IN A NEW LIGHT.
(A Story of Confessed Love.)
Inwrcnce Bancroft was decidedly
bored that summer afternoon an ho lay
in his Invalid's chair under a wldo
spreading buckeye tree. He had ex
perienced a great many varieties of
boredom In the three weeks he had
been in the country boforo that he
had been too 111 even tor ennui and
now considered himself an authority
on the subject. Consequently ho had
no dlllleulty In classifying the speci
men which was afflicting him as the
most unpleasant known. There might
be worse kinds undiscovered, but ho
doubted It. At all events, If there were,
the discoverer would never live through
them to toll the tale. The kind of en
nui when you suspect that, while the
present circumstances of your exist
ence are not agreeable, there may be
othcts under which It would be moro
bo, and when you can even think of
special combinations of externnls and
Internals tWt would produce the de
sired result's not so bad; but when
there seems to be nothing In henven or
on earth worth the trouble of lifting
your hand to get, when the dreams
and wishes so dear to you in happier
moods are as hopelessly unattractive
as the reality around you, this Is the
Cenulne article, this Is ennui.
Lawrence wondered If he ever had
really believed this earthly existence a
deslmble thing. Vogue recollections of
foolish thoughts about the Juy of liv
ing and the pleasure of merely draw
ing breath In a world wheie youth and
strength and the trick of n emlle
brought such lavish returns, canio Into
his head, but he bunlshcd them llko
the remembrance of one's breaks. He
did not even want this same strength
now. Had there ever been moments
when trees nnd runj'lng water and
book3 and friends nnd music and love
making, yes and even entlng and drink.
Ing, had appealed to him? The evi
dence In favor was strong. What n
fool he had been not to sec the empti
ness of It all.
Just here Lionel, who had given his
victim a moment's peace, came back
with his little freckled face daubed
with Jelly. At this moment nothing on
earth could have mndc Lawrence be
lieve that he had ever been attracted
by children, or had ever thought this
particular specimen endurable. He shut
his eyes, a device that was sometimes
effective about once In every ten times
In warding oft the enemy's attacks;
but this was not the once.
"Say, Where's your puppy dog?" de
manded a shrill, piping voice.
Lawrence made no reply.
"S,iy, Where's your puppy dog?" the
volte repeated In n still higher key,
Lawrence gave a sigh. The case
was hopeless; no subterfuges would bo
of uee, nnd the question would be re
pented until he answered.
"She Is somewhere around; she was
here a moment ago," he replied lndlffer
cntlj ; n - thnt the manner ever had
the slightest effect on Lionel.
"Where Is he gone to? ' he demanded.
"I don't know," his victim replied re
signedly. "You don't know where your puppy
dog has gone to?"
"No, I don't know."
"My popper don't like pupy dogs,"
Lionel continued, In the tone of one giv
ing an Interesting piece of Information,
as he hung head downmost fiom a
branch of the big cherry tree opposite.
Lawrence did not answer.
"I cay, popper don't like puppy dogs,"
continued the tormentor. The victim
sighed and gave In.
"Doesn't he?" he asked politely.
"He's afraid they'll climb the trees
and tut the cherries," explained Lionel
with wonderful distinctness, consider
ing that he had stuffed four cherries
Into his mouth at once. Lawrence de
cided that the combination of cherry
Juice, Jelly, dirt, etc., was not an Im
provement to the human fnce.
"I swallowed the stones. 1 always do,"
Lionel went on cheerfully. Seeing that
u protest was expected, Laurence
checked the one that rose to his lips.
"Llonell" came n feminine voice "rom
the shrubbery, and Lionel went off as
fast ns his little legs could carry him.
lie had hnd mnny a snd lesson as to
the consequences of Ungerlrg when that
voice called. "Mommer," was the onu
person of whom that young man stood
in nwe.
The victim breathed a sigh of relief.
There certainly was n slight distinc
tion between the different conditions of
this mortal life, and there was hope for
him. If no Lionel seemed more attrac
tive to him than Lionel, and It certainly
did ho was on the up grade. Perhaps
something to eat would seem worth
while in unother hour or so.
He wns shaken from this musing by
a violent shaking of the high board
fence which lay to the east of the
buckeye tree. The vines that covered
It swayed violently to and fro. Was It
an enrthqruke, or was It Lionel again,
coming over that way to surprise him.
