sasBsBsBsaTaBs '
GIVEN the least pretext, the Imag
inatton of Martin Harford. V. R.
I. B. A., was apt to whirl him
away, boundaries of time and
pace alike annihilated, professionally
yokes) to thorough technical ability, this
ardent. Imaginative propensity paid him.
The very curliest Elizabethan chimney
tacks he designated were never smoky:
and It was the poetic suggestlveness of
a new kitchen wing, combined with per
fect practicability, that had lust secured
for him. through the patroness of the
living, the Important commission, for so
young an architect, of restoring old
Deneham church.
But divorced from the regions where
his fancy raised epics In stone, it some
times wrought sad havoc with mundane
engagements; though folks forgave a
good deal of Irresponslbleness to Martin
Harford because he interested them.
It eras neither ambition nor architecture,
however, that held the young man so In
conveniently spellbound at a covered ta
ble, where he had long finished lunch
ing. Impervious to the patient manager
ial glances that hinted that It was a city
restaurant's busiest hour. Meantime, too,
the hands of the m eon-faced clock In
front of him were Industriously dimin
ishing the short space that yet remained
to pack up In before catching the) Dene
ham early afternoon train.
He still held absent-mindedly In his
hand a letter opened in the leisure of
the luncheon Interval, from Mrs. Bobbins
of the Pear Tree farm, where he In
tended occasionally to put up while the)
most critical stage of the restoration was
progressing.
"The front bedrooms shall be ready for
you as you wish," wrote Mrs. Bobbins,
whose good qualities as a landlady he
had already tested; and that was all In
her letter -of consequence to a busy
man.
Rut Mrs Bobbins babbled Indiscreetly
of another 'hoarder, about whom she
craved Mr, Harford's advice, and be
tween impel I -nee and amusement he
read on.
"Every inch a lady" she was. -and
"paid to the day" so It seemed a pity
Mre Robblns craved more. But in the
heart of the country village folk demand
credentials; strangers to find favor must
have their history pat, and apparently
this lady had nothing to tell. Moreover
to aa enigmatic personality she added
the sin of receiving letters readdresssd
In two names, and this neither Deneham
nor Mrs. Robblns could get over at all.
As the crowning Justification of sus
piciousness, too. laity Charlotte Waring
of leneham Park -the Using patroness
Whose gold was largely heipin, to keep
the old church in the perpendicular
went so far as to say she thought the
poor lady might want to keep who she
was dark.
R "Uncharitable old gossips!" muttered
arford. apropos of the landlady nn.l
the lady patroness, and promptly dis
missed them rrom his thoughts But
It wags remark cf the latter that had
sent fancy snaring.
Vividly It i-irrii to him 'he nltlahle
plight Of those guiltless next-of-kin to
mee writ lurra in the annals of great
me; perniips delicately nurtured
f, unnaturally reserved, dreadinr
dshlp even, lest It should draw I
shuddering, fearing contamination
t crimson stain:
ord. ln fact, harped on this' dole-
ng, till haggard lines marred his
etlc face, end even the hungry
wanted nis seat began to pity
-looking youth whose oountc-
videatly bore the stamp of
gnawing grief.
For himself, he mused on, the very
last thing he would do In such a case
would be to let auspicious silence make
him A target for the inquisitive vulgar.
To sink one's Identity under the name
lit "Smith' and to satisfy the require
ment of convention by Inventing a
family In the wilds of Australia were
A far finer mash at concealment.
a I this. Juncture two would-be luach
ra Jostldd him on either side sod a
Walts with a nourish laid the para-
1 nlMi SO
THE
phemalla of a fresh meal under his
nose. Suddenly awakened to the exig
encies of the situation, Harford rose
with a murmur of apology and folded
his letter. In doing so a hitherto unno
ticed postscript caught his aye. Glanc
ing over it absently, still musing, the
strangeness of coincidence pulled up the
train of speculations with a Jerk.
