NOTiTTT ?T,TTR KEMT-WKKTCLY TRIBUNE.
By
Sooth TarMngtoii
Copyright br Donbledny, rg ft Company.
JI
"COME ONI" SHE CRIED.
Synopsis. Major Amberson had mado a fortune In 1873 when other people
wore loilng fortunes, and the magnificence of the Amborsons begun then.
Major AmberBon laid out a 200-acro "dovelopmcnt," with roads nnd statuary,
and In the center of a four-ncro tract, on Amberson avenuo, built for himself
the rnout magnificent mansion Midland City had over ween. When tho major'a
daughter married young Wilbur Mlnafor tho neighbors predicted that as
isaPa) could novor really love Wilbur all her love would bo bestowed upon tho
chlidren. There Is only ono child, however, George Amberson Mlnafer, nnd
his upbringing and his youthful accomplishments us a mischief maker aro
quit In keoplng with the most pessimistic predictions. By the tlmo Qeorgo
goer away to college he docs not attempt to conceal his belief that tho
AmBsrsons aro about tho most Important family In tho world. At a ball given
In hi honor when ho returns from college, Qeorgo monopolizes Lucy Morgan,
n. stranger and tho prettiest girl presont, and gots on famously with her until
he learns that a ''queer looking duck" at whom ho had been poking much fun,
Is the young lady's father. Ho Is Eugono Morgan, a former rosldcnt of
Dlgb-irg, nnd ho Is returning to erect a. factory and to build horseless carriages
of h1 own Invention. Eugene had been an old admirer of Isabel's und they
had hecn engaged when Isabel throw him over because of a youthful Indiscre
tion and married Wilbur Mlnafor. George makes rapid progress In his courtship
ct Luoy.
CHAPTER VII Continued.
IIo groaned faintly. "Aren't your
brother and Georgia escorts enough
for you nnd Fanny?"
"Wouldn't you enjoy it at nil?"
"You know I don't."
Isabel let her lmnd remain upon
hln shoulder n moment longer; she
stood behind him, looking Into tho Arc,
George, wntchlng her broodlngly,
thought them wns more color In her
face than the reflection of tho flames
accounted for. "Well, then," alio said
Indulgently, "stay nt homo and be
"Wo Won't Urge You If You'd Really
Rather Not"
hnppy. Wo won't urge you If you'd
really rather not."
"I really wouldn't," he said content
edly. Half an hour later Gcorgo was pass
ing through the upper hall, In a bath
robe stage of preparation for tho eve
ning's" gnyetlcs, when ho encountered
his Aunt Fanny. Ho stopped her.
"Look hcrel" ho said.
"What In tho world Is tho matter
with you?" sho demanded, regarding
him with Uttlo amiability. "You look
if you uro rehearsing for a villain
m a play."
His expression gave no sign of
yielding to tho request; on tho con
wary, its sombcrncss deepened. "I
suppose you don't know why father
doesn't want to go tonight," ho said
nolemnly.
no never wants to go anywhere
that I over heard of," said Fanny,
"What is the matter with you?"
"lie doesn't want to go becauso ho
doesn't llko this man Morgan. Look
here, what makes you nnd and ev
erybody so excited over him?"
" 'Excited I'" sho Jeered. "Can't
pcoplo be glad to seo an old friend
without silly children llko you having
to mako a to-do about It? I'vo Just
been in your mother's room suggest
ing that sho might glvo a llttlo dinner
for them "
"For who?"
"For whom, Georgia l For Mr.
Morgan and his daughter,"
"Look hcrel" Gcorgo said quickly.
Don't do thntl Mother mustn't do
that It wouldn't look well."
'"Wouldn't look welll"' Fanny
mocked him ; and her suppressed' ve
hemence betrayed a surprising acerb
Ity. "Seo here, Georglo Mlnnfer, I
suggest that you Just march straight
on Into your room and finish your
dressing! Sometimes you sny things
that show you havo n pretty mean
little mind I"
Gcorgo wns so astounded by this
outburst that his Indignation wns de
layed by his curiosity. "Why, what
flpsots you this way?" ho Inquired.