Lionel wns fond of surprises. Hut there
was no Jelly on the face that appeared
at the top or tne fence no jelly ana
no freckles, Hidden as he was by (he
low hanging boughs, the trespasser ev
idently did not suspect Ills near neigh
borhood, but swung herself lightly nnd
easily over the fence and Into the cher
ry tree, her short duck skirt and leath
er legglns seemingly designed for such
exercises. She uus evidently enjoying
the cherries, which she ate one at a
time, so thoroughly thnt Lawrence hes
itated to Interrupt tier. She would prob
ably be much embarrassed and would
hate him ever afterwards, nnd she waB
too pretty for hlr.i to enjoy this pros
pect. Besides, how should he address
her. His friend Lionel's "sny" had Its
disadvantages. He had time for a leis
urely survey of the girl, who was ap
parently about sixteen, though sho
might be younger, before his perplexity
was ended for him by a short bark
from Fly, who had Just returned from
some Interesting little expedition of her
own, and resented poaching on the fam
ily preserves. The Intruder turned and
eaw the dog and her master. She col
ored and looked confused for half a sec
ondhalf a second only and then re
marked calmly:
"Would you like some? They nre very
good."
"Very much" Lawrence answered ns
calmly, suppressing with dlllleulty n.
desire to laugh. The young girl picked
several line bunches, and, swinging her
self down from the tree, enme over to
his chair and handed them to him.
"You used to give us lectures about
breaking off the spurs Isn't that what
you call them? with the cherries, but
perhaps you don't mind such things
now."
"I gave you a lecture?" Lawrence
exclaimed, In surprise.
"Yes, Uncle Laurence, you."
"Uncle Lawrence?" he exclaimed, still
more mystified.
"it is unkind of you to forget your
nUces so easily, even when they are
only adopted ones," the young girl re
turned, seating herself on a low hung,
horizontal limb of the buckeye, and
swinging herself gently to and fro by
touching the ground with the end of
her foot. But a llgh'fjhad begun to
dawn on Lawrence. '"
"I verily believe." he remarked de
liberately "I ,yerlly believe you are
that little Kirjtwho spent the summer
vl'.h the Osbornss bo many years ugo."
"Yes, I am the same little devil," tho
Klrl returned cnlmly, tnklng small bite
out of a cherry with evident apprecia
tion of Its flavor. "I saw Florence In
town a couple of months ago," she went
on, In tho same ensy, unembarrassed
manner, "nnd she told tne about your
accident. She didn't tell me you were
coming hore, though, li wns very
Btrange, for I told her I was," che add.
cd reilectlvely.
"She didn't know It. It was decided In
a hurry. The tenants f;uve us the
place unexpectedly, so 1 thought It
was as good a place as any to patch
myself up In. And so you nre Hetty
Itcynolds?" he went on. "I see the re
semblance now, though I never should
have known you. You and Floronce
used to seem about of an nge, Betty,
but she Is quite grown up nnd out In
society now, while you, I suppose, huvj
all that still to look forwurd to. Let
me see how old are you? Now that 1
think of It, I remember that there was
a year or two's difference In your ages."
"There Is Just two years und a hnlf,"
remarked Betty, giving herself another
suing. There uus a mischievous little
gleam In the depths of her eyes that he
found very nttiactlve.
'And Florence Ib nearly twenty, so
you must be seventeen. You will soon
be In long dresses now, I suppose?"
"There Is no hurry, for, you see,
Uncle Lawrence, 1 look young for my
age und I might as well keep so. You
don't mind my calling you 'uncle,' do
you? It Is so much less formal than
Air. Batwroft,' ortd It reminds me of
old times. You know Florence and I
always used to share our relatives. Sho
calls my grandmother Osboine grand
mother' to this day."
"It makes me feel old to have such
grown up looking nieces," Lawrence
remarked, with a laugh.
"Well, you are getting nlong, aren't
you?" Miss Betty remarked, frankly.
"Let mo see, you must be about 3o. '
"I am twenty-seven," he answered,
trying to keep the Indlgnntlon out of
his voice.
"Oh, well, I knew It wns somewhere
around there!" Betty returned calmly,
"1 know you used to seem a patriarch
In those days. You didn't know I
ndored you?" she went on, with a ques
tion In her voice. Lawrence sat up a
little, the only change of position he
could make unaided. The conversation
was growing decidedly Interesting.