"Miss Smith," it ran, "has an unole
In Australia. I nm glad she is not so
lonesome as I thought."
e , e
From the moment Martin Harford
caught a glimpse of Deneham's tower
veiled In the thin, blue hue of an au
tumn afternoon, thoughts of his work
engrossed him to the exclusion of others.
It was not till walking up the farm
house's prim box-bordered pathway two
hours later he dlecerned-the outline of a
head with hair dressed Sigh, silhouetted
upon the lamp-lit blind in proximity to
Mrs. Robblns' cap ribbon that he called
to mind Miss Smith and her uncle Id
Australia.
"Some poor, crushed spinster, doubt
less, with nothing to say for herself,"
was his Inward reflection, as he turned
the handle of the door leading;. Into the
old oak-beamed parlor. The absurd ru
mors of her alleged mysterlouanesa, the
oddity of coincidence wherewith his idle
commiseration for those people tbelr
name must be legion who had a ter
rible blank In the family history tat
tling tongues would fata fill In. blended
curiously In his consciousness as he
crossed the threshold of Mrs. Bobbins'
Titer Is a severe serenity of beauty
that merits the term "clseslc" and also
a particular elegance of simplicity that
with unanimity we call "distinguished."
These two epithets, hackneyed gener
ally, the attire md appearance of the
stately young woman who stood by the
rotund Mrs. Bobbins Irresistibly sug
gested. Her hair, braided In a thick
coronet over a low, broad brow, which
wavy tresses haded, was of a deep
chestnut, according a harmony of con
trast with eyes, duskily dark, and a
skin of clsar olive; the lips alone
mobile and perfectly molded struck a
richer note, that wag enhanced by the
pearllness of even teeth.
Miss Smith was speaking.
"Thank you, Mrs. Bobbins, for your
suggestion. I really should like to go
up If, as you say, ons can get a glimpse
of the sea."
The musical tones of her voice had
a certain precision that matched her
clear-cut beauty. Harford's aesthetic
ease, ever keenly alive, was apt to
find the ordinary Showy girl what he
termed "rococo." Miss Smith's harmon
ious coloring and proportion satisfied
the eye like a Grecian capital, and her
low contralto' rented the soul Ilk a
Beethoven sonata.
He bowed In acknowledgment of
their hostess' fussy introduction.
"I was saying," remarked Mrs. Rob
blns, "that with a good field glass you
can see the sea quite plainly whan It's
clear from the old church tower. Miss
Smith ought to go up."
Mrs. Robblns looked toward Harford,
whose customary gay eaee of manner
amaxe had momentarily obscured. Oas-
ing for one brief Instant Into the velvet
brown eyes, tinder level brows, which
were calmly Interrogative, he hastened
to sssevcrate that when weather favored
a glint of ocean between the hills was
distinctly visible.
"I will get the men to clear the steps
snd sweep them down snd wilt be at
hand myself to deal with alarmed owls
who resent our trespassing"
Something In Harford's manner, frank
and boyishly vivid, his look expressive
of the kind of homage the nicest girl
values, evidently pleased Miss Smith,
for the slightly cold composure of her
lovely face changed to animation, and
they were soon chatting with great
sociability,
About half past six. 10 minutes or
so after Harford's arrival. Mrs. Bob
bins stopped knitting.
With the grace that naturally goes
OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY
with a perfect figure. Miss Smith arose
from her low seat by the fire.
"Thank you, Mrs. Bobbins." she re
plied. "I will go. I want to buy some
tamps, and I may as well give htm
my Utters." She inclined her head
graciously as Harford stepped forward
to open the door. The mistress of Pear
Tree farm looked at Harford, her face
brimming with significance that he de
terminedly would not see. After a
minute's silence, garrulousnass got the
batter of her discretion.
"I can never think how Mtas Smith
rikss to look tha postman In the face
after having to explain to tha postmas
ter ah expected letters under two
names."
Martha Harford felt a hot flash In
vade the roots of his crisp, fair hair.
"That Is neither your business nor
mine, I think, Mrs Robblns."
His voice and expression were
schooled to be perfectly void of off nee,
but the words were emphatic
Mrs. Robblns looked at him, wonder
ing whether to rovers her oft-stated
verdict that Mr. Harford was "such a
nice, kind-hearted young gentleman,"
and remained dumb with' surprise. Ska
had "never thought Mr. Harford was
tetchy before." and tha discovery some
what modified the rapture of her first
opinion.
Martin Harford saw little more that
evening of his fellow-guest, who, it ap
peared, read a great deal In the solitude
of her sjttttng-room. But the fascina
tion Of her personality permeated for
Harford the scenes that had been tem
porarily the framework of her beauty.
Later, when he had retired to rest
and was reviewing the events of the
day In a wakefulness to which the ab
solute stillness of the country night
sometimes conduces la Londoner, he
decided that his admiration of Miss
Smith was purely a matter oonnected
with a trained artistic perception, and
excited him In the same way precisely
aa for example, the nave of Winches
ter cathedral. The notion pleased him,
chiming in with his private estimation
of himself aa a young man too absorbed
In a noble, calling to be lightly shaken
from a stability of emotion that It was
convenient should endure until the lad
der of fame ollmbed and he with wealth
and position to offer the relaxation of
a grand passion, suitably placed, might
be becomingly permitted.
As Harford sank gently Into his first
lep the complaisant thought of his
well-balanced state remained soothingly
present. "A thing of beauty" was "a
lay for ever"; bat It took education to
entirely dissociate the banality of fall
ing In lovs from the true appreciation.
Martin Harford started from his pil
low, wide awake. Some gossamer Imp of
mischief that delights to provoke the
dreamer at his meroy, had touched a de
liberately muted string. A clamorous
question rang excitedly through his
brain.
"If she Is not Miss Smith, who Is she?"
The answer roe to his Up with In
voluntary conviction.
"I should know If I could learn that
other nam."
e e e e
But the v'vldneas Of a night vision Is
a flash in the pan. By the light of an
other morning, whilst he was shaving
with scrupulous cars, Martin Harford
was by no means clsar that the second
name, under which It was stated a lat
ter for Miss Smith arrived, at all con
cealed her secret if she had one The
only decision he arrived at was on that
concerned himself.
Never, never, under any provocation,
would he attempt to probe into what ha
was not told. He had Seen privileged to
meet his feelings were quite dispas
sionate woman who in beauty and
charm was a peerieee queen. Ahe
should at least find elm a gentleman,
s e a e e
From some knowledge, however, one
may not have choice to refrain. Within
the next few daye the discovery that
certain envelopes that Miss Smith took
unto herself were Inscribed '"Carew."
was. so tq speak, forced on him. And
her Christian name was Lesbla. too. It
was written on a book shs lent bun
"Leabi Smith."
Tha particulars, however, when
Harford learned them, affected him
strangely little. He had ceased! to be
curious; Mra Robblns wisely held her
peso, and a week of the autumn gold
late October can sometimes bestow
gilded by In the supreme contentment
of Interesting work, whose relaxation
was the companionship of a gifted girl,
radiantly beautiful. Only when he re
turned now and again, to his small olty
office, to supervise other business mat
tart, a couple of clerks In the interval
attended to. did l he realise, dimly
enough, i that It would mean some new,
strangs agony when Lesbla Smith or
Carew, was it? should peas right out
of his Ufa
It has been observed with truth that
It takes a really happy Individual with
a past of unruffled prosperity, to prick
the bubble of somebody else's fond Il
lusion, feeling gently all the edifying
glow of duty done. It was a virtuous
dissipation Lady Charlotte Waring par
ticularly enjoyed, and In mid-November
she Invited Martin Harford to drink
tea. When the empty cups had been
set down and he was Inwardly cogitat
ing as to the decent moment for depar
ture, her ladyahlp. assuming an expres
sion of countenance she devoutly be
lieved was maternal, laid a plump, de
taining hgnd upon his arm.
