Tirllltag Tales 1
- i
It'ft ail Aihrei
b'i! nii'inwnnwMiw
1flf v-.;t
ww ! ' " "WisrwM ip' ''!.
rrent of Life
II
By Annette Ansreri
V'. jwi
? " f -tPf.mtmm,fitiV"Ki ts-wnwyir-'ir" s -rw, r ':') invwwwWWWWWW
WWWiWMpl(Wn)i.j,?M-,-,
The
nw Vfp
mrmSSjHDPHBBEI
T
HF Interurban car
was crowded aa til
ways on Saturday
afternoon. Oeasy
managed to cling to
her many bundles
as alio pushed her
way on and down
the- alalo till alio
could steady horsclf
:itr:ilnn! dm lit,.,),
a scat. J hero was no chanco to alt and
she barely managed to keep possession
of her bundles. Jack could glvo hot
no help. He himself was loaded dowu
till ho could barely stagger on.
Only about onco a month did they
como Into thn big town from tho farm
and thoro was always ho much to car
ry. And as tho cars ran only every
third hour In tho winter months thoro
was nlways a vorltablo mob of farmers
and their wives, shopping bent.
Bessy was tired. Tho wind had been
crld and alio bad waited around at
different stores whtlo Jack made his
purchases. She swayed with tho
lurch of tho car and hor arms ached
from tho strain of holding so many
bundles. Presently tho heavy coat mid
tho muffler, which had been nocesaary
In tho cold outdoor, becamo unbeara
ble In tho stuffy ntmoaphcro of tho
crowded car. 13ut sho could not man-
ago to frco horaclf or clthor. Thoro
was no room. it was Impossible,
either, to lay a package down nnd so
get a hand up. Stoically alio sub
mitted to necessity nnd stood In fa
tiguing quiet. Iu nn hour they would
reach the homo station. Then thcro
would como a weary, stiff walk of
nearly a mllo to their small farm. She
algbcd.
Onco. I ho aprlng beforo lnat. when
tho road was aided with blue violets,
alio had loved that fragrant abort mile.
I hen they woro fresh from tho city,
alio nnd Jack, nnd tho country had all
tho beauty of novolty.
nut two feet of anow that crept up
to one a knees nnd oozed Into over
shoes mado tho mlln anything but
Pleasant. Today alio felt that slin hat
ed it. At tho end of this long, tiring,
cold day sho was In that weary mood
when Hho lmtcd everything connected
with tho country. Sho lmtcd tho cold
anow fields, tho grim, ugly fenco posts,
that pcorcd from them In hateful
straight lines; alio hated tho bundles
mm hmo carricu now ovcrahocB,
heavy stockings, woolen petticoat, a
sir p of ugly oilcloth for tho tnblo on
whlrh sho washed dishes; nil noccs
aarloa; not a uaclcas or beautiful thing
among them.
Two years back It had seemed a
wonderful thing that sho and Jack
could gel out Into tho country and
have a amall homo of their own. They
had boon glad to go even though
they went because the doctor Impera
tively ordered It. Jack was not well.
They had gloated ovor thn vlolota. tho
carkliug hens, the bit of unpaluted
ahed, tho amall homely cottage, tho
ciiancc to milk their own cow. And
tho interurban had seemed nn added
Joy. It connected them with town.
They had never expected to find that
l came so near. They regarded it as
a distinct provision of I'rovidoncc.
Uut all that was two years back.
Two winters had come since then. And
they had learned how very lonely a
winter, with an interurban a mllo away
can be.
"And I hato It," reflected Bess. "And
I hato the fried pork that we will have
for supper. I want "
Sho didn't finish tho thought. Hor
eyes widened. Usually tho same kind
of people filled tho car; big. comfortable-
farmers or stockmen In heavy caps
and coals and ovorshoesr' their faces
red-hardened by wind nnd sleet; and
their wives and daughters, also with
heavy hoods, or hats tied tight with
woolen acarf, heavy coats and over
shoes. It was a surprise to see tho
two who gat about the middle of the
car. Tlie .woman wore a small black
civet 1ml, modestly trimmed with a
single quill: her cont was cloth, tai
lored broadcloth. Heasy had lived in
a city all her life. Her own salary as
a clever stenographer enabled her to
appraise correctly tho cost of that
plain little hat. "ratine velvet," alio
know. And the quill was worth far
moro tlinn Its alight weight In silver.