"I Bhould never have suspected It. You
took queer ways of showing It," he ex-
clutmcd, with recollections of apple pled
beds and favorite possessions Hidden In
undlscovcrable places crowding Into his
mind.
What a little imp of Satan she had
been! Florence had been older, and a
head and shoulders tuller, nnd yet it
had been Betty who had been the mov
ing spirit In all schemes ot mischief.
He wondered now thnt ho had not rec
ognized his visitor at once, In spite of
certain decided changes for the better
in her appearance.
The Betty of ten years before had
been small and abnormally thin "skin
ny wnB the only word for It. This
Betty was still small, considering the
difference In age, but all the old angles
were lllled out Into curves. An Impu
dent little recollection now thrust Itself
Into his mind, and he gave on Involun
tary glance at the trim gaiters, but
they told no tales, for tho short blue
duck skirt was pulled decorously down
over them. Florence had conllded to
him that Betty's pipe stem legs were
n snureo of deet) mortlflentlon " her.
and that she always wore three pairs of
stockings when sue uem. io u party,
with a view to hiding their deficiencies.
Did sho Btlll do It, or was it, perhaps,
no longer necessary?
"Yes," she went on, Buinglng gently
back und forth on her buckeye bough,
"It would have given me great pleasure
to let you use me for a door mat. but
I would have died ruther than havo
you suspect It.
"I certainly didn't." said Lawrence.
"I remember 1 made overtures of friend
ship towards you, but you were very
scornful. Do you remember the time I
kissed you as a punishment because
you took my new tennis racket to bat
Btones with? You always hated It like
poison. What a little fury you were,
and what a scratch you gave me!" He
had expected this Betty to be embar
rassed ut this allusion but she was not
In the least. She was wonderfully self
possessed for a young person of 17, but
thnt you do not find him so, too. Tho
other day I told him that I'd spank
him If he came over to this sldp of tho
garden again, and ho remarked calmly.
'You can't. You can't get up.' "
"It is too bad you should havo this
to bear, too," said Betty sympathetic
ally, to a chorus of "A little red bird
flew in a suwerl" Tho child Betty
had been nnythlng but sympathetic,
Lawrence remembered.
"A little red bird flew In a sewer!"
chnnted the enemy for the fiftieth time.
Betty rose to her feet witn an air of de
termination and broke off a twig of
the buckeye.
"A little red bird flow In a sewer!"
The tone wus more piercing than ever.
She walked over to the astonished child
and grabbed him by the shoulder be
fore he could move.
"Look here!" Bhe exclaimed, showing
her switch. "Do you see this? Well, If
I ever Hnd you this side of that lau
restlnus hedge I will give you the big
gest whipping you ever hnd In your
life. Do you understand? And if you
say anything to your father about It,
I'll give you two." Lionel burst Into
violent howling, an dthe minute Betty
let go of him disappeared as fast as
his little legs could curry him. Betty
dropped her switch, dusted off her
hands and walked slowly back and
Beated herself again on the buckeye
bough, resuming her leisurely swing
ing. "I don't think he will trouble you
again Very Boon," she said calmly.
"I am a thousand times obliged to
you," exclaimed Lawrence. Betty gave
him a Budden look, and he thought
there were tears In her eyes, but Bhe
turned them away so quickly that he
could not be sure. There were none
In her voice, however, as she said:
"I will come over every afternoon you
are out and rend or talk to you, if you
like, but you must make me a solemn
promise that you will send me away
when you are tired. I am not like Lio
nel. I can take a hint. Is that the
way you pronounce his name?" she
asked abruptly.
"That Is the way his mother does,"
he answered with a smile.
"I am bo glad. I wondered If I had
been pronouncing It wrong all my life
nnd never found it out till now. After
all," she added, "your little friend has
Imagination. That is a redemmg point.
"How do you make that out?" asked
Lawrence.
"Why, by his song, If you choose to
call It that, 'A little red bird flew into
a sewer. It takes Imagination to Invent
a line like thut, nnd I don't remember
It In any of the poets with whose works
I nm familiar. I had better be moro
polite to him. He may be a poet him
self some day, and 1 may want his
autograph; poets are always sensitive."
"Then Lionel Is not, a poet," he ex
claimed emphatically. "Whatever he
Is, he Is not sensitive."
" 'A little red bird llew In a sewer,' "
quoted Betty to herself.