"I know what you mean," sho said,
her volco still lowered, but not do
creasing in sharpness. "You're trying
to Insinuate that I'd get your mother
"io invito Eugene Morgan hero on my
account becauso he's a widower 1"
"I am?" George gasped, nonplused
"I'm trying to tnslnunto that you're
Kitting your cap at him und getting
"LET'S DANCE1"
mother to help you? Is that what you
mean?"
Beyond a doubt that was what Miss
Fanny meant. She gavo him a white
hot look. "You attend to your own
affairs 1" she whispered fiercely, nnd
swept away.
George, dumfounded, returned to
his room for meditation.
IIo had lived for years In tho same
house with his Aunt Fanny, nnd It
now appeared that during all those
years ho had been thus Intimately as
sociating with n total stranger. Never
before had ho met tho passionate
Indy with whom he hnd Just held n
convcrsntlon In the hnll. So she want
ed to get married I And wanted
George's mother to help her with this
horseless-cnrrlngo widower I
"Well, I will bo shot 1" ho muttered
nlomd. "I well I certainly will be
shot." And ho begun to laugh.
"Lord 'lmlghtyl"
Hut presently, nt tho thought of the
horsclcs3-carrIago widower's daugh
ter, his grlmness returned, nnd lie re
solved upon a lino of conduct for tho
evening. He would nod to her care
lessly when he first saw her; nnd
ufter that he would notice her no
more: ho would not dance with her;
ho would not favor her in the cotil
lion ho would not go near hert
, . . IIo descended to dinner upon
tho third urgent summons of tho col
ored butler, having spent two hours
dressing and rehearsing.
Tho Hon. George Ambcrson was a
congressman who leu cotillions tho
sort of congressman an Ambcrson
would be. Ho did It negligently to
night, yet with Infallible dexterity,
now nnd then glancing humorously nt
the spectators, peoplo of his own age.
Georglo had carried out his re
hearsed projects with precision. IIo
had given Miss Morgan a nod studied
Into perfection during his lengthy toi
let beforo dinner. "Oh, yes, I do
seem to remember thnt curious llttlo
outsider 1" this nod seemed to say,
Thereafter nil cognizance of her cvnp
orntcd : the curious little outsider was
permitted no further existence worth
the struggle. Nevertheless sho flnslied
In tho corner of his eyes too often.
Sho seemed to bo having a "wonder
ful tlmo I"
An unbenrablo soreness accumulat
ed In his chest: his dlsllko of tho girl
und her conduct Increased until he
thought of leaving this sickening As
scmbly nnd going homo to bed. That
would show her I But Just then ho
heard her laughing nnd decided thnt
it wouldn't show her. So ho remained.
When the young couples seated
themselves in chairs ngainst tho walls
round throe sides of tho room for the
cotillion Gcorgo Joined n brnzen-fneed
group clustering nbout tho doorway
youths with no partners, yet eligible
to bo "called out" and favored. IIo
marked thnt his undo pluccd the In-
fcrnnl Kinney nnd Miss Morgnn, ns
tho lending couple, In the first chnlrs
at tho head of tho lino upon the lead
cr's right; and this disloyalty on the
part of Undo Georgo wns Inexcusable,
for In tho family circle the nephew
hnd often expressed his opinion of
Fred Kinney. In his bitterness George
uttered n slgnltlcant monosyllable.
Tho music nourished, whereupon
Mr. Kinney, Miss Morgan and six of
their neighbors roso nnd waltzed
knowingly. Mr. Ambcrson's whistle
blew; then tho eight young peoplo
went to tho favor tnblo nnd wcro
given toys nnd trinkets wherowlth to
delight tho new partners it was now
their prlvllcgo to select
Gcorgo -strolled with a bored air to
tho tropical grove, whero sat his eld
ers, and seated himself bcsldo his
Undo Sydney. Ills mother leaned
across Miss Fanny, raising her volco
over tho music to speak to him.
"Georgle, nobody will bo ablo to seo
you here. You'll not bo favored. You
ought to bo whero you can dance."
"Don't caro to," ho returned.
"Boro I"
"But you oucht " Sho stonncd
nnd laughed, waving her fun to direct
his attention behind him. "Look,
Over your shoulder!"
He turned and discovered Miss
Lucy Morgan In tho act of offorlng
him n purplo toy balloon.
"I found you I" sho laughed.