And tho man beside hor wore an ulbtcr
oh, she knew how much those Eng
lish ulstera wcro worth. And alio
could guess how much that plain dark
hat cost. They woro not Interurban
folks they belonged to thosa who rldo
In laxlcabs; they auggestod luxury,
city luxury, restaurants, gay lights,
waiters, big beautiful storos, tho tung
of the city, the roar of the elevated,
tho clatter of motor trucks, dally
newspapers hung nt your door or
grabbed from tho stand whllo tho type
wns still wet, not delivered to you two
days later by tho rural mailman; they
suggested, in fact, this Incongruous
pair, nil that Bessy longed for, nnd
now knew that sho had longed for all
these past months.
Sho felt shabby, burdened, poor, nul
lon. The woman was good-looking, in
muasaged, powdered, scented, manl-
1 T
mi ii nwiiwuiin iu m.ynH?
WO 01
Kind
In Style
cured style. She had removed a glove,
ami Ilcssy stared euvloUHly at tho slim
while flngcra ralsod lo tho dainty
black hair. Pink nnd polished wero
thoso fingernails Just such tint and
ahitio as Ilcssy's own had boasted
yeara before when it wna worth whllo
beautifying ono's self. Now sho shiv
ered with dlsgunt at thought of the
broken-unllcd red-knuckled digits In
her clumsy woolen gloves.
Sho turned till alio could Just
glimpse tho rough Bhouldcra of Jack's
overcoat. Hastily alio turned her eyes
awny again. She loved Jack at least
sho had loved him two years beforo;
suroly sho had loved a year back. Hut
sho waa tired of their way of living,
She wanted to get back to lights and
nolsn and frivolous clothes. Sho
wanted electric lights. And sho thought
with loathing of the kerosene lumps
that sho had forgotten to fill that
morning beforo sho loft. Nowj cho
must do It when sho arrived home.
And tho kitchen flro would bo out.
Jack would build It, but sho muot
wait In the chill room till It was burn
ing. Then tho auppor on tho square
ugly kitchen tnblo by the korosino
lamp. And not 300 miles away women
wcro dining undor glittering lights to
orchestra accompaniment. And they
wero dining not merely eating food.
Her eyes clung fuscluutcd lo these
u ii'incBuuiiuivca oi mat city life.
one ubicu 10 mrow mo bundles down. Iniacinn i i . c"' te
gc back to n r Load station, and go. wS J h ft
b mi- d nun lor 1110 first time alio
resented his lack of health. For the
mm. uino- sue wisncu that, sho was
imuu miming nor own living. She had
been a competent worker In tho eity
alio had mado enough and moro to go!
pretty lints and shoos and coats. Not
luxurious, bul pretty things. Noth
lug like the horrible things in the
uiuiuius which innuc per nrma ache.
For (he first time alio called Jack
aclflah to aak her to bury herself out
here; ho wns antlsflcd, being a iiinu;
tho cow, tho chickens, tho atrnlght fur
rows contented him, The evening be
foro he had spent thrco excited hours
debating whethor he should set out
blackberries or strawberries on the
fertile strip west of tho barn. Sho felt
a sudden hot resentment at his easy
content. As sho stretched around to
look ni him her glance wavered. 'I ho
woman with tho panno velvet Imported
hat had reached ngaln to pat tho bluck
hair. Hess looked at tho white, mani
cured hnnd for several aching mo
ments before her eyes went on and
found Jack. And then
Her oyos grow big. For Jack was
luokliic at n, .
I""1"- An tel'l1"
Itlluulnrul n... C",t0birf,
wn there ybLloh
""'"S.melanch
"' Jack's ovcj w, ""ft
'"'Sobtindl fr'J "
" There was n, Z a"
fiirlnosa In the m U"
wn carefully1 &
mi cur. fpi.. - iumri
" iiitii r-afw. . .
monition to her thitLV
might havo tokShY
WOllUI bo m, A.5V?' V
her here. V,5ICM"J
And she knew tbenY..
"' "he loved him or ? S
misted I,- ...'' r ' ft-
in the ,ci . illTA
HgCll to wrll ; "I""
Some few ludifh .;;'
fling through thiulil;u!;
ly Impossible. ""
Jack reached to tilt ...
bundles uh ..... J"1.