"He may be a writer of prose," Law
mnoe continued. "I fancy his works
will be a mixture of realism ana ideal
ism. 'A little red bird that is a pret
ty thought, suggestive of upward as
pirations. It was an artistic touch
making the bird red; It so easily might
have been sober brown or gray. Yes,
Lionel, you have a career before you.
We udvlse you to continue to send con
tributions postnge enclosed to the
Weekly Bunco."
'T suppose you get the realism from
the word 'sewer " remarked Betty.
"Yes; I have not the slightest doubt
but that Lionel, If he does take to lit
erature, will be nasty enough to satisfy
the most ardent realist. You are not
going?" he added, as Betty rose from
her bough. , .
"Indeed, I am; but I'll come again to
morrow, If you like."
"I do like, most decidedly. Well,
If you must. Aren't you going to shake
hands with me? You know you haven't
done It yet; and there Is nothing the
matter with my hands, thank henven!
It hns been so good to see you again,
Betty." , l(I
"To me too," said Betty warmly. "I
heard you were down here home days
ago, but I thought you didn't leave
your room, or I'd have been to see you
before." . , . .
"What If I didn't? You might have
come to see me all the same, consider
ing tho rointlnnshln between us. You
"Shouldn't you like It?" I
"I am so tired of reading that Z
never want to see a book again. Aro
you ns fond of. It as ever?"
"Not quite. I don't think one Is
ever fond of nnythlng with quite tho
same Intensity ns when one Is a child.
I know I am net."
"Not even of me," put in Lawrence,
but as she did not choose to hear, ho
went on: "You were the greatest child
for a book; and when you got burled
In one the last trump Itself could not
have roused you. You were a very In
teresting child, Betty, and uncommon
ly old for your nge. You seem old to
me now. I suppose you will be com
ing out next winter?"
She did not answer him, being ap
parently absorbed In some thought of,
her own; but a second later she ad
dressed him:
"Uncle Lawrence."
"My child."
"What do you think Is the best lino
for a girl to take If she wants to be
popular when she comes out?"
Lawrence gave n laugh.
"That Is such a big question. I could
not answer It offhand. Well, nt any
rate, she wants to be refined and mod
est and ladylike, not free and easy, and
slangy," he began, thinking that there
there was a chance to sow some good
seed; for from the suspiciously yellow
cover of her book and the careful way
sho kept the name averted, he suspect
ed that Betty had been Improving her
French and Increasing her knowledge
of the world at the expense of her mor
als. "You mean to be like Mabel Tnlcott?"
she answered, unexpectedly, keeping
her eyes on the ground so that he
could not see the gleam of mischief
that he felt sure was there.
"What do you know about Miss Tal
cott? ho demanded, quite taken aback.
"Oh, I heard that you especially ad
mired her, and as we happened to be
thrown together a part of last summer
I rather modeled myself upon her, as
of course I wanted you to approve of
me. Among other things, she gave mo
lessons In lighting the gas with your
foot. You fasten something through
tho chain that connects with the elec
tricity, nnd then It Is quite simple, If
you haven't too scant skirts on. Oh,
yes, I found her rellned nnd modest and
lndvltko. and not at all free and ensy.
She told me a lot about you, Uncle Law
rence." "What did sho tell you?" he asked
uneasily.
"A thing or two. I am so glad to
know the kind of girls men admire,"
she went on. "It has been a serious
question with me what role I should
adopt when I come out;" and Betty
ployed with the loose lock at the end
of one of her heavy braids of hair. "It
Is no use; It Just won't curl," she broke
out In dismay after a second's pause.
"It looks natural to see It braided
again. You had It done up yesterday,"
remarked Lawrence, glad to change
the subject, although he was Inwardly
much amused.
"I do It up once In a while to play
lady. But Uncle Lawrence, won't
you please give me some more advice.
I should like bo much to be a social
success, and I do feel so nervous about
my first party. It would be perfectly
dreadful to be a wallflower. I be
lieve I'd take poison afterwards.'
"I don't think you need be afraid,"
Lawrence remarked patronlzlngly."You
are not shy, and you always have plen
ty to say yourself, and that goes a
great way. And then you are perfectly
unaffected and easy to talk to."
"Oh, thank you!" Betty exclaimed,
humbly, keeping her eyes cast down.
"But can't you give me some advice?
Men ought to know what men like. I
believe you could teach me a lot If you
would only forget my youth and the
necessity for being strictly moral.
