must either be weak: bright with: all. the old silver Jaspe:- and cling so close to man that she can’t: had had time to-polish, gay: with'reses be struck, keep entirely out of the: {;2:; i:’y g:mtl:n gt:::elf:;vba;lormfi;& v Rointe b L ey e forthr with' them - bubbling.. babies; suddenly: my beavt blceps equal to his. Jane ought-te: bave had me in training longer; ‘for: 1 filled. to the very brim:-with love of-Jt all—-and for miné own peeople. el P'm discovering that I'm: wealc—of bi- But; just as suddenly; a tision:camo ceps. “Are you coming—are you:.coming.te: live with us, Evelina? Are you com- into my mind.of the long: table acres: ing? Answer!” questioned the small | the road at Widegables; with- the mosy- Henrietta as she stood comarandingly: -buck. seated-at-one end . with only two-- in front of me. or three of his charges- stretched alonz “Flease. Evelina.” camein:a coax: | the empty. sides to:keep him company:.- y from Sallie, while the kit crawled over |. I wanted him: to be: heve. with, us. ¥ and caught at my skirt as Cousin: Mm | wanted: him-badly. and: 1 ‘went to zct - tha raised her eyes to mine:with a-gen- [ bim. I cxeused:-myself suddeny. tell: . 2 tle echo of the combined:wovingss- - - . [ ing. thenr al} just:why. T didwt lodk Then suddenly into Polk’s-eyes: fimm={ #t:Polk; but Coushr-Martha’s face Wi Iovely ‘a8 she-toldime.te run: quickiy: : » - T found. him: on.the front poreh; Smok ? i AUTHOR OF e g'fiz MELTING C_opyrfnht, 1915, the Century Compnny. > SYNOPSIS Eveling; at the request of her rich friend Jane, attempts to demonstrate that it is possible and advisable for a woman to Wwoo and win o mate just as a man does. Evelina returns to her old home, where ’ shé meéets heér fifth cousin, James Hardin, whom she calls the *“Crag,” and insists “on Wving alone... “fiIt would be lovely,” I answered, nnd the-reply was not all insflicerity, as I thought of the darkness of thaf long night. and the Bunch’s offer of a ‘place at her. sturdy little back ‘*‘next the wall.” “But I 'will be so busy with my own work, Cousin Martha. that I am afraid I couldn’t do justice to the situation and repay the.children and Sallie for crowding thém.” “Why, you couldn't erowd us, Eve- lina, honey,” came in Saliie’s rich voice as she sailed into the room, trailing the pup and the kit at her skirts and EhRa last time, and theéy got things so mud- dled that it was .voted on incorrectly: I-will have to write it out for him so he can explain it to.them. I will need you in many ways to help me.help Pe- ter be mayor of Glendale, Evelina. 1 am wearied affer ten. years of the strain of his office. I shall call on you for assistance often in the mosi im- portant -matters;” with whick .prom- ise that sounded like a threat she pro- .ceeded to march- down the front path} almost stepping on: Henrietta, who was coming up the same path, with almost the same emphasis. There was some sort of an explosion. and I hope the kind of words I heard hurled after the train were not used. - *“That oM blick crow is a-going to git in-trouble with me some day; Marfy,” Henrietta remarked us she settled her- self on the arm of Cousin Martha’s chair after bestowing a smudgy kiss ns at loose ends, | OB the little white curl that wrapped g%'vil;gv;n::giertonngp ymtx movee over around one of the dear old lady’s pink right amy..v little ears. I bad felt that way about o Cousin Martha myself at the Buneh‘ How. are you, Evelina, and are you sn‘l‘ile on the subject. ;5 crazy, Sallie Carruthers?” came in a Well, “what are .you going to. do,. deep raven croak of a voice that sound. | EVelina?” asked Sallie, and she: turned: ed as if it ha@ harked partly from the | Such a young, helpless, wondering face tomb as Aunt Augusta Shelby stood in | UP to me from the center of her clus- the doorway with reproof on her lips | teT' of babies, that my Dbeart almost and sternness on lier brow.: “Peter | failed me at the idea of pouring what and I will have Evelina move down | Seemed to me at that-moment the: poi- immediately “with us. James Hardin | o0 of modernity into the calm waters has as much in the way of a.family | ©f her.and Cousin.Martba’s primitive as he can very well stand up under | Placidity. now.” “You'll bave to live some.place where And as she spoke Aunt Augusta |there is a man,” she continued, with glared at Sallie with such ferocity that | Worried conviction. even SalHe's sunshiny presence was; My time had come and the fight was slightly dimmed. on. Oh, Jane! “Are you ready, Evelina? Peter.will “l don't believe I really feel that " send thie smrrey for your baggage” | Way about it,"-1 began in the gentlest " she continued. and for a°moment 1 | of manners and slowly, so as to. feel " quailed, for Aunt Augusta’s determina- | my way.. *‘You see, Sallie dear., and " tion of mind’is always formidable, but | dearest Cousin Martha, I bhave had to I summoned my woman's wit and | be out in the world so much—alone. " man’s courage and answered quickiy | that I am used to it. 1—I