I.ot.1 them elo7eQ-yoZ'
own." SliemltfH.iL.'''T
- una,
It hurt her to seo how naI
..nlTedlnreur""5"0"
"Tircdrhe,ktd1(J
fte-A, -vw'sm" t r
WtH'i"
By Will Seaton
LAIIKA Sl'OONEn,
sitting at tho win
dow with hor cro
chet work looked
up us a llttlo trip
ping woman wont
by. Tho little, trip
ping woman bowed
nnd nmllod nnd AI
mlrn r on pond od
rrnHntialv Aa l
woman passed down tho street Almlrn
snubbed her noao ngulnst tho pane to
gasto aftor hor. A sound behind hor
mado hor turn with u start and thorn
alood hor next door neighbor, Airs.
Seeloy, who had run in with hor cro
diet work.
"Whom arc you watching?" asked
A ra. Sccley, selecting a chair with a
vlow to comfort and beginning to cro
chet so as to loso no time.
"I.ou Chittenden. Hnvo vou neon
her now gray coat?" Almlrn also bo
gan to crochet.
"Mercy, yes. Sho's been out nlflng
it every day slnco sho got it a week
ago. Sho got it at Gould's."
"It's exactly like a coat r was look
ing at aud wanted," mild Almlrn short-
ly. "I shan't buy It now that she's
got one."
"That's tho troublo In a plnco of this
alzo," consoled Mrs. Socloy.
"I shall go to tho city and got mo a
cont." replied Almlra, looking very elo
cldcd. "I don'l blnmo you ono atom." Alra.
Socly anld admiringly. "Course, you'
ran buy whero you want ti. Mr.
Spoonor Is a salaried man and pays
his bills as ho goes. Hut with mo It's
different," alio sighed. Wo'ro connec
tions of Gould nnd I reel undor obli
gations. I wouldn't dust hardly buy
anywhero cIhc."
"Well, I dust and I ahull," nfflrmed
Almlra.
Until aha had apokou alio had never
ilrrnmod of going out of town for hot
coat. Hut now that Hho had spoken
alio felt alio could not very well draw
back. Alra. Scoley would tell every
body that sho woh going to the oily
to get hor coat and everybody would
be looking for her to do ao. IjckIiIos,
Hho really wished to hnvo a coat differ
ent from any sho had aeon, especially
rrom Hint or I.ou Chittenden, lo whom
alio horn a grudgo of long staudltig.
Tho thought of Lou Chittenden stimu
lated her. Sho know Lou thoroughly,
know how cually turned and dissatis
fied sho was. PIcaHtuitly alio pictured
to herself Lou's dlBiuay whon she, Al
mlra, inarched Into church Sunday
morning arrayed In tho latest city
alyle.
, Almlrn'a next moro wns to approach
her husband on tho money question.
Al Spoonor waa aa closn as tho pro
verbial bark on the trco, but a legacy
of $3,000 recently acquired had done
much toward loosening up his purso
atrlnga. However, he growled consid
erably beforo ho handed out thrco ?10
bills to his wife.
"Now. don't ask mo for another cent
this winter," ho admonished.
"Al Spoonor," returned Almlra with
spirit, "I shall ask you for money ev
ery Hmo I want it, and I'll seo that you
give It lo me. loo."
"Oh. go long," aaltl Al, who win no
match at all for lila aggressive llttlo
helpmate.
Willi her Ihreo $10 hills tucked safe
ly artay. and arrayed in last Hummer's
suit, her new hat nnd a fresh veil Al
mlra took tho early morning train to
the city. Not until alio was fairly on
her way did hor high spirits begin to
flag. Then alio realized with a mis
erable little Inward qttako that alio
was doing an advonttircsonio thing.
Sho had scarcely ever been out of Uay
vlllo In her llfo and hero sho waa
starting alone for tho city! How had
she ever como to do It? "I'm afraid."
nho thought penitently, "that I'm n
great hand to apenk hastily. Hut when
I've said a thing I won't go back on
it, no 8lrcc!"
Thero was not n soul whom alio
knew on tho train. Hnlf u dozon years
beforo Almlra had been to thn city
with Al: and womanlike, had trusted
to hi ni to pilot her about. Her mem
ory she found, wna confused and val
ueless. Aa sho atood on tho station
plntform sho was utterly turned
around. Only one thing stood out
boldly in her mind's oyo and thut was
the namo of Mar.N'amara.
