that I’ve driven the thought of four
grand ladies clear out of your head,
and It's small fault of yours that so
much aa a whisper of the word
aunt makes the soles of my feet
grow cold and the hairs of my head
rise up on end. If you’d known my
father’s sister Dasheen you’d never
wonder! Maybe the four of these
ere nice old bodies?"
"And maybe they’re not!" re
marked the duke. “Gad, but I'd give
- a thousand-pound to have them
hear you calling them nice old
bodies. Clarissa, now——"
He gave such a shout of laughter
that the oft bay swerved.
"Are they just young aunts
then?" Biddy'Inquired hopefully.
"Beautiful, wait till you see
them! They’re not aunts at all,
heaven help us—they're sisters!
One of their noses would make four
of yours, and every last one of them
is more like Queen Elizabeth in
her prime than any one going
around England these days. They
have fine bones and high heads
and eyes like icicles and tongues
like serpents’ tails dipped in tine
gar."
“Have they now," remarked her
grace pensively. “Well, ’twill not
be dull at Gray Courts. I can tell
that from here. Was Elizabeth the
cross heathen that snipped the head
off the pretty light one home from
France?”
"I wish I’d had your history
teacher.” said the duke with em
phasis. "I spent years on end learn
ing less about the ladies than
you've put in a dozen words. I was
a cross heathen myself till 9:30 last
night.
"Never soy It" cried his Biddy.
"You’ve a, heart of gold and a
tongue of silver, and I’m the girl
than knows. 'Tis likely they’ll love
me no better than the cross one
loved the pretty one, then?”
- TU likely they'll love you less."
prophesied the duke accurately,
“since they can't anlp off your
head!"
Biddy's laughter was a flight of
silver birds.
’Then since It’s sorrow we’re
giiln’ to.” she begged, "let’s go easy.
Make the horses step soft and slow,
thirlin': 'tis the prettiest evening in
all the world, and I'm that high
up I can see clear over the great
green hedges into the wee green
gardens. I doubt if it’ll smell any
better In heaven!”.
"I doubt If Ti ll smell half as
sweet,” he said. "If we go slow
we’ll miss our dinner."
"Ah, let’s miss our dinner." she
bogged. ”I>id we not eat alt those
little fat quail and those great fat
peaches for our lunch? I’d rather
sup on the lights that'll be coming
out behind the wlndowpanes while
we pass and the stars that’ll allp
through the sky while we’re not
looking, and the smell of gllly flow
era and lavender warm against the
walls. Maybe if we go slow, we
might have a slip of new moon for
dessert—maybe if we go slower
than that, the horses will know
what it’s all about, and let you
hold one of my hands."
And so the horses did, and o he
did. and It was long past dinner
when the duke and his duchess
drove through the gates of Gray
.Courts, and swept up to the door
where grooms and butlers and
housekeepers and maids and men
enough to start a republic came
sedately to greet them. The duke
stood them off with a gesture and
held out both hands to help his
duchess down and she laid her
finger tips In his and reached the
threshold high on her toes.
"This." said the dice with a
pride that made his former arro
gance seem humility. "Is her
grace."
He swung her through the carved
doors in the great stone hall with
the flagged floor and the two fire
places. Hhe looked smaller than a
child and brighter than a candle.
The dun-colored hound blinked
twice and rose slowly, In his huge
grace, and strolled to where she
stood gleaming, thrusting his great
head beneath her hand.
"Oh, the wonder he la!" she cried
••What will I call him?"
"His name Is Merlin," the duke
told her. "He knows a witch as
well as the one he was named for.
Jaiyton, where are my sisters?"
"Their ladyships have retired to
their rooms, your grace."
"Good!" replied bis grace dis
tinctly. "Where are my suns?"
"Their lordships drove over this
afternoon for a dinner and theatri
cals at the marquis of Dene's, your
drace."
"Better!" said his grace. "Then
shall we go to our room. Biddy?
We've not eaten; send some claret
and fruit and cold fowl—what else.
Biddy?"
"Some little cakes stuffed full
with raisins, If there're any about,"
suggested her gracw hopefully.
"Cakes," commanded the duke of
Bolinglmm In a voice that would
have raised rakes from the stone
flags. “Will you have a maid.
Biddy?”
"Whatever for?" Inquired Biddy
with candid interest. "I've still the
use of all 10 of my Angers, and
you’d be there to help If I broke
one, wouldn’t you?"
"Yes,” sold the duke, hie arm
closing fast about her. “No maid.