haven’t bad before she fairly snatched me from | a man’s protection for so long that 1 under my own rooftree. don’t need it, as 1 would if I were like “That would be lovely, Aunt Augus- | you two blessed sheltered women.” ta, and how are you?' I answered and “I know it has been hard, dear,” said asked’ in- the same breath, as I drew | Cousin Martha gently Iooking_ her sym- near enough to her to receive a busi- | pathy at my lorn state, qver her uesslike peck on my cheek. “I expect | glasses. to have you and Uncle Péter to look “I don’t see how you have stood it at after me a lot. but somehow I-feel that | all.” said Sallie. zbout to dissolve in father would have liked—liked for me | tears. “The love and-protection and : to live here and. keep my home—his | sympathy of a man are the only things ‘home—open. Sorne way will arrange | in life worth anything to n woman. itself.: 1 baven’t talked with Cousin:l Since my loss 1 don’t know what 1 James ‘yet”" 1 felt white feathers | would have done without Cousin James. sprouting all over me, as I thus in- | You must come into his kind care, voked the masculine dominance I had | Evelina.” come to lay. “I must learn to endure loneliness,” 1 “You'll have to settle that matter { answered sadly, about to begin to gulp with your Uncle Peter, then, for; fol- | from force of example, and the pres- lowing his dictates of which I did not | sure of long hereditary influence. approve, T have done our duty by the I'm glad that I did not dissolve, hqw- orphan. New. KEvelina, let me say in [ ever, before ‘what followed happened, . Iy own person that I thoroughly ap- | for in the twinkling of two bare feet ‘prove of your doing just as you plan.! | I was smothered in the.embrace of And as she uttered this heresy she | Henrletta; whe in- her rush brought i, Jooked so. straight and militant and al- | either the pup_or ' the: kit - can't tepk ‘together ‘commanding that botl €ousin. | ‘which yet, along to Belp her infold Martha and:Sallie quailed; -T felt'elat- | -1y come stay .vith you forever;"and .+ ed,'as if. my: soul-were- about to get {we don’t need no men; don’t: like ’em “'sight of & kindred. personality, or, rath- | nohow!” she was exclaiming: dotvn' my er a soul relative of yours, Jane: 'bw_k when a drawl from the doorway *‘Ob, she would be so lonely, Mrs. | mude us'aib turn in that direction, - . Shelby, and she”— Sallie was ventur- “Why, Henrletta, my own, can.it be “ Ingto say with trepidation, when Aunt | you who utter such cruel sentiments .. Augusta cut her short without cere: | in my absence?” And Polk Hayes "~ ‘mony. A lounged into the rebm with the same = ' “Lonely, nonsense! : Such a busy wo- | daring' listlessness thut he had 'used < man as. 1 now feel sure Evelina is go- [ in trying to hold'mé in his arms out on | ~ - ing to.be, will not have t e to be lone- | the porch the night I had said: goodby . 1y, 4 wish I could stay,and talk with to him and Glendale four years.ago: “'you' further about your' plans,. but 1| Henrietta’s chibby little body gave a - must huery back and straighten out | wriggle of delight. and much senfiment Peter's, mind;, ‘that question of ‘the | beamed in’ ber ruggpd. small faeg as |’ 'an wnt:él‘!upply thatis to conie up ’sne nnsweret‘! ‘him ‘with enthuslnsm. day:: ed still another demand that something told me 1 would have to answer fater:s img-his ‘pipe alone;: while: the: two Ifitlo - - relics ‘whom .be-had. bad: left to dine I had capitulated and closed: this beok: |- with hitr -were taking their twor re- forever when the deliverance eame; ‘speetive nups.- Our dinner was: jate o H - ¢ APTER R account: of the initiation of Petunia Jasper and Petusnia.. -, and he bad finished before we: began’i+ ASPER, a little older, but as black | and powpous as eved;: stood: in the doorway and. a.portly: figure with yellow, shining tnea on tho ‘ step-behind him. W Uncle, Jnsper‘. hevr dfl: ydm know: .. was: hele"" I: excltimedvas 3 B fairly ran to bhold out ‘my tnmt to hiu © “Mas’ James sent we word-last night.; and I would er been hereby dnybrenk; | missie, ’cept ‘1 had to hunt dis yerei suitable woman to bring. af{ang.,wffiu - me. Make your ’beesence toz“xlisa*h‘.ve-, i “I' stole"inost of ‘your family today;” ; 'I'/plunged * headlong: into: my errands - ! 5 “but I want you.-tee;. most of all.” & “Youw've‘got me-evenif yowdoprefer ! 'to keep we across the road frow you,’ Hi answered ‘witli the most 'solemn:ex- -pmsslun~on ‘RIS face, but with a-erin- " kle of 1 smile in - the eorners. of his deep. eyes. ) I can’t rememher when: T aidw’t loole with" eaggrmess-for: that crinkle-in b eyes, even: when I was: a' child and he- lina, Lucy Petunia;” he comm ; ;”iml ::t thfilfim" e;:g:;fideredm"! “mmm@”‘ ’ “You needn't to bother:to; show: hert i A anything, child,” he continued: ealmiy:i-} “E'Il learn ber all she need®: ta:lknow:| to suit us. . Then if in a week she:huve; showh suit,nble ablllty tu ‘please; uss}|- both my word iy eut to marrynermxh Sunday night. Ain’t that m under-: