Bloomington High School, The Gothic, 1913, Page 46

Description:	THE CENTER OF POPULATION--ContinuedI am glad we agree on this. I have always wished it sinceGenie and Owen were little tots. Just think what it wouldmean, Deering, to have all our land joined; twould be thelargest and the best farm in Monroe county.That it would, Paites, responded Deering. When willGenie be home from Chicago? Owen will be here on thethree-thirty.She will be home in the morning if nothing happens.You and Owen come over tomorrow morning, and we willget the young folks acquainted.So the two old match-makers talked on until the sunhad risen and the court-house of Bloomington came intosight. After putting up their team in a livery stable,they walked up town. Stopping in front of the office ofthe Daily Telephone, they read the following bulletin:The center of population of the UnitedStates will doubtless be definitely located inthe next few days. Prof. Cogshall says it willprobably be on either the Paites or Deeringfarm, seven miles north-east of town.* * * * * Merton Paites was a wealthy old widower whose onlychild, Imogene, had been attending school in Chicago. Shewas through now, and coming home-back to dad. Paitescup of happiness was almost full; and an alliance betweenImogene and Owen Deering would make it overflow.Sunday dinner found Imogene at the head of her fath-ers table again. During the first part of the meal shechatted gaily about her school life, her friends in Chicago,the centre of population-and about dear Percy; she mustwrite to him immediately. Then Mr. Paites unfolded hishearts desire, the proposed marriage with Owen Deering.Imogene compressed her lips firmly and said nothing. Afterdinner she went up to her room and sat down by the westwindow. Far across the valley she could see the Deeringhomestead. I marry that country gawk! she exclaimed.I bet he was never out of Monroe county in his life. Whatdo I care about the old farms. Father surely cant beserious. I will write Percy a letter right now.Half an hour later there was a gentle tap at the door.Genie, said Mr. Paites gently, from without. Kinda fixup a little and come down stairs as soon as you can. I seethe Deering buggy coming down the lane.Imogene sat very quiet for a moment, looking resolutelyout the window. Then she got up and put on the very plainest dress she had. Then she released her coils of blackhair, and readjusted her chignon. She slicked her hairback as tight as possible and made an exceedingly smallknot of it. Going to her handbag she unearthed two cakesof Spearmint and forced both of them into her mouth.She looked into the mirror and smiled. Hearing quite acommotion below she straightened out her features intostiff, uncompromising lines-and descended to the battlefield. * * * * *Levi Deering was also a wealthy old widower, a jointneighbor of Paites. His son Owen had just returned homefrom Boston where he had lived with his grandfather forthe last ten years. But he had caught the back-to-the-farm-fever and had returned to dad immediately aftergraduating from Harvard. As Mr. Deering conducted Owenover the farm, he unfolded his hearts desire. Owen puthis hands in his pockets and whistled, but he said nothing.Page Forty-six
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloom/id/1463
Collection:	Bloomington High School

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