Gcorgo was startled. "Well" ho
said.
"Would you rather 'sit It out?'"
Lucy iiskd quickly us ho did not
move. "I don't caro to oanco ir
you "
"No," ho snld, rising. "It would be
better to dance." His tone wns sol
emn, nnd solemnly he departed with
her from the grove. Solemnly he
dnnccd with her.
Four times, with not tho slightest
encouragement, she brought him n
favor: foiw times in succession.
When the fourth enmo, "Look hero I"
snld Georgo huskily. "You going to
keep this up nil night? What do you
mcun by it?"
For an Instant she ueccmed con
fused. "That's what cotillions are
for, uren't they?" she murmured.
"What do you mean: what they're
for?"
So that a girl can dance with a
person sho wants to?"
George's husklness Increased. "Well,
do you menn you you want to dnnce
with me all the time all evening?"
Well, this much of It evidently 1"
sho laughed.
"Is it because you want to even
things up for making me angry I
mean for hurting my feelings on the
way home?"
With her eyes averted for girls of
nineteen can bo as shy ns boys,
sometimes sho snld, "Well you
only got angry becauso I couldn't
danco tho cotillion with you. I I
didn't feel terribly hurt with you for
getting nngry about thatl"
"Was there nny other reason? Did
my telling you I liked you havo any
thing to do with it?"
Sho looked up gently nnd as George
met her eyes something exquisitely
touching yet queerly delightful gave
him a catch In the throat. She looked
Instantly awny, and, turning, ran out
from tho palm grove, whero they
stood, to tho dancing floor.
"Come on I" sho cried. "Let's
dance 1' 1'
Ho followed her.
"See here I I " ho stammered.
"You menn Do you "
No, no" sho laughed. J'Let's
dance I"
Ho put his arm nbout her nlmost
tremulously and they began to waltz.
It was a happy dance for both of
them.
Christmas day Is tho children's, but
tho holidays are youth's dancing
time. Tho holidays belong to the
early twenties and tho 'teens, home
from school nnd college. It Is the
liveliest time In life, tho happiest of
the irresponsible times In life. Moth
ers ech.o Its happiness nothing Is
like a mother who has a son home
from college, except another mother
with n son homo from college. Yet
they glvo up their sons to tho daugh
ters of other mothers, and find it
proud rapture enough to bo allowed
to sit and watch.
Thus Isabel watched Georgo and
Lucy dancing ns together they danced
away tho holidays of that year Into
tho past.
They seem to get along better than
they did at first, those, two children,"
Fanny Mlnafer said, sitting beside
her nt the Sharons' danco a week
after the Assembly. "They seemed to
bo always having llttlo quarrels of
some sort nt first. At least Georgo
"I Found You I" Sho Laughed.
did: ho seemed to bo continually
pecking at that lovely, dainty llttlo
Lucy, nnd being cross with her over
nothing."
" 'Pecking?' " Isabel laughed. "What
a word to uso about Georglo I I think
I never know a more angelically
nmlnblo disposition In my life 1"
Miss Fanny echoed her sister-In-law'a
laugh, but it was a rueful echo,
and not sweet. "He's nmlnblo to you!
sho snld. "That's all tho side of him
you uvor happen to see. And why
wouldn't he bo tunlnblo to anybody
that simply foil down and worshiped
him every minute of her life? Most
of us would I"
Just
look nt him I"
"Oh, I'm not going to nrguo with
you about George 1" said Miss Fanny.
"I'm fond enough of him, for thnt
matter. Ho can be charming, nnd he's
certainly stunning looking, if only"
"Let the 'If only' go, dear," Isabel
suggested good-naturedly. "Let's talk
about that dinner you thought I
should "
"I?" Miss Fanny Interrupted quick
ly. "Didn't you want to glvo It your
self?" "Indeed I did, my dear I" said Isa
bel heartily. "I only meant that un
less you had proposed it perhaps I
wouldn't"
But hero Eugene came for her to
dance, and she left the sentence un
completed. Holiday dnnces can be
happy for youth renewed ns well us
for youth in bud and yet it wns not
wUh tho lr of a rival thnt Miss
Fanny watched her brother's wife
dnnclng with the widower. Miss
Fanny's eyes narrowed n little, but
only ns if her mind engaged In n hope
ful calculation. Sho looked pleased.
CHAPTER VIII.
A few days after George's return
to tho university it became evident
that not qutto everybody had gazed
with complete benevolence upon tho
various young collegians nt their
holiday sports. Tho Sunday edition
of the principal morning paper even
expressed some bitterness under tho
heading, "Gilded Youths of tho Fin-dc-SIeclo"
this was considered the
Knowing phrase or the time, espe
cially for Sunday supplements nnd
there Is no doubt that from certain
references In this bit of writing some
people drew the conclusion that Mr.
George Ambcrson Mlnafer had not
yet got his como-upance, a postpone
ment still Irritating. Undeniably
Fanny Mlnafer wns ono of the people
who drew this conclusion, for she cut
the article out and inclosed it in a
letter to' her nephew, having written
on tho border of the clipping, "I won
der whom It can mean I"
George read part of it:
Wo debate sometimes what Is to bo the
future of this nation when we think that
In a few years public affairs may be In
tho hands of tho fln-de-sleclo glided
youths wo seo about us during the Christ
mas holidays. Such foppery, sUch luxury,
such insolence was surely nevor prac
ticed by the scented, overbearing patri
cians of tho Palatine, even in Home's
most decadent epoch. With his airs of
young milord, his fast horses, his gold
and silver cigarette cases, his clothes
from a New York tailor, his recklessness
of money showered upon him by Indulgent
mothers or doting grandfathers, he re
spects nothing and nobody. "IIo Is blase,
if you please. Watch him at a social
function, how condescendingly ho deigns
to select a partner for tho popular waltz
or two-step; how carelessly he shoulders
older people out of his way, with what a
blank stare he returns tho salutations of
some old acquaintance whom he may
choose In his royal whim to forget!
Ono wonders what has come over tho
new generation. Of such as theso the re
public was not made. When we compare
tho young manhood of Abraham Lincoln
with tho specimens wo are now producing
wo see too well that it bodes ill for the
twentieth century
George yawned nnd tossed the clip
ping Into his wnsto bnsket, wondering
why his aunt thought such dull non
sense worth the sending. As for her
Insinuation, penciled upon tho border,
ho supposed sho meant to Joke a sup
position which neither surprised him
nor altered his lifelong opinion of
iter wit.
Ho read her letter with moro in
terest :
. . . Tho dinner your mother gave for
tho Morgans was a lovely affair. It was
last Monday evening, Just ton days after
you loft It was appropriate that your
motner. nerseif an old friend, should as
semble a representative selection of Mr.
Morgan's old friends around him nt such
a time. He was In great spirits and most
entertaining.
Ho will soon becln to build his factory
here for the manufacturo of automobiles.
whicn no says is a term ho prefers to
horseless carriages." Your Uncle X3eorgo
told me ho would llko to Invest In this
factory, as Georgo thinks there Is a fu
ture for automobiles: perhaps not for con
oral use, but as an Interesting novelty.
whicn poopio with sufficient means would
llko to own for their nmuscment and tho
sake of varloty. However, ho said Mr.
Morgan laughingly declined his offer, as
Mr. M. was fully able to flmince this ven
ture, though no', starting In a very largo
way. lour uii'Ie said other pcoplo aro
manufacturing automobiles in different
parts of tho country with success. Your
father 1b not very well, though .he Is not
actually 111, ard tho doctor tells him ho
ought not to tte so much at his oftlce, as
the long years or application indoors with
no exerclso aro beginning to affect htm
unfavorably, but I bolleve your fathor
would die tf ho had to give up his work.
which is all that has ever Interested him
outsldo of his family. I never could un
derstand It, Mr. Morgan took your
mother and mo with Lucy to see Mod
Jeska In "Twelfth Night" yesterday eve
nlng, and Lucy said she thought tho duke
looked rather like you, only much moro
democratic In his manner. Hoping that
you are finding collego still as attractive
as ever,
Affectionately,
AUNT FANNY.
Georgo read one sentence In this
letter several times. Then ho dropped
the missive In his waste bnsket to
Join the clipping, and strolled down
tho corridor of his dormitory to bor
row n copy of "Twelfth Night." Hav
lug secured one ho returned to his
study and refreshed his memory of
tho play but received no enlighten
ment that enabled him to comprehend
Lucy's strango remark. However, he
"Isn't he worth worshiping?
found himself Impelled in the direc
tion of correspondence, nnd prcscnty
wrote n letter not a reply to his
Aunt Fanny.