"My deer. Mr. Harford," ' she ssld; "I
think It right to speak to you a vary
few plain words."
The young mail's look was an Index
of mind; It bespoke blsnk amaxement.
"Nothing to do with the church," as
sured Lady Charlotte, comfortably nod
ding her head and withdrawing the fat
flgers from Its sleeve. "You have, I
fear, formed an undesirable attach
ment." "No," cried Lady Charlotte, hurriedly,
seeing her victim stiffen before her
into an attitude portending speedy de
parture. "I say nothing against the
girl, this Miss Carew" the lady patron
ess underlined the name and paused an
Instant to enjoy ths effect "ee I say.
It was not her fault, and on a mur
derer who shot himself, chesting the
gallows as they say. I believe It possi
ble, even" her ladyship beamed at her
own generosity "that shs never heard
of the Carew case In which Dr. Justice
Waring my late husband's cousin aat
on the bench."
Lady Charlotte began to dip Hur
riedly into a brocaded bag, from whoa
depths she produced a note. The victim
was more unmanageable than ah ex
pected, and divers indignant declatmers
from him, combined with hla erect and
warlike posture of defense, warned her
that time ws short.
"This letter la from Mr. Justice War
ing who considered the man Carew the
cleverest, basest prisoner he ever tried.
He writes. 'At the end of next month
John Carew will he released If his
ticket of leave Is not forfeited within
six months I shall believe In modern
miracles. Crime to such a nature Is
Irresistible. I don't think he could be
respectable If th condition wr flv
thousand a year."
"It was a life sentence." said Lady
Charlott. with solemn Impress! veness;
'tils old haunts will now see him .again,
and he will proceed to claim his niece.
I am old enough to recollect the ease
wsll It Is 11 years ago; she was
pretty child of four, with a strange
romantic name; there was ample money
toft for her upbringing and education;
quits likely she Is in. perfect Ignorance
of the whole thing. But there must he
manv who can remember the cry from
the dock. tJood-hy. girlie, till I cornel
out again.- -
Her ladyship's victim stood rigidly; he
was quit pal.
"Tour assumptions re of ths wild
eat. Lady Charlotte; excu se me If I bag
you to refr.dn from repeating them.
Happily the arrival of Miss Smiths
MORNING, OCTOBER 14,
uncle will refute all calumnlea. He Is
now on his voyage horn from Au
stralia "
Aa he closed the door behind him he
heard the lady Within.
"Smith!" It mocked; "Australia! Bay
Portland and Carew."
From the rack of her ladyship's draw
ing room Martin Harford Journeyed
forthwith to town, aching with dull
pain, his mind In a turmoil. Leebla
he avoided th Smith and Carew both
had Indeed disclosed nothing of her
life's story, though candidly transparent
tn the expression of thoughts, feelings
and Ideals. Vaguely he had gathered
from her that compliance with her
uncle' will Involved a renunciation
whose nature he could not guess.
By 10 o'clock th next morning th In
tervening hours had evolved from Har
ford's chaos of surmise on fact he
loved her. Now In th morning aunahln
he walked restlessly around those quiet
oases of bare twigs, dead leaves and
twittering sparrows the squaree of th
West Central dletrlot, where he knew
a man to stop and ply htm with infini
ties and pondered how he should aat
Suddenly, taking a turn, he faced the
British museum. Newspaper files In a
room yonder held th secret of th
Carew mystery, and th clue was a
child's nam, In hla pocket was a read
er's ticket.
Martin, Harford paused.
Ho gaged at the stately dull pile
with grimed tonic columns and the
sooty pigeons wheeling about.
If trouble threatened was ah not ten
times dearer?