Is the room ready,'Layton?'*
‘Quite ready, your grace.’’ Lay
ton seized the great black dressing
case and the little snakeskin Jewel
case that Biddy had pounced on in
Bond street that morning, and
James swung up the huge pigskin
bags of his grace, and Potter ap
peared from somewhere with fruit
-'and wine, and Durkin appeared
from nowhere with a silver basket
of small cakes, and a very young
gentleman called Tunbridge appear
ed with candles that were larger
ttton he. The duke and the duchess
followed this procession up the dark
splendor of the stairs, with Merlin
padding superbly behind his witch.
When they reached the landing the
procession swung to the right.
“Here!” called Bollngham. “Which
room?”
“The damask room, your grace.”
No,"-.said his grace. “No.” He
did not raise his voice, but his
fingers crushed down desperately on
the light ones lying In his. “We'll
use the blue room.”
The agitated voice of the house
keeper cried: “Oh, your grace, it’s
not ready!”
“Make it ready—flowers, candles,
linen. Be quick.” <
Feet ran, handle flew, while the
duke and his duchess stood waiting
in the room in which a king had
slept and a prince had died, and
which for a hundred years had
stood empty of life, save when some
awed visitor tiptoed across the
threshold, marveling at its more
than royal beauty—Us walls stretch
ed with velvet blue and deep as
night, Its great bed around which
the velvet curtains swept, brave
with their golden Tudor roses;
quick hands now brought other
roses, wine-red in silver bowls, to
sweeten the air, and sticks of wood
to light a fire to warm it, for even
August turned chilly In that mag.,
nificence; they spread a gay feast
before the flames and fine linen on
the bed; they brought high candela
bra wrought of silver, more of them
and more of them, until the shad
ows wavered and danced, and the
new duchess clapped her hands and
danced, too.
"That enough?” the duke asked
her.
"Oh, 'tis enough to light the way
from here to the pole! I’d not have
said there were so many ehndles in
all the world."
"Right,” said the duke to his ser
vitors briefly. "That's all, then.
Good night."
And the quick- hands and the
quick feet were gone, and the duke
was left alone with his duch
ess.
- "It's not too cold?” he asked.
“No, nor’ she said. ’’It’s fine
and warm.”
"It's not too dark?"
"No, no—It's fine and bright!”
"You little heart, you don’t hate
ItT You’re not afraldT”
'‘Afraid?’’ cried his heart, alight
with laughter. "Afraid with you by
me? Am I mad?’’
He knelt at that and put his
arms about her. Even kneeling his
black head was higher than her
bright one.
"It's I who am afraid. Biddy,
what if I made you stop smiling?
Biddy, Biddy, don't ever stop smil
ing!’’
"Never fear!" she cried. "Never
fear, pfy dear love. I’ll never in
this world stop smiling—” She
caught her breath, and shook her
curls, and laid her laughing lips
gayly and bravely against his. "Nor
in the next one, either!” said her
grace.
She kept her word. That shin
ing mischief of hers never wavered
—nothing touched It, not the froz
en hatred of the four outraged la
dies or the surly insolence of the
three dark boys, or the indifferent
disdain of the county neighbors, or
the blank indignation of the court.
He watched over her with terror
and rage in his heart; they, they
to scorn hig, miracle!
That first dinner, with the ladies
Pamela, Clarissa, Maude and Char
lotte, looking down their high noses
at the radiant intruder—
"Bay the word,” he told her
through his teeth, safe in the sanc
tuary of their beautiful room, "and
- the four of them shall walk to
London:
"Well, If they crawled there,
'twould be no more than they de
serve," said her grace with deci
sion. •"The cross faces they have,
and the mean tongues: They'd wear
the patience out of a saint."
"They can start packing now,” be
cried, and made for the door.
"No. no:” Her laughter checked
him like a hand. ' What does It mat
ter at all. since I’m no saint? I’ll
not need patience; all I'll need is
grace to keep a straight face and a
civil tongue. Let them be. darlin';
'tis a thousand pities my Aunt
Dasheen died without laying eyes
on them. They're like her own sis
ters. Did no one ever give that
fine Roddy of yours a good cuff?”
"I'll give him two and a strap
ping.” said the duke. "The glower
ing young cubl"
“You'd never steal such pleasure
for yourself,” she implored. "In no
time at all they'll be gone to their
schools and colleges, and I'll set
what mind I have to growing tall
enough to reach tbeir ears if I
stand on my toes. Would you like
me better if I reached up higher?"
Their world was irv that room—
its four blue walls, held all their
heaven and earth. From its win
dows they saw dawns break and
nights fall: when they crossed Its
threshold they stepped uder a spell
that held them safe from all dis
aster. No one had ever loved any
one as he loved his little golden
duchess; sometimes he smiled grave
ly and indulgently when he thought
of tk* poor travesties that passed
In the world for adoration.
When winter hung the world In
silver front they piled the fire high
er and drew the curtains closer and
sat In dreaming happiness while
the winds roared and lashed over
the world.
"Shall I take you to London?"
he asked her.
"London?" she cried in wonder.
"Oh, whatever for?”
“You’re not dull here? You’re not
lonely?”
’■Dull? With you? Lonely—lonely
with you?”
After awhile she lifted her head
and locked her fingers fast in his
and asked.
“When is your birthday?"
“In July—the 86th. Why?”
“I’ll have a grand present for
you,” said her grace. “A baby. A
baby that’ll have a yellow head and
a twinkle In both his eyes. A baby
that'll grow tall enough to thrash
the wickedness out of his black
brothers and have sense enough to
laugh Instead of doing it.”
He bowed his head over the linked
fingers.
"Biddy, what more will you give
me, you who have given me all the
world?”
”’Tia a small thing,” she whisper
ed. “July. That will be a year
since you came to see me dance?"
. “A year, my heart.”
“How many days are there In a
year, did you Bay?”
"Three hundred and slaty-five."
“A day— a day is a poor nhort
thing,” said her grace. “If I had a
wiah, I’d with them longer. 'Tie cold
in here, with the wind roaring down
the chimney. Hold me closer—hold
me fast.”
With apring her wish was granted
and the days were longer; not long
enough to hold the joy they poured
into them—but filled to the brim
with pale sunlight j^nd primroses
and hawthorn hedges. And it was
June, and they were longer still
flooded with golden warmth and the
smell of yellow roses and life and
magic, and the taste of honey. And
It was July, and It was his birth
day—and the world stood still.
Her grace gave him the yellow
headed baby for a birthday present.
When they brought him his son he
looked at him with strange eyes and
turned his face away and asked
them In a voice that none would
have known.
“How is she now?”
The great doctors who had come
hurrying from London shook their
heads.
“Bad. Her heart was In a shock
ing condition—she had not told
you?" -
No—no, she had not teld him.
"Well, we must hope; we must
hope.”
But soon they could n^> longer
hope, rf'or all their dignity, for all
their learning, they could only give
her drugs to make It easier to die;
ABE MARTIN On Ole Stage Coach Days
fijeijWJW&u
h'—'\A&os^x&
ishin' Anil;'a Kln-llun lit lh' OJr Stair loirli Dajr*.
Many o’ th’ habit* an' ouitotn*
o’ th' early stage coach day* aro
still In Vogue regardless o' th' sir
plane, th' radio an’ other means
o' rapid transportation «n' com
munication. Lots q.!. folks still con
sider "'60 days" cash. In th' ole
days when a feller bought a pair o'
boots an’ so ms calico It really re
quired about 60 days t' go t’ town
Saturday night t* pay fer them.
Besides, most things wuj paid fer
In skins, or pelts, an' pelts wua
Wnly available fer barterin' at cer
tain frosty seasons. It took n fel
|sr a month t' call on his gal once
a week. Weddln’s win dated away
ahead bo a feller could git home
After a proposal an* dress up an’ git
bAck. If th* weather was bad.
■now too deep or somethtn*. th’
weddln’ wua put off. Some times
• weddin' wui «el fer a certain
month Instead of a certain day, an'
sometimes they took place upon
proposal, thereby savin' th' groom
a long, lonely ride thro' th' In
jun Infested woods. A girl gener
ally married the handiest girl t' call
on. I^M>ks an’ disposition cut no
ice. Availability wuz th' watch
word. An' we must eemfess a purty
good, rugged citizenship wuz th'
result. A couple Jest had t' stick t'
gather an' make th' best o' things.