Dear Lucy: No doubt you will bo sur
prised at hearing from me so soon nguln,
especially as this makes two In answer
to tho one received from you slnco getting
back to the old place. I hear you havo
been making comments about me at tho
theater, that bo mo actor was moro demo
cratic in his manners than I am, which I
do not understand. You know my theory
of life because I explained It to you on
our first drlvo together, when I told you
I would not talk to everybody about
things I feel like the way I spoke to you
of my theory of life. I believe those who
aro ablo should havo a truo theory of life,
nnd I developed my theory of ltfo long,
long ago.
Well, hero I sit smoking my fathful
briar pipe. Indulging in tho fragrance of
my tabac as I look out on tho campus
from my many-paned window, and things
are different with me from tho woy they
were way back in freshman year. I can
see now how boyish in many ways I was
then. I believe what has changed mo as
much as anything was my visit homo at
the tlmo I met you. So I sit here with
my faithful briar and dream the old
dreams over an It wore, dreaming of the
waltzes we waltzed together and of that
last night before wo parted, and you told
mo tho good news you were going to live
there, and I would find my friend waiting
for mo when I get homo next summer.
I will be glad my friend will bo waiting
for me. I am not capable of friendship
except for the very few, and, looking back
over my life, I remember thero were times
when I doubted if I could feel a great
friendship for anybody especially girls.
Here In tho old place I do not believe In
being hall-follow-woll-met with every
Tom, Dick and Harry Just becauso he
happens to bo a classmate any more than
I do at home, where I have always been
careful who I was seen with, largely on
account of tho family, but also because
my disposition over slnco my boyhood has
boen to encourage real Intimacy from but
tho few.
From several letters from my mother,
and one from Aunt Fanny I hear you are
seeing a good deal of the family since I
left. I hope sometimes you think of the
member who Is absent. I got a silver
frame for your photograph in Now York,
and I keep It on my desk-. It Is tho only
girl's photograph I over took the trouble
to havo framed, though, as I told you
frankly, I havo had any number of other
girls' photographs, yet all were only pass
ing fancies, and oftentimes I have ques
tioned in years'past If I was capable of
much friendship toward tho feminine sex,
which I usually found shallow until our
own friendship began. When I look at
your photograph I say to myself, "At
last, at last here Is one that will not
prove shallow."
Friend, this is from your friend,
G. A. M.
George's anticipations were not dis
appointed. When he came home in
June his friend was uwnltlng him ; nt
least she was so pleased to see him
ngnln that for a few minutes after
their first encounter she was a little
breathless nnd si great deal glowing,
and quiet withal.
Lucy nnd her father were living nt
the Ambcrson hotel, while Morgan got
his small machine shops built In u
western outsklrt of the town; and
George grumbled about the shabbl
ness and the old-fashioned look of the
hotel, though it wns "still the best In
tho place, of course." He remon
strated with his grandfather, declnr
lug that the whole Amberson Estate
would be getting "run down and out
at heel if things weren't taken in
hand pretty soon." ne urged tho
general need of rebuilding, renovat
ing, varnishing nnd lawsuits. But .the
Major, declining to hear him out, In
terrupted querulously, saying thnt he
had enough to bother him without any
advice from George; and retired to
his library, going so far as to lock
the door audibly.
"Second childhood!" George mut
tered, shaking his licnd; and he
thought sndly that tho Major , had not
long to live, nowever, this surmise
depressed him for only n moment or
so. Of course people couldn't be ex
pjcted to live forever, and It would
bo a good thing to have someone In
charge of the Estate who wouldn't
let it get to looking so rusty that riff
raff dared to mnkc fun of it. For
George hud lately undergone the an
noynnco of calling upon the Morgans
In tho rather stuffy red velours and
gilt parlor of their apartment nt the
hotel, one evening when Mr. Fred
erick Kinney also wns a caller, and
Mr. Kinney hnd not been tactful. In
fact, though ho adopted a humorous
tone of voice In expressing sympathy
for people who, through the city's
poverty In hotels, were obllecd to
stay at the Amberson, Mr. Kinney's
Intention wns Interpreted by the
other visitor as not at nil humorous,
but, on the contrary, personal and of
Tensive.
