and terror uud struggle to free ItefngRi Idiot every time I look at bar. 1
tell ber I love her when «he goes on
Laetitia, assuring him that he w *a
but he hold ber fast.
treatin’ me like a cur thia way. I f ahe
not In the least In the way. relieved
“T ell me what thia means," be again
only gave me half a chance Instead of
demanded, when she had beeu made
him of his kit, banging up his pea- M
MORO. OREGON.
encouraging me to a certain point and
jacket to dry and setting him before a o1
to realize that ahe could not get away.
then «rabbin* me. Hang that Pinck­
corner of the stove with a quaint a ir of
•Ob,"' she panted. “I thought you
ney, anyway r
j
proprietorship.
/
were somebody else who wad sitting
Wb-tever may have been the results
All these attentions he aceejrted In
there just a few minutes ago. He was
of The Observer » $1.50 per dumb admiration, uncomfortably con­
my gentleman friend, and we bad Juat o f Atherton’« reflection«. It la aafe to
vesr. 75 cent» km s ix mow»», - 7 - - -
—
quarreled, and 1 did not know ha had assume that they led him along the (
four m o a t t o - b w K »««1 «■ -dveoce ”re scious of bis big rusty shoes, bis work
sober path of reasoning, and whan he ,
gone. I thought he was still s ittin g
accent 12.50 in fa ll tor 2 year«.
Shorter grimed elothes and his disheveled head
. j . —
WMr 12% cent« per month. To adjust his disorderly mane he raised
there with hla back toward me, and bad finished another cigarette he arose
How a Hailing Lover Was
a sinewy hand. Its forefinger roughly
1 kept mine toward him. T h e n I waa from the bench and made his way back
< Brought to His Senses
sorry and tried to make up—a n d -a n d to the Mannings’, and when he re-en­
i our calendar, bound w ith .a »trip of blood stained
tered the ballroom waa somewhat cha­
sr aa the date at rag. Laetitia, looking up from the bast­
you scared me."
ing oWhe diminutive turkey, noted the
iption expire«.
Something about the glrl’a manner grined to observe that bis absence had
which you r current
gesture oud saw a drop o f blood oom
convinced Atherton that It waa the evidently bees unnoticed by anybody.
from the bandage and trickle across
truth ahe waa telling, and he relaxed Uls eyea roamed the room until he saw
,,» » » + » » » » » » g | d » » » 6 I
Jerry’s fingers.
Pamelia. H a bit his Ups. She waa Just
his hold upon ber wrists.
In an Instant and In spite of hla pro-
“But how did you know my name?" finishing a waits with Pinckney. His
!h angry and madly
Atherton was
anger returned In a measure.
testa ahe waa washing the wound—a
be asked stupidly.
jealous as he fit E himself out of tbs
Pamelia saw him and spoke to bar
gash hd had got from a piece of pro­
“ Is your name Billy, too?” asked th e
(he Mannings fully
noble residence
girl in response.' "H is name la Billy— companion. ■ The pair came toward
jecting tin on her own roof— treating
ixreturn.
Indeed,
so
determined neve
It with homely remedies and binding It
him, and his heart stopped beating, ae
angry was be tl R a fte r having been
up in a bandage torn from one of her
It seamed to him.
subjected to ah 1 tlifre evening of what
* “Billy," said Pamelia. “the past
old linen handkerchiefs.
be termed In hl own mind tbe moat
Laetitia accompanied thia treatment
dance la yours, 1 believe, bat let’s go
heartless cruell mud abuse at the
out of hers and get a breath of air
with exclamations of distress, with ■
Christmas Story With the
tful Pamelia Man­
tender scoldings, w ith such Impas­
'drat*.