Then Martin Harford Journeyed back
to hla rooms. Not by him would th
dust from dingy newspapers and
dingier anaadals be dislodged.
By noon h had posted a letter.
"Lesbla." It ran. "Leabla, my dear,
all my heart and my life are your own.
Can you love me even a little? To
morrow I will com to Deneham for
your answer. I have not much to offer
besides endless devotion, but be merci
ful, Lesbla, I love you so."
WHAT WOMEN DO FOR
m m m
FOUR years ago In nearly half th
oountiee of North Carolina th
average value of th school
houses. Including grounds and
all equipment, was lesa than-IT.
There were 1.000 districts With only
a log echoolhouse. There were 1.000
districts with no schoolhous at all. In
many cases ven th best war ugly
and dirty.
. In 1101 some .of the young woman of
the state determined to try to .-emove
this disgrace. They went to work.
They organised a State association. Th
first meeting was held at Greensboro in
April of that year. Next earn county
associations, of which nil whit woman
war Invited to become members. These
now exist (n counties of th state.
Many of these offer prises to the dis
trict showing th greatest Improve
ment A typical case is that of Wayne
county, away np in th mountains.
Last August the association In that
county offered a prise bf 1100, which
waa won by District No. 1.
The district Is described In the
World's Work as containing only It
families with children of school age.
There are only 40 children on th cen
sus. The average attendance for the
four months' term was 17.
Of the 10 families all are farmers
and only eight own th land on which
they live. Only ane of them has had
th advantage of a high school educa
tion. Seven of them tended only a one
horse farm. Not a mother In the dis
trict had any help esoept what th chil
dren could give night and morning.
Her Is th account given by the
A wooer In suspense Is a fidgety be
ing. Harford reviewed over and over
again his scant grounds for hop till
his brain reeled and' his courage quaked.
When on the following afternoon his
train started for Deneham ha waa worn
out with surmise, and sought an ano
dyne In something to read, Aa he Idly
scanned th noonday "Special." damp
from tha press, a paragraph seemed to
start forth.
"Lovers of the drama," he read, "will
hear with regret the decision of Mtas
Lesbla Carew to resign her part in th
new place shortly to be produced at
tha Melpomene, where she waa to have
mad her London' debut. It la an
nounced that the return of her uncle,
tha Hon. John Smith, from western
Australia, la not unconnected with this
promising young actress's determina
tion altogether to quit the professional
stage, Mr. Smith has lately acquired a
large fortune, and la reported to be
negotiating for the purchase of con
siderable estates In Herefordshire, Ms
native country."
In certain development of the unto
ward a sense of humor brings scant
consolation to th sufferer.
Martin Harford, surveying the situa
tion In his railway carriage, saw him
self miserable and ludicrous, too. Lesbla
Smith, professionally Lesbla Carew,
had vailed a little the serious studying
of her part by vouchsafing to himself
th heaven of her occasional companion
ship. That was all. Nothing could be
simpler than to bow his head to ths In
evitable, making It clear. If he sou Id.
that he was neither fortune hunter nor
fool.
The affair might have been arranged,
he, perceived with the minimum of em
barrassment, but for one unfortunate
contingency the lover worshiped th
lady to th peril of bis soul's health.
It was Mra. Robblns who directed him
to the garden to see where Miss Smith
was to be found, imparting tne lnforma
matlon with cryptic, beaming signifi
cance that crushed yet on more drop
tescber of the way th school earned Its
prig:
"When we went to .th school we
found an old building, th roof of which
had i eently been taken from on old
church Th grounds wore small and
out up With gullies, covered with trash,
leaves and decaying stumps. The steps
War nearly gone; window lights War
broken out.
Th eonufy gave as panes; th boys
put them in. By Christmas w had en
larged oar yard to about twice It
original sis, taking up it stumps. Wa
leveled th grounds snd scoured th
floor and desks
"We celebrated Thanksgiving day and
gar n free concert Christmas. We
gave a measuring party and festival for
th purpose of raising money.
