By the Rule of Contrary by Lucy M Montgomery

Books at bedtime by calming anxiety by the rule of contrary by Lucy Montgomery Look here Burton said old John Ellis in an ominous tone of voice I want to know that if that old busybody of a Mary keen came here today gossip about it is true if it is well I've something to say about that matter I've been courting that niece of Susan Oliver's all summer on the slide Burton Ellis's handsome boyish face flushed darkly crimson to the roots of his curly black hair something in the father's tone Rouse Danger and rebellion in the sun he straightened himself up from the turnip row he was hoeing looked his father squirrely in the face and said quietly not on the slice sir I never do things that way but I have been going to see Mad Oliver for some time and we are engaged we are thinking of being married this form and we hope you will not object Burton's frankness nearly took away his father's breath old John fairly choked with rage you young form he spluttered bringing down his hoe with such energy that he sliced half a dozen of his finest young turnip plants have you gone clean crazy no sir I'll never consent to your marrying and Oliver and you needn't have any idea that I will then I'll marry her without your consent retorted Burton angrily losing the temper he had been trying to keep oh will you indeed well if you do how you go and not a cent of my money or a rod of my land do you ever get what if you got against match asked Burton forcing himself to speak calmly for he knew his father too well to doubt for a minute that he meant and would do just what he said she's an Oliver said oh John crustily and that's enough considering that he had settled a matter John Alice threw down his hoe and left the field in a towering rage Burton hoed away savvety until his anger had spent itself on the weeds give up magge dear sweet little mag not he yet if his father remained on the same mind their marriage was out of the question at present Burton knew quite well that his father would remain at the same mind old John Alice had the reputation of being the most contrary man in greenwood when Burton had finished his row he left the turnip field and went straight across lots to see magge and tell her his dismal story an hour later miss Susan Oliver went up the stairs of her little brown house to magge's room and found her niece crying on the bed her pretty curls tumbled her soft cheeks flushed crimson crying as if her heart would break miss Susan was a tall grim angular spinster who looked like the last person in the world to whom a love affair might be confided but never were appearances more deceptive than in this case behind her unprey disposing exterior miss Susan had a warm sympathetic heart filled to the brim with kindness kindness of affection for the pretty niece she had seen Burton Alice go merely across the fields homeward and guess that something had gone wrong now dearie what is the matter she said tenderly patting the brown head magge sobbed out the whole sorry discontently story Burton's father would not let him marry her because she was an Oliver and oh what would she do don't worry magge said miss Susan comfortingly i'll soon settle old john ellis why what can you do ask magge for lonely miss Susan squared her shoulders and looked amused you'll see i know old john ellis better than he knows himself here's the most contrary man the lord has ever made i went to school with him i learned how to manage him then and i haven't forgotten how i'm going straight up to interview him are you sure that will do any good said magged outfully if you go to him and take Burton's and my part won't it only make him worse magge dear said miss Susan busily twisting her scanty i ingray hair up into a hard little knob at the back of her head before matches glass you just wait i'm not young i'm not pretty and i'm not in love but i've more gumption than you and Burton have and ever will have you keep your eyes open and see if you can learn something you'll need it if you go up to live with old john ellis Burton had returned to the turnip field but old john ellis was taking his ease with the rampant political newspaper on the cool veranda of his house looking up from a bitter editorial to chuckle over a cutting sarcasm contained in he saw a tall angular figure coming up the lane with aggressiveness written large in every fold and flutter of a shawl and skirt old Susan Oliver as sure as again said old john with another chuckle she looks mad clean through i suppose she's coming here to blow me up for a fusing to let Burton take that girl of hers she's been angling and scheming for it for years but she will find who she has to deal with come on miss Susan john ellis lay down his paper and stood up with a sarcastic smile miss Susan reached the steps and skipped undauntingly up them she did indeed look angry and disturbed without any preliminary greeting she burst into a terrain that simply took away her complacent foes breath look here john ellis i want to know what this means i discovered that this young upstart of a son of yours who ought to be in the short trousers yet has been caught in my knees mad joll over all summer he has had the impudence to tell me that he wants to marry her i won't have it i tell you and you can tell your son so marry my niece indeed a petty pass the world is coming to i'll never consent to it perhaps if you had searched greenwood and all the adjacent districts thoroughly you might have found a man who is more astonished and taken her back than john ellis was at that moment but i doubt it the wind was completely taken out of his sails and every bit of ellis contrariness was roused would have you got to say against my son he fairly shouted in his rage isn't he good enough for your girl Susan Oliver i'd like to know no he isn't retorted miss Sullivan deliberately and unflinchingly he's well enough in his place but you're pleased to remember john ellis that my niece is an Oliver and all of us don't marry beneath them oh john was furious beneath them indeed why woman it is a condescension in my son too so much as look at your niece condescension that is what it is you are as poor as church mice we come of a good family though retorted miss Susan you ellis is and nobody's your grandfather was a hired man and yet you have the presumption to think you're fit to marry into an old respectable family like the Oliver's but talking doesn't signify i simply won't allow this nonsense to go on i came here to tell you so plump and plain it's your duty to stop it if you don't i will that's all a white will john ellis was at a white heat of rage and stubbornness now we'll see miss Susan we'll see my son will marry whatever girl he pleases and i'll back him up on it do you hear that come here and tell my son isn't good enough for your niece indeed i'll show you he can get hurt anyway you've heard what i've said was the answer and you would better go by it that's all i shant stay to bandy words with you john ellis i'm going home to talk to my niece and tell her her duty plain and what i want her to do and she'll do it i haven't a fear miss Susan was halfway down the steps but john ellis ran to the railing of the rounder to get the last word i'll send Burton down this evening to talk to her and tell her what he wants her to do and we'll see whether she'll sooner listen to him than to you he shouted miss Susan dainty no reply old john strode out to the turn of field Burton saw him coming and looked for another outburst of wrath but his father's first words almost took his breath away see here but i take back all i said this afternoon i want you to marry madjoliver now and the sooner the better that old cat of a Susan had the face to come up and tell me you weren't good enough for her niece i told her a few plain truths don't you mind the old cross-patch i'll back you up by this time Burton had begun hiring vigorously to hide the amused twinkle of comprehension in his eyes he admired miss Susan's tactics but he did not say so all right father he answered you to flee when miss Susan reached home she told match to bathe arise and put on her new pink muslin because she guessed Burton would be down that evening oh aren't he how did you manage it cried match match said miss Susan solemnly but with dancing eyes do you know how to drive a pig just try to make it go in the opposite direction and it will bolt the way you want that remember that my dear remember that