. V
'
sis be had been a
And aha dismissed Pinckney with a
sioned eagerness to cure hla hurt, that
True Holiday Spirit
« was first in long
MAY GET NAVAL ACADEMY
i Jerry was mute a t first w ith aston­
nod.
tt| not even linger
ishment, but presently her sweet con­
Atherton
knew
fun
well
that
bar
le his farewells to
cern Inspired the notion that he had
ugjne waa not on his card, hot had tbs
fMantilng pere and
presence o f mind to accept the fib and
< ► Copyright by F ra n k A. Munsey Co. < made a conquest
eg
h
he
had
a
must
Slowly and with Infinite tenderness
caU It all his own good luck and led
Jr
those
estimable
|
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB»»»»
he raised hla big right hand and closed
ber to a settle In a brood nook beneath
r ____ „
_
HaiBad to himself
It over Laetitia’s fluttering fingers—
the staircase. H e still fait hurt, and
later that there was no reason for In­
Laetitia never ceased to hope that a
........
they trembled at first Uka a butterfly
cluding them la hla Wrath. As for the
bsiw irtont Providence would one day beating with Its wings, but finally
there waa a painful silence, during
rest of the party and for Tom Pinckney
which time Rsmeila studiously obaarv-
send her a lover.
came to rest In the great kindly lnclos-
lb particular, who had monopolised Pa
ed the tip of her dainty sUpper.
In expectation of that glorious day ure. A t the same time her head and (
mella the-entlre evening» ahe evidently
“I thought you had gone home,’’ ahe
she kept her two and a half atory heart swayed with a kind of exquisite
taking .1 supreme delight In being thus
said finally, looking a t him so squarely
boost and ber four and a half foot shock.
monop« ilzcd. Atherton caned nothing.
that he caught his breach and blushed
To her simple, bewildered and hun­
self tidy and adoroed.
“They mny go hang, and Pamelia
to the roots of hie hair.
Perhapa it was tbe witching power gering soul Jerry's tender act signified
with them.“ ha muttered, aa be seized
-Yes- no—th a t t o " - be blundered
hut
one
thing—a
confession
of
love.
his but and coat and made a diva
'e f Laetitia’s tanging. perhaps it was
helplessly. £
Boon she began to tell him how ahe
down the stairs. “She need never to
the smiling countenance of her bouse,
- I MW
when yon went through
bad been waiting for him, unfolding ,
expect ms to call here again."
or perhaps It was Just a freak of fate
the ball." «be continued, tranquilly un­
those simple secrets that ahe had not
In front of the Manning residence
that impelled Jerry McBride, "line­
conscious of bto embarrassment. “Tse
even lisped la her prayers, pouring ont ,
there was n little park with plashing
man" of the telegraph oqjnpany, to
seemed In a dreadful burry, and I
from a brimming heart a veritable song !
fountain, shrubbery and subdued
rap with ber shining brass knocker
-wondered wbat had happened. Noth-
of happiness.
lights.
To
Atherton
to
this
particular
rather than pull her neighbor’s belL
lng serious, 1 hope?"
Thera was no longer any question of
frame of mlud tbs little park pre­
It waa Christmas. I t was also Lae­
I
I t was some relief to Atherton to
Jerry’s staying. He sat down with j
sented a peculiarly Inviting aspect
titia’s birth^ty. a glorious and a hum­
I kn o# that sbs had bean observing
Laetitia as though he had come there
8U11
httln.7
hl«
lip
with
vexation,
he
ble colnddencs. The splendor of the
him at all and had watched hla hasty
chose a seat on a secluded bench
divine anniversary shed Its luster, like for the express purpose of dining with
depart ore, over which be now felt so
her; and dinner, beginning with a
where the shrubbery was especially
an Inheritance, upon the meek.
foolish.
thick and. where the absence of any
The night before there had been a lively exchange o f sentiments, reached
I - I had to go." ho explained, “tb o -e r
a
gay
climax
when
Laetitia
cut
the
nearby electric light rendered the
heavy fall of snow, mingled w ith sleet,
ry was hungry. She gave him his old
j —hem— the room was so stuffy. It gave
gloon#almost imjwuatrobls. As he sat
which had snapped a telegraph wire cake and Jerry choked on the ring.
I me a «headache."
placp
at
the
corner
of
the
stove
and
Chat ha would pay to full as a OhrteV
Having redeemed It by vigorously
down on the eud of tbs bench he ob­
fastened to the chimneys, midway be­
“Oh!" And then there was n x*s sl- mas gift all the accounts of the 4L000
beating him on the buck. Ie c titla ln- set contentedly about the final prepa
served the figure of a girl or woman
tween tbe house of Laetitia and her
I lence and mors watching of the point­ children depositors to the Pittsburg
rations for dinner.
4
seated ou the other, end. llc r pees
neighbor, and the superintendent of - slMted that be should wear It, and as
“1 was Just going to pour the gravy
ed slipper.
t
-
she
laughingly
wedged
It
on
the
email-
1
ence
at
Qrat
struck
him
with
fresh
Bank for Barings which waa oloaad
the telephone company had dispatched
Atherton’s heart swelled within him
set finger she could find be mentally over the roast when you knocked at annoyance, but observing, when bis
hors
tost week.
Jerry to repair the break.
the door, Jerry." she said, smiling at
'I as he sat w a tc h in g the pretty f|SR
As Laetitia opened tbs door and decided to turn over a new leaf, a« j him over her shoulder, "and somehow eye« liad n<-custome<( themselves to the
side him. and the sense o f his wrongs
they say. and marry her.
How many people M<e a® the raputa-
made a sw ift inventory of Jerry’s wary
I knew that it was you. Remember
welled to the surface.
While he was s till thinking In thia
tlon of the reputation they might have
but »»gaging features, she wondered I
that
dinner
and
the
cake?*’
“1
say.
Pamelia."
ba
blurted,
“do
yon
r vein the little bouse reverberated with
made!— Holmes.
If by any chance be would prove to be
“I ’ve kept the ring." he testified. ex­
ear« fo r Tom Pinckney?”
a knocking at the front door Jerry
tbs lover for whom she had so long I started up, Instinctively alert, end at hibiting bis band limply and trying to
Pamella’s eyebrows lifted. "W hy,
British Balsa A ll Parcels From U. • .
been waiting; and Jerry, smiling e th e r
Billy?" she asked.
the seme time Laetitia made a move smile out of a troubled heart.
prim plainness, bar simple wistfulness,
Hla sense of being fa ir to her, hla de­
Berlin, eto wlrelooo to Tnckertowa.
Atherton had found himself now nnd
i to answer the summons.
sire to stand conscience clear before
wondered why she subjected him to
N
J British authorities seised every
«yq
.
no
longer
afraid.
Leaning
fo
rw
a
rd
“W a lt r commanded Jerry quietly. her, goaded him oa to ten*ber where he
u n til bto eyes were on a lino with beta, parcel post package aboard tha steam­
> hla mind working w ith practiced brisk
had been and why be waa sent there;
er Ooentoer of the Rotterdam Lloyd
hla own gleaming strangely, he said.
I nsss, hla quick eye noting a means of
hut, time and again on the verge of
“Because
If
you
do
J
am
going
right
lino, en routs from New Y o A , accord­
i escape by tbs kitchen door and vlsna
confession, his courage dissolved under
horns and shoot myself or take poison ing to dispatches racrivsd kora. H sr
. fixing another exit through tbe trap In . the fear that abe. Ilka a ll the rest of
or something. Pamelia. don t yon officers so reported upon ths llasr’s
the roof. A glance at Laetitia, how- the world, wonkl put him away from
know? Can’t you understand? 1 lovo
» ever, diverted all these considerations. her.
arrival at Rotterdam.
you ao much, and you drive mo »»ad by j
“1. think It’s some one fo r ms from
“Letty," he began faintly, “you ain’t
making
mo
Jealous.
I
f
you
don
t
love
► the telegraph office»” he said dsllbsr
asked me where I ’ve been a ll this
ms. why do you keep me dangling on
I atsly. " I ’l l go to the door."
time."
_
r. I Bo ha went, knowing in hla heart t he
your string like thia? I left the boose ;
“W hat does It matter now y o u ’ve pl
because I was almost Insane with Jeal­
e 1 doom that awaited him.
come back?" she returned.
J cr
s I Two “ plain clothe« men” were stand
ousy because you had neglected too. I
“Ain’t you curious to know—haven’t M
vowed I would never come back, but
it I lng on tbe step.
you wondered?” He was flaying him­
still 1 cams. 1 can’t stay away. Pamo-
“Hello, Me Bride r greeted one of self with every question.