Ther wuz no stores for th' girls f
work in, an' only skimpy cabin
homes t’ return to. an' th' hus
bands Jest reasoned that they could-'
n't do no better without dropptn'
ther work an' groping around fer
months thro’ th' wilderness an' run
nln' th' rhanee o' giftin' lost. Th’
custom of our presidents Inkin' ther
seats four or five months after
elected Is a relic o' tit' ole stage
coach days, when long, weary
month* wus consumed in tryln' to
git th' returns from fer distant set
tlements like Vincennes. James
towfn. New Amsterdam. Ft. Wayne
an' Sandusky. Keen after th' votes
wua In an' counted it generally
took a month by fast stage fer a
president F reach th' capital. T’day
th' whole world knows whether Ma
Hetta, Ohio, Saint l,oui». Aurora,
Indianny. and Haverill. Massachu
setts, went democratic JO minutes
after th' poll* close. We think a
president should at least take hi*
offlea In time fer Cbrtstmu*. An’
this thing of a young couple gtttin'
married In June an' not bein' at
home till September Is another relic
o' stage coach days. Kven with a
second-hand car they ought F he at
home an' nettled down In Id days
• coeyrteht !*•! >
they could only prop her «p
against the pillows In the great
Tudor bod, and smooth the dark
coverlet, and tiptoe from the room,
leaving her to her duke, ghe eat
there still and small, her hands on
his black head where he knelt be
side her, with so little breath left
to tell him of her love that she
sought the shortest words, she who
had been a spendthrift of them.
"DarUnY’ He did not stir, even
at that. "Never grieve. I've knowg^
it a great while, they told mc^n
London before you came that
'twould be no more than a year.
And my Aunt Dasheen, she was
wise before they 'Wed at 17, dead at
18’-"
"Biddy," he whispered, "I’ve kill
ed you—I’ve killed you.”
"Oh, what talk Is this? You, who
gave me my life? I never minded
the dying—’twos only when I
thought how lonely It would be.
with no one caring whether I came
or went. I’ve forgotten what lone
liness is with you by me. Look up
at me.”
He raised his head—and her eyes
were dancing.
"Has it yellow hair?’’
"Yes.”
"Will you teach It to laugh?’’
"Biddy—Biddy-’’
’"Twill be dull In heaven without
you," she said. "But ’twill be gay
when you come." She leaned to
ward him, her lips curved to mis
chief. "Walt till they tell my Aunt
Dasheen—Saint Peter himself will
have to laugh. "Woman, there's
someone just come asking after
you—a little one even on her toes.
She says her name ia Biddy and
she’s duchess of Boilingham-’ ”
The faint voice trailed to airy
mirth and with that music echoing
still about her. Her grace closet
her dancing eyes, and closed her
laughing lips, and turned her bright
head away and was gone, as lightly
swiftly as she had come.
• Copyright, 1923.)
Auto Wheel Guard for
Protection of Pedestrians
A safety wheel guard has been de
signed which the inventor believes
will make it impossible for an auto
mobile to r-n over a person. The
guard consists of two strips of angle
iron Just raised above the outer rim
of the tire and starting from the
highest point of the wheel. The
strips, attached by metal to the hub
and the wheel rim. are curved,
centric with the hub. Prom the
er edge of the strip, a piece of metal
working on springs curves outward,
reaching one or two inches above
the ground. Should the car run
into any object the curved spring
would keep on pushing the object in
front of It until the car could be
brought to a stop. If the car were
being swerved by the driver the
wheel guard would push the object
out of-lhe way entirely.
Steam-Driven Airplane
Operates at Low Cost
Experiments are being made in
Germany of a steam-driven air
plane. The craft is constructed
throughout of duralumin. The en
gine Is an adaptation of the IMesel
engine and burns a combination of
•-rude oil and. other oils, which is
broken up under a forced air feed
and sprayed against the boiler. Here
it ignite*, giving terrific heat con
sidering the relatively small quan
tity of oil consumed in the opera
tion. Ten gallons of oil are said to
be sufficient to run the plane's 750
hrr*f power engine for eight hours.
Telephone Device Used to
Determine Crade^of If
Among the newest inventions in
France is wine testing by t tie phone
By means of electric curre nt linked
up to a phone, the true character
istics of the wine are revealed.
Wine that is pure conducts the cur
rent. with the result that sounds
In the telephone are heard and in
terpreted. Should the wine he adul
terated with certain chemical salts,
then the current has difficulty in
passing through and the telephone
interpretations are unsatisfactory
To have an invention protected
all over the world, it is necessary
to take out merely TO patents in as
many different countries, the esi;
mated cost of which is about
m.ooo __
ASTHMA
ADVKRTISmK«T.
How Many Poinds Would You
Like to Lose in o Wook?
If you or# fot and waot to
oeifht, I will awnd you a v .
famous Rut O Fat treatment ub#otUt*ly
Krr#. Do »ot «#n«l a»y mwy—t***
your name »n«t addrew t# W hlatoo a
I.«horAtori#«k Jill Cart C#l* Bid*.
*#• City. Ma