George rose abruptly, his face tho
color of wrath. "Good night. Miss
Morgan. Good night, Mr. Morgan.
shall take pleasure in calling at some
other time when a more courteous
sort of people may be present.'
"Look here!" tho hot-headed Fred
hurst out. "Don't you try to make me
out a boor, Georgo Mlnafer! I wasn't
hinting anything at you ; I simply for
got all about your grandfather own
Ing this old building. Don't you try
to put mo In (lie light of a boor!
won't"
But Gcorgo walked nut In tho very
course of his vehement protest, nnd
It wns necessarily left unfinished.
Mr. Kinney remained only n few
moments after George's depnrturo
nnd as the door closed upon him the
distressed Lucy turned to her father.
She was plaintively surprised, to find
him In a condition of immoderate
laughter.
It brings things bnck bo!" ho
managed to explain. "This very Fred
Kinney's father and young George'B
father, Wilbur Mlnafer, used to do
ust such things when they were at
thnt age and, for that matter, so did
N'eorge Anderson nnd I, nnd nil tho
rest of us!" And in splto of his ex
haustion, ho began to Imltnto: "'Don't
you try to put me in the light of a
boor!' 'I shall tako pleasure In call
ing at some tlmo when a more cour
teous sort of people ' " Ho waa un
able to go on.
"Papa, I think they wero shocking.
Weren't they nwfull"
"Just Just boys I" ho moaned, wip
ing his eyes.
But Lucy could not smllo at all; she
was beginning to look indignant "I
can forgive that poor Fred Kinney,"
she said. "He's Just blundering but
George oh, Gcorgo behaved out
rageously I"
She came nnd sat upin tho arm of
his chnlr. "Pnpn, why should Gcorgo
behave like that?"
"He's sensitive.'
"Rather 1 But why is lie? He does
anything he likes to, without any rc
gard for what pcoplo think. Then
"Good Night, Miss Morgan."
why should he mind so furiously when
the least little thing reflects upon
him, or on anything or nnybody con
nected with him?"
Eugene patted her hand.' "That'i
one of the greatest puzzles of human
vnnlty, dear; nnd I don't pretend te
know the unswer. In nil my life the
most nrrogant people thnt I've known
have been the most sensitive. Thi
people who have done the most Ir
contempt of other people's opinion
and who consider themselves tin
highest above it have been the raosl
furious if it went ngainst them. .Ar
rogant and domineering people can'l
stand the least, lightest, faintest
brenth of criticism. It just kllli
them."
"Pnpn, do you think George is tor
ribly nrrogant and domineering?"
"Oh, he's still only a boy," said Eu
gene consolingly. "There's plenty ol
fine stuff in him can't help but be,
becauso he's Isabel Amberson's son."
Lucy stroked his hair, which waf
still nlmost as dark as her own. "You
liked her pretty well once, I guess,
papa."
"I do still," he snld quietly,
"She's lovely lovely I Papa .
she paused, then continued "I won
der sometimes "
"What?"
"I wonder just how sr.o happened
to marry Mr. Mlnnfer."
"Oh, Mlnafer's all right," said Eu
gene. "He's a quiet sort of man, but
he's n good man and a kind man. He
always was, and those things count.'
"I don't think I should havo called
George bud tempered," Lucy said
thoughtfully. "No. 1 don't tlilnk he
Is."
"Only when lie's cross about some
thing?" Morgan suggested, with a
semblance of sympathetic gravity.
"Yes," she said brightly, not' per
ceiving that bis intention wns humor
nun. "All the rest of the time he's
really very atnlnble. Of coiir.se he's
much more a perfect child the whole
time than ho realizes! lie certainly
behaved awfully tonight." She
Jumped up, iter Indignation returning.
"IIo did, indeed, nnd It won't do to en
courage idm In It. 1 think he'll find
me pretty cool for u week or so I"
Whereupon her father suffered a re
newal of his attack of uproarious
laughter.
George continues to grow
up. Signs of clouds on the
Amberson horizon.
(TO 13 IS CONTWUrfiD.)
