Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 77: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE PICTURE ON tion not dealing with the buying, selling, or handling of goods. Without general information and siete lacking interest in such ideas as had been crammed into his head at high school, Ware looked upon a ready talker as an inferior,,. and held ideals in suspicion. To drive a bargain he was prodigal with words, but had not one with which to sweeten life, and he spent much of the time while calling upon Lucia in dark, dense silence shot through occasionally by monosyllabic re- sponses to the’ vivacious girl of his choice. Lucia sometimes comforted herself with the reflection that after they were married it would not be necessary to try to think of something to say; life would be freer without the nightmare heaviness of his visi- tations. ‘Look here, Eugene, I guess it’s a little out of order, but considering my connec- tion with the family, I hope you'll take no exception to a few candid remarks.” “Yes, yes,” responded Eugene, who hated anything out of order and instantly became on guard when anybody else spoke of candor. ‘“Has it occurred to you that Lucia is pretty young to get married? Strikes me a girl ought to see more of the world first, to find out what sort of people are in it. Of course you and I are all right—but there are others. I don’t like the thought of her marrying so early and you might as well know how I feel about it.” “Yes, yes,” Eugene responded, looking slightly flabbier than usual. He could say “Yes, yes”’ in a dozen different ways, all of them objectionable to John, and no way was more nerve-racking than when he meant No, no,” ‘“ Of course I don’t blame you for think- ing otherwise; that’s your point of view. But what I have to consider is not you, but Lucia. Perhaps you think that, though I am her brother, I haven’t been long on the job. True, I haven’t.seen much of her, but I’ve seen a great deal of the world. I know men; and I know when they’re like you, so much older than the girls they want to marry, there’s mighty little chance of happiness for either when the man isn’t will- ing to yield one inch to the girl’s wishes— H=— THE WALL. OVD or, if you want to call it so, whims. I don’t know but you and Lucia might do well enough if you’d consider her likes and dis- likes, but as long as you hold to a straight line that isn’t her line and can’t be induced across it, seems to me the prospect is pretty dark.’’. “For instance,” Eugene said, toying with the upper boxes, “ what are you thinking of as my ‘line’? I didn’t know I had one. It’s a man’s place to run the business, and the woman’s place to run the home—if you call that a ‘line.’ Lucia isn’t ten years younger than myself, and if you'll permit a few candid remarks of my own, you’re talking nonsense. Whatever Lucia wants I want. Nobody was ever more yielding than Iam. I agree to everything.’ Suddenly he lost his flabby look and grew red. “If you weren’t her brother I should call this intolerable.” “ Naturally I didn’t. come here to quar- rel, but I did come to let you know my opinion. Eight or nine years make a great difference, when the man won’t accommo- date himself to the girl’s prejudices. for an instance, since you ask for one: you are working to drive Brother Tredmill out of town. I don’t care what your attitude toward religion is, but my sister is fond of her church. You are always opposing her. It may seem a little thing; but if you can’t yield to Lucia in little things, then the difference between your ages is too big a thing to be smoothed away.”’. ‘You said you didn’t come here to quar- rel with me. Then looks are deceiving. Tredmill is a-dead one. I won’t say he hasn’t acted from good motives, but he has meddled in the affairs of Lagville and has openly spoken of some things that don’t sound well. We men propose to lead our own lives in our own way and it’s none of Tredmill’s business how we lead them. You are hardly in a position to talk to me about religious matters. From what I’ve heard you got the gang to church by pitching horse-shoes with: the boys!” ‘I’m not talking about religious matters. I’m discussing your warfare on Lucia’s minister. That’s my only point. Look here, old fellow ’—suddenly his tone al- tered to frank entreaty—“ let up on Brother Eomichbooks Now | (E{0)