"My Virginia, not running away, but flying away, to marry! Oh, this Youth of today!"
* * * *
Around six o'clock that night, Virginia and Harold stood arm in arm in Nina's parlor, as a big bus was groaning noisily away.
"But, Mama," said Virginia, sobbing pitifully, "I didn't think you would——"
"That's just it, Virginia, you didn't think!! But you should! How could I know what was going on? That's just you young folks of today. You think of nothing but your own silly, foolish doings, and you allow us old good-for-nothings to go crazy with worry!!" and Nina sank in a gasping swoon onto a sofa.
But old Doc Wilkins, arriving at Virginia's frantic call, knowing Nina's iron constitution from childhood, soon had that limp form back to normal; and, with a dark, disapproving scowl at Virginia, said:—
"Bring in a good batch of hot food, and your Ma will turn out all right," and going out, with a snort of disgust, and banging viciously that big front door!
XXVIII
Awful tidings in our Branton Hills' "Post," had so wrought up our ordinarily happy, laughing Sarah, who, with Paul abroad, was back, living again with old Tom Young, that Sarah, sitting on a low stool by old Tom's rocking chair was so still that Tom put down his "Post," saying:—
"Gift of gab all run out, kid?"