<
lla, not until you tell me to.”
Laetitia paused In the process of dig I |
il them, hla hand on his overcoat pocket,
f, I which bulged with a pointed pistol glng the cranberry out of its mold.
Pamelia sat back high Ip one corner
di I ’W e’ve got your pal. Murphy—and we
“Yes; I ’ve wondered about you and
|
of tbs aettls. with mischief to her eyes.
“Billy boy!** she ejaculated.
prayed, and my prayer has been an
is want you."
H er band lay temptingly near, and
is I Jerry laid a finger on hip lips and swered."
I
Atherton took It lovingly to bto own.
"You’re h Christian, ain’t you, Letty X
n I said In a low voice: “ I t ’s all right. I ’ll
"No; I ’m a sinner!" She wa^ serious
I
“Purnells, whnt do yon mean?” ba
J come with you, but I don’t want eh
I s^ e*!. conscious of the caress in her 1
or I -m y girl to get on to m e— see?’
Jerry sat up, almost electrified.
eyes and voice.
“W hat have you done that you
at
“S u re f grinned the spokesman. “Get
“Billy," «be repeated, “ what are you
»s your hat and coot and kiss ber good shouldn’t have done?"
I trying to do?*’
" I ’ve lived all ray life selfishly. Just |
I “l —er—ahem— 1 am asking you to
Tbe detectives stood at the open waiting for you—dreaming of you—
J gay yon love me. to marry mo. Pa me
door while Jerry, nervlug himself for th in k in g moss of yon than I have of
God."
_
I I
I Ila.*
the parting, turned back to the kltch
I And bore Pamelia capitulated. Down
“Oh!” he murmured, disappointedly,
on. where Laetitia, lingering with s
I came tbe prood bead, and to the beau
ten«e of foreboding, detected nt ouce “I thought you meant you stole, or"—
I tlful eyes were tears.
Laetitia shook her bead. ‘ "No, I
tbe dtotrew be tried to hide under a
1 / > X •
haven’t stolen or killed, or anything
cheerful demennor. An adept at In
■T s. i Yi
Tbe new guy come home with me and | “Billy boy." «he «aid. “dear Billy. 1
waa wondering if I was never to
veutton, yet bating himself for the He like that, but I guess I would have if
asked me to go walking w ith him too.
tbs chance to tell you how much I
j .rad only choosing tbe fabrication to I ’d been tempted.”
I broke a date w ith . Billy to go w ith
cared— h ow much I love you. Yon men
Bhe placed a chair for him at the
■«pare her Ideal of him. he said with
him, though Billy's a lot the nicest.”
I are ao hard to manage. I really feel as
table and went and laid ber cheek
genuine emotion:
“Then why did you go with the new
though 1 had djns tbe proposing aay-
“ My mother's dying In Ireland—she against his.
m a n r asked Atherton, still more pus- I self. Bnt it’s a shame a girl has to ac-
“Come," she purred, "dinner’s ready.”
sent for me— I ts got to go"
sled.
I espt a man und»»r an electric light apd
Jerry arose unsteadily and, pushing
“You’ve got to go!“ I t was not a
“Easy ’nuff ter see you’re a man in I In a hallway where he can’t ktoa her
I question, it waa not an exclamation; ber a little from him until he stood I
the dark," laughed the girl, "er you’d I for fear somebody will come along and
I It was a slik-
~
quite aloof, exclalmpd:
know why.*
*^’ve
got
to
tall
you,
even
though
you
Hs thought she was going to faint,
*T am a man," said Atherton, ao ear­
but she was only closing her eyen and send me away. I lied that day. I did I
But Atherton did. nevertheless, and
nestly aa to atartle tbe g irl at hla aide.
clasping a hand over her mouth to con­ not go to Ireland; I went to Jail, and
later
ha remembered to send an elabo­
«I wm a man, and I don’t u n d ers ta n d .
ceal her agony. Silently he caught I*ve been there ever since, serving sut
rate silver service to ^M r. and Mie.
I want to know. Won’t you tell m e f
her to his arms and thought how d if­ sentences for "burglary.’’