"Kcb, ma'am?" Almlra started. She
began lo aco a way out of her dlfflcul
tlcfl. Sho allghied from tho cab at Mac
Namnta's door and with renewed
courngo entered. After Gould' this
department store looked vast, over
whelming. Alorcbver, it caught tho
fancy nt every turn. She wna llko n
allly little butterfly In a great field of
llowora. She fluttered hero and thero
enraptured. Never had sho seen so
many things sho wanted. If alio ro
Hlated ono thing sho gave way to an
other. At laat alio awoke to the fact
It waa L' o'clock, she had had no lunch,
alio wna laden with small parccla nnd
considerable of her money hud been
spout.
A consldorato floorwalker directed
her to the restaurant, whoro she swal
lowed somo tea and a sandwich. Then
alio returned to tho atore. On tho way
to tho coat dopartmont Hho ran across
somo bargains In silks which delayed
her so loug Hint she had barely an
hour left In which to Belcct her coat
and get to tho stution.
Hy that Hmo her poor brad waa in
n whirl and her monoy far gone. A
clevor llttlo saleswoman helped her
Into a cont luxuriously Bilk lined. Al
mlra caught it gllmpao of the price lag
and gasped. Twcnty-llvo dollars!
"I can't pay so much," she aald.
"something simpler, pleaso some
thing about $12."
b.'-. tm
wmmmmmmmtmmioimamm
A
BflHHBMMMUHMiff39HdjbnMgMMMMMMaM
Faith In Human Nature
Tho saleswoman Immediately look
ed bored, but sho went on putting
coals upon Almlra, who became moro
and moro confused. Sho had never
aeon ao many coats In her llfo. After
alio had tried on eight or nlno they all
looked nllkn to hor. Tho oleclrlu
lights made her head ache. Aloreover,
tlmo was flying. Sho glanced at her
watch and was horrified to And that It
would bo close work getting to tho de
pot. '
"Glvo mo tho coat jou think la tho
host," sho said to tho snlcuglrl. "And
hurry, ploase, or I shall miss my
train."
Almlrn, with a dozen parcels under
hor arma, ran nearly the vyholo way to
tho attitlon. Yet In splto or. hor hni-te.
sho arrived Jttat In time. As with her
laat breath alio hurried toward thn
train n big, familiar arm gathered her
and hor bundles In.
"Plenty of time, hon," said her bus
band'H volco in hor cnr. Ho hud
grown uneasy about her, nnd hnd como
In upon ono train Just in tlmo to take
her homo on tho other.
Almlra waa never so tired In her
life. The noxt morning alto drcaaod up
In her new coat and mt J
to uoan errand. Before Gotlfl
dow she paused superclllom'jj
iuu uisinuj-. AS Ibe Itotf
woman drew near,
"Why. Almlra Snoontti'tf
Chittenden, The corntriott
vokhig motitb curled. -If job
gone and got a coat Juit ll
i uiuti t Know jou thoiijlt tia
m nir.
Almlrn swunc round and li
her. Then she turned rilt
horribly true. Her coat i
llko Lou's. And she had pci
way lo tho city to jet It' Mo
that she had paid 12 more lor
Lou had paid at GouU'i! for
slant her cars sun;, Ilea tit
herself. Sho had been a fool I
body knew It save fcenelL J
bodily should know It. She is
hopo you don t mmd, warut
Lull Chittenden lautbti
I'm tickled Iu death. It'i tl
tlmo In my life I eierreiiijl
stile." She pulled Alain 1
"Como on down to Burahao'ial
his ilUplny of oil slot es," iM
And Almlra neat
r-mi-jf, l
, iSfck r H5 JE
By Walt Gregg
:0msm&whmsac
UK alwnya had been
Joalotta. Vet alio
had prided horeolt
that sho was amial
blu about It. That
Is, after alto had
grown beyond a
rather s t o r m y
childhood. And
slnco her marriage,
. . wW HU lCll IIUJ
twinges to heiaolf, knowing that thero
was novor any real rVaaoti for doubt
ing. Hut now- hero wjih proof. Could
she doubt hor own eyes?
The package her luinband had so
carelesaly handed over with tho mull
Hho found to bo it box of beautifully
embroidered linen handkerchiefs, hom
ditched, and with his own monogram
In tho corner - such handkerchiefs na
ho would never think of buying. Then
tho card. "MIhb I.ouIhq Ualton. S13
Linden walk, Louisville, Ky mado It
evident that they wero it gift. That
nnd tho fait that her husband had
beon to Louisville Hint week complet
ed hor hastily guthcted evidence.
Sho reniembeted trying to think Just
what alio should Hay to Lludaay, Ihon
a wave or self pltj would drown all
thought of the logical statements alio
prepared. She, Kdlth Stono, would bo
" .". 'wntummi
pitied na alio had pilled others; she
who had ao boasted and glaticd iu tho
fact that sho loved anil was beloved
in n manner out of tho ordinary.
"Do you go too Lotiisvlllo often?"
Sho wits suddenly conscious that tho
guest waa speaking.
"Why, yes; and will probably go oft
enor from now on," Hho heard her hus
band reply.
Ho waa trying to prcparo her for his
nhHCiiceHl IMilli felt that alto must
gel out whero thero waa cool air. Hut
Hpecch seemed to havo left her. What
was thn man aaylttg? That he iiiuat
go? Oh, yea, alio leiiicmbeted, mid
smiled grncloualy as she aliook lunula.
She heard the front door alaiti, heard
Llndfluy coming toward her ttud tried
vainly to say something. Ah he bent
ovor her In nn attempt to klwa hor
forehead tho wife drew away front
him, atill looking at tho flip and not
saying a word.
"Tho tired llttlo lady had better go
to bed," he anld Kcntl, aa ho went out
of tho room.
Tho tingry tenia rushed to Iter ryes.
It waa tho tlr.st thuo alto had ever
hIii unk from his kisH, nnd he thought
only that alto wna Hied! She would
Htayttp, right whoro sho wna, till he
came to seo what waa tho matter. Then
alio would tell him what alio ktifw.
Supposing, though, that ho could ex
plain! What would he think of
her for doubting him? Her heart al
most stopped beutlng at tho thought
that her doubt might mar thelt- hith
erto perfect understanding,
This laittlso Dnlton what manner
of girl waa alio? l'erhapa some pretty
foolish schoolgirl who didn't Know
Lindsay wns married. She would
neceasarily bo both pretty and attrac
tive. Kelt th reflected, or Lindsay
wouldn't bo Interoaled lit Iter. The
moro Hho thought of the girl the Inure
Hho pitied her and the mote real her
jealous fancies becamo. until it seemed
to her that hrr whole duty lay Iu warn
ing tho gitl. After all alio had the ad
dress, Why not hoc this pretty, fool
ish l.ouiao tho next tlmo she went to
Louisville? Then, if her fears had
been unrounded, Lindsay would ntier
bo tho wiser.
Suddenly sho remembered homing
Airs. Tluirmnn, her neighbor, aav sho
wns going to Louisville on tho citily
train. Why not go with her? She
heard tho clock strike four; (hen It
was nearly tlmo to get up and get
ready.
Mrs. Thurnun wits delighted to have
company ami chatted atnlablv until
Kdlth Stone, not daring to trust her
olce. pleaded a headache. Thla nmdo
the rest of the trip moro endurable,
and onco In Lotiisvlllo she told Mrs.
I liurninn sho had an appointment with
the dressmaker, and, t possible, would
meet her for lunch, otherwise Mrs.
Thtiriiinn wus to know that she would
hnvo to remain over another day for
an extta fitting.
As quickly as poasible alto found
her way U 2111 Linden wnlk and asked
for Mis Louise Dallon. She wits told
that the young lady Iu question wns
not at home and would not be until
late that afternoon,
"Hut my train will be gone then, i
I nttiat aoo her aoon," stammered
Kdlth, Incoherently.
"Shall I call Mrs. Dallon?" asked
the woman, eying her doubtfully.
"Oh. no; don't do that! That Is."
Hho added In a calmer tone, "If jou can
jell nio where I can find her this murn-
"At Uellevlew Seminary on Foiuih
street." answered tho woman, looking
even mote dubious when L'dlth hardly
waited for the end of her sentence.
When she reached the street again
Ldilh felt that the nervous strain waa
beginning to tell on her. she had
been kejed up to calmness' for an itn-
mediate Interview and now that alio
must search further her courage began
to waver. Weak and trembling, she
called a cab.
Almost staggering, nho nllghled at
tho tloor of tho seminary, and asked lo
seo Alisa Loulao Dalton. On being told
tltat Alias Dalton would bo In in : few
minutes, alio sank Into a chulr.
Aftor what seemed a long tlmo tho
door oponed. admitting a pretty child
or about twelve or thirteen, Sho woro
short dresses and a huge bow on her
hobbed hair,
"Good morning, do you wish to aeo
mo?" naked tho child brightly.
"Can you be-are you Miss Iuilao
Dalton?' queatloncd Kdlth breathless
! "Yes. Vou wanted to seo mo?" The
child was frankly puzzled.
"No. honey, no!" hIio cried, giving
tho astonished child a dazzling smile.
' I only wanted to look ut you. And
now I've aeen you. you run along back
to your class, and I'll go home where
1 belong!"
That night, after she had gleefully
showed Lindsay all tho bargains sho
found that afternoon, she turned to
him suddenly.
"It was nice of you not lo fuss
about my taking French leave this
iW-wn. .1 -Vf',-rtM,,,1,-", s.OeJ5K?i
morning, perhaps I'll tell you, oh, a
long time off, why I went."
"I Imagined It wna some great se
cret, llko my birthday, for Instance,"
ho laughed Indulgently. "That re
mlnda me," he continued, tossing hor a
letter, "read thla and sec what you
think of It."
".My Dear Air. Stono Your iiniue
and address woro given to me by a
mutual frlond. I urn n llttlo girl, v:
years old, whose father Is dead, and I
am trying to earn part of my educa
tion at Uellevlew,
i'l am sending you a package of
handkerchiefs with your monogram
In one corner. If you would care to
buy them kindly scud -?. to mo; If not,
pleaso return the handkerchiefs to
this address. MIhh Louise Dalton, -ID
Linden walk, Loulivlllo, Ky."
"Tho blessed child!" exclaimed
Kdlth.
"Child? You don't really think a
child wroto that? It is undoubtedly a
grown person trying to work tho sym
pathy racket In a novel way."
"nut I know It la a child." sho be
gan, then ended, a llttlo moro weakly,
"tho handwriting ahowa It."
"Well, dear," declared her husband,
looking at her with amusement nnd
(.,,ir.... "vm If Iihouiitu
money would wwhwljj
i ,no I'd tend It. l
fclJUll IHIIl'v-' - '" .J
ii,. iimt mim nn tOlMPyWl
human nature. Don't or leiij
concluded, oarnfjMyrlt l W,Q
ni'Anlcat rh.irmi."
..nil r not 10." Ibe M'l
flushing at nil pndM wl
face on his aliouwr,
llMrtillseHMiH
mm spins to will J
private rntwUtaMrt ittfl
leniarkcdthcsouiruiiv"'
'"kV my advice: JjH
man bonnier t M gl
',e..,na..H,,,M,,:to,t c4H
dlcnce-to.be i.roUblyV"VJ
? i'r " ","u
ue auto tu mn'i-
T-niiranCt til Ilk'
wpidtjv'iS
"let us take tne -
examine; wv- b lK
"But " iBlerrupted tv i .
ivlth tho missing ni-oaiatf
cruB. Thnv rieHW
era neiscu .-.-
""OVUM
It FALL Y do not like
ii" lie aald hotne
whiit cohll, looking
iu loss Uio room to
whete alio sat lit I ho
i oil glow of I ho fire
light Thero was it
mow on hla fore
head aud a general
air of ttggrlevctnent
. nooitt mm.
hho glaiKcu up inquiringly, thou
at ose and i-iusacd the loom. She
Panned hor hand lovingly ovor his
way hair, his arm stolo about her
lst and ho drew her down boaldo
him.
Thero was htlenco for a moment.
I hen nho drow hoiself half away and
looked up ut him.
"Arthur?" pleadingly.
"Well," l.npullently.
"I wish you wouldn't"
ttouldnt what"
"lie jcaiou- ou colhwog'" sho
pouted but ihpif wa a subdued apar
kle in her ces,
n the Glow of the Morning
" UK,-.
V 4, Ai, 5 ,,
- mMMnuwt
(
By Elsie Endicott
"Hut htiw can 1 help it?" ho asked, n
tender nolo creeping into Ills oieo.
"Hero wo were, nico nnd comfortable,
and happy as can lie, when this thla
mail comos along and 'falls Iu lovo
with you."
"I couldn't help it," she interrupted.
"I'm, not so sure about that," ho said
slowly aim oiitphatically,
"Arthur!" She sat upright, her lu
illgnaii blue eyes looklug straight in
to his.