"After Christmas we celebrated St.
Valentine's day. Washington's birth
day and North Carolina day. W got
up a program for Parents' day snd
gave another free concert on the last
night of tha school. To raise money
we had an apron hemming and an tee
cream supper and ths young ladles of
the association mads a memory quilt.
"The man of th neighborhood fixed
th yard, built an addition to tha house
snd mads some new stepa The school
children set out the flowers, scoured
th floor and asats and swept th yard
one a month.
' We hired a painter to put two coata
of paint on th Inside and outride- of
th house. ThO children were all anx
ious to do something to raise money to
buy a picture snd some books. So on
Be turds y we all want to a cotton ftoM
and picked covion. i
"At II o'clock we spread lunches.
of bitterness Into ths cup of hla sor-
r0W'e . a 'a . . A W
"I think you had better leave off try
ing to explain your meaning. Mr. Har
ford. I will certainly say 'No'; that be
ing. I believe, what you expect? Lady
Charlotte Waring called this afternoon;
lie was very incoherent, but I gathered
he meant to Insult me. though her in
tention she claimed to be 'kind.' I'm not
very fortunate In understanding people
this afternoon."
There waa a oatch tn Lesbla Smlth
Carew's throat that hindered her; but
rhe held her head aa high as an em
press, and Martin Harford would have
given the world to klsa th hem of her
gown.
"Lady Charlotte labors under a ridic
ulous misapprehension." said he; "I. per
haps, wag not free from It, either, for . I
thought that you- needed a friend that
my affection and such a home as I
could offer might be a shelter from
trouble and care."
"What made you change your opin
ion?" .
Again Miss Smith's voice quivered,
and she turned her face away.
Harford put Into her hand the paper
with ,tho momcntuoua paragraph at
once his exculpation snd his doom.
"You are rich," said he. "Until today
I though vou poor. You are distin
guished, and before you Ilea aoclgl suc
cess; I fancied you friendless, menaced
with hidden danger" his ton dropped
to sn agonised groan "even shame.
You do not need me. It was an Idle
dream ." V
"And you loved mT"
So gently she breathed th words tn
the air thick with th falling leaves
that blew around them, they seemed his
passion's requiem. This was farewell.
Miss Smith tapped th ground Impa
tiently, and made a despairing little
gesture with her hands. Ths cheek she
averted grew pink.
"Must I go on?" she cried. 'Can't you
see now? Oh, was ever a man so denser'
Aad than It dawned on him.
EDUCATION
later candy waa served. We then had
our cotton weighed, received our money,
which waa II. Ti, and want home as
merry snd happy as you please
'The little (-year-old tots worked
Just as hard and felt Just as Important
aa any. All of my schoolchildren were
small. I had only one boy 17 years old.
All tha other boy war under II years
of age- I had four girls over 12 years
of age. All th other were small, but
they all worked wUltngly and cheer
fully as members of th Betterment
association."
Nature 1 something of a manufac
turer herself. ,
In the case of a certain cactus mar
velous natural pottery Is produced.
Woodpeckers excavate nests In th
trunk snd branches, snd to protect itself
ths plant exudes a sticky Juica, which
hardens, forming a woody lining to th
holes made by th bird. Eventually
th cactus diss and wlthsrs away, but
ths wooden bowls remain.
As a weaver nature also produces
fine work. Certain tree barks and leave
furnish excellent cloth, as. for Instance,
the famous tapa cloth used in the South
Sea Islands.
Nature Is a glassmaker, too, accord
ing to tha Indian Review. By discharg
ing her lightning into beds of quarts
sand shs forms exquisite little pip of
disss.
She makes valuable ropes of various
kinds In the shspe of tropical vines and
creepers, and aha la Oven n lace maker,
aa witness tha lac tree of tha Wont
Indies.