Billy Ludden following the wedding of
- "W hy, yor sea, I get tired of havin’
" I knew that.” said Laetitia simply,
ferent it would have been had be met
that
estimable couple. But he never
Billy hangln’ around and monopolizin’
“and Tvs been waiting for yon to come
her two abort years before.
told Pamelia. ■ .
:
ma without a-comln’ right down tar the
“You will come back to m«r Ths borne.”
Oriental W ay sf Making Csffss.
point,” ahe answered. ‘ifco 1 Juat am
piteous question cams up to him to a
The room rocked under Jerry’s feet,
In a lecture a t ths Royal Institution
goto’ ter use him dirt mean, and you’ll
but his hand was In Laetitia's, so be
breath of hops.
see him around with a proposal and to London on “Science In the Home”
“Y e a r The word rang ao w ith con­ knew that he could not fall. When she
lookin’ for a engagement ring Yore long, Professor 0 . Y, Boys said coffee waa
viction that a wan smile Illuminated had steadied him to hla chair she took
mark my words. That’s the way ter a food In regard to which there waa
a place opposite to him and bowed her
her pale face.
serve these alow men./ H a put up an much to lean». As usually made, with
head In solemn silence and happiness, |
“When?“
awful kick ternlgfrt, ,but I never bolUng water, all the volatile m a tte »
» FRIEND* IN NEED.
“I don’t know." Jerry could not Us knowing that he bad won tbe salvage 1
flinched. When he got sassy 1 turned went off In tbe steam, tha house being
of his soul, grateful and content
filled
with
their
fragrance,
and
the
nu­
my back on him. Then be turned his
The Pleasure T h a t Came W ith a L lttls
"Oh. Lord." he heard her pray, "we
back on me—and you know the rest. tritive part waa left In tbe pot adher
A a to f Kindness.
beseech thee absolve thy people from
lng
to
the
grounds.
The
oriental
meth-
Oh. but he’ll come back. H e’s a real
“I am one of your new neighbors,
1
od
waa
to
pour
a
little
water
through
j
their offenses; that through thy boun
1 good feller."
Mrs. Bstabrooks," said a cheerful Trice
tlful goodness we may all be delivered 1
The girl arose tofee. Atherton caught a lot of coffee over and over again, at Qur door to tha vary middle of our
and men had been known to alt up all
from the bands of those sins which by
her hand.
Mgh» doing It. A little cold made cof­ first attempt at moving. “No, I can’t
onr frailty ws have committed."
tog for me. But she «right have at
“I —- I ana glad to know what you
"Amen!" said the—new man.
fee ao prepared and nerved, in a hot come to. 1 Just brought you a M t of
least treated ms as well as ths rest of
have told me," he said.
cup with hot milk waa fa r more deli­ lunch, knowing yon would bo too busy
ana naoem xaiiT wmimjud rr oe v—
ths men, who got a smile and a dance.
8 an d y Rsssonsd W a ll.
vikoxb erne <- ooud vnro.
cious than tha decoction usually put to fix any. Please call on me—Juat
If nothing more. *Gs»0 evening. Mr.
Bandy McEwen to six years old. Tbe
next door—I f I can ba of any balp.
Atherton; so glad yoa came.’ a slight
on the tabla.
,
.
bits of shin in g silver and the sparkling
other day a girl baby waa born In tbs
1 Goodby!"
handshake, and that la «11* To be sure,
glass to such throbbing expectancy.
" ,
WoodorafL
My buatmnd and 1 glanced a t th at
family across the way. Bald Bandy, she said ahe might poaBibly give me a
Bven now ahe did not plan to keep her
I
thought
every
woodmhn and guide tray with Ita tw o bowls of hot soup,
worldly wise:
dance later, but that she'w as very
visitor to dinner; only, to bar simple
k n jw that by going downhill you a » and steam ing little pot of coffee and
“The first week I s’poee she’ll have much in demand.”
way of thought, she hoped that he
sure
to come upon a stream of water, then a t Bach other, to dumb surprise.
But
thia
strain
of
meditation
waa
not
a birthday sv’ry day. Tbe first month
would stay.