"No. I'm not ho sure," ho went on
doggedly. "A man eloosu't fall iu lovo
ao desperately without somo oncour
agoinont no, 1 don't mean that ,mhi
encouraged him purposely, but jott
took things hh a matter of coursa,
woro passive1, unit he didn't kiiow
about m'e, or. If ho did, ho thought 1
dldu't count" Hla voice was bitter
now. and hla eyes averted. "Why
should V" ho went on "I'm onlj si
loiiutrjman, ou know and he is from
the eity and has all the waa to at
tract one llealdes, lie la rich, and I
why, 1 havo nothing ami no prospects.
1 shouldn't blame you If you did like
him best, it must bo tiresome w tilling
for me so long. Perhaps jou'M better
take him after all. and let me--"
Ho got no farther. Two soft arms
woto about his peck and a pleading,
tearful face close to his own.
"No. of course I didn't mean it." ho
was saying tho minutes later. "I'm a
jealous old fool, aud I know it."
"And I never guve you any cause?"
"No!" -a happly light in hla eyes.
"You are as, true na atcel, dour, and
I II promise noer to bo Jealous ugalp."
"You will never have cause," alio re
plied simply. "For 1 lovo you and no
Ulto elso, Arthur dear."
. .
Sho had been scut for suddenly.
Ilruce waa dylug from nit internal in
Jury caused by being thrown from hla
horc
There was a hush In the sick-room
na she entered His mother drew
aside and alio knelt by the Injured
man a bed
1 havo loved you so well," he said.
weakly pleasing the warm hand that
helil hla; "and it has made me so hap
py. "I do not know how it s. but all mv
life I've had an Ideal before me 'l
knew l should nnd her somo day. so
I e trlod to live lo be worthy of her
And I havo lived worthily" looking
up triumphantly into tho tear-stained
face, "l have foumnier in jou.'
Theie was a moment's silence.
"I know that ou do not love me."
he aald sadly, "but- I want you to
marry me, before I go."
Sho started to speak.
"It will bo for so short a time, dear"
Pleadingly. "I uo not ask for jour
lire -that, perhaps, belongs to auoth.
Sho bowed her head, while the tears
ran unchecked down her cheek
"Surely jou will grant me this." he
began eagerly -just a day, an hour
perhaps only a moment to feel that
you aro mine, and then when I am
gone 'twill be but a memory of low
jou had made a djlng man happy.
given him ono glimpse of the heavon
to which ho hopes ho is going."
Her llps'scarcely moved. "I cannot
oh. I cannot!" she moaned.
A shadow fell over hla face.
"I wish that it might be." he said re
signedly, and closed his eyes wearily.
A sudden light sprang into her ees.
I do lovo you," aho cried. "It baa
just come to me. It has been creeping
mo my heart, and I did not kuow It. I
thought I loved him, but It Is you."
She held him close.
inTi'lJ ,MV.roml8Cd ,0 '"'.' stio ntlded
break my word,"
"No." ho echoed feebly, looking dtep
faith "'er CeS: "J'" mUSt kecp your
She bent and kissed hint.
She went back Into' the dull g'rav of
A Uier '1' and ,,C1 e were
filled with unshed tears She btood at
fiZflll. .T, a T1n,pnt and tched tho
first rosy streaks appear in the east.
A ngurc atood beside her. "I've
heard about It," he aald gruffly. "He
wanted you to marry him, didn't he?"
She nodded.
"You did?" eagerly.
"No turning her eyea full upon hiiu.
"I had promised you, you know."
"You oughtn't to have minded that."
he said. "Of course I wouldn't mind,
seeing he wasn't going to live. Aud,
Beatrice "
"Well?" dreamily,
"You'd have had all his, money,"
Silence.
"You'd have been nicely fixed, and
we could have been married sooik"
"I did not think of it," she answered
mechanically, her eyes on a floating
cloud In the east.
He laughed bitterly. "It couldn't
have done you any harm, and you
might have thought about me. You
might have been willing to sacrifice
something for me."
He turned aud left her
Her eyeH were atill intent on the
cloud - a soft, fleecy cloud that seemed
v
,o bear In . fffiJ,',uS
11 101 " '"- I
Into the blue- oll, r
house, leaving fen'01
. - . nlnP.
...n,,.au8c'i3f'r'Bji
wonr-srowledth'-,,,
.!,, u woman "". :.. "
efflclenryotthel iW,c
kind, snapped .&rerf,
trudlns chin. S' &I11I1
i.ioniiacV of B8 .i.iiintt('
when it cornea to J -mental
operaUooi.
t , i
-Truth ""ffaVmoVr,
sain. M "i.." i4'
mora""'