W e had Juat reached that dreadful
which w ill to turn lead to a settlamant
‘ she’ll bars ons sv’ry wsek. Tbs first to ths mind of young Billy Atherton,
And. aa always, she drew from the
etato
to moving when nothing la to
Furthermore,
to
our
day
nearly
every­
and
be
resumed
the
drop
stitch.
“And
cupboard her birthday cake, surmount
, year she'll have ons ev'ry month. A ft­
body depends on a watch tostead.of place arfd the things wanted B n t are
od with a stockade of candles, thirty
er that she’ll have ons sv’ry year for- so on the hopes of that dance I hang
u n d ern e a th the thing» wanted la s t -
around all the evening to see ber flirt
“sighting the sun." When the hour I that aw ful moment when a sense of
four. Gingerly, for fear the candles
1 aver an* ever." >
with
that
beastly
cad
of
a
Pinckney."
mtgbt fall out of alignment, she placed
“No. dear-only till she dies." cor
hand points toward the bub the point
helplessness, weakness and homesick
But at this Juncture'Atherton, with
the cake to tha center of the table,
. racted an older member of tbs family.
after all. tha asms as,thia lady’s maid M id w a y between tbe h o w hand and 13 | oess Combined swoops down upon you.
I
head
bent
forward,
waa
greatly
star-
s p e c u latin g as to where the ring might
’ /
“ la that ao?" answered Bandy scorn­
loves bar Billy and torments hla soul o'clock w ill be due south. Another lit­
W e had not realized that wo war»
he—the ring that heretofore ahe had
fully. “Ain’t Georgs Washington been lied to feel a pair of soft, girlish arms by flirting with other men ao that In tle woodcraft trick la that of carrying
hungry and physically exhausted, but
never found until she had consumed
dead for quite some time, and ain’t he I steal about hla neck* a flnffy head the end her victory w ill be more com­ a supply of matches in a large mouthed
after sitting down at an im provised
’ having birthdays yet?" — Cleveland nestled again« hla shoulder and a soft
bottle. When fitted With a tight cork table and sampHug that delirious sour
plete.” '
voice said:
Plato Dealer.
And then be let hla mind wander over the matches are sure to be kept dry and drinking the stimulating coffee wo
. __ . -- -»*-
“Tm aw ful sorry. Billy. I didn’t
tbe years of hla friendship with Parne­ even though you have to swim a stream suddenly knew what bad been tha
h
Apart.
mean It."
* flg
lls and admitted to b im e e lf that there with your riothsa w r'Ww— 1 Rh#
tar with oa. Courage returned.
«
Mother— 1 hear that H arry Bmlth la
In one terrible moment the truth
“Blessing« on our neighbor!" cried
tbe worst boy to school, and I want dawned upon Athcrteo. The young had never been any action on his part
I you to keep aa fa r from him aa possible. lady of the other eud of the bench waa that that young woman effold have by
I “Yaa," 1’ answered,
“fibs’« the J°'
any means Interpreted as a declaration
I Tommy— I do. ma. He ta always at the making love to him.
o in
of hla lovo for her.
" Serfdom was abolished In Russia in llest caller i ever received. Bhe hn
* head of our class.— Boston Transcript
“W hat do you mean?* be asked, and
"Perhaps she k °t tired of havin’ mo
j tn u g h t mo how to introduce youreelf to
ag be did ao ha observed that aba waa hangto* around and m o n op olizin ’ hsr, 1M1. to Fng ln rtd to KWH- to France not ) n ew neighbors sad win their sveriast
w
h
o
llr
until
the
French
revolution,
to
very pretty. Uls rough «grasp on ha«
too.” he reasoned, and then with sod-
Prussia In 1702. In the rest of Germany lng gratitude Whatever happens I d
wrists unconsciously relaxed, although
Bee heat:
’ "
1781. In Denmark 1768 and to Brazil this neighborhood I ’ll stand by Mrs.
I ha stlll retatoed hla hold.
“But, hang It all, a blmd girl ought
Tbe girt, after (he tito glance nt bin to ha able to understand whan sim to IM7-B8. There to now practically no
lag»ir~n serfdom anywhere on e a rth
face, gave a little acxeeto •< aurprieg
e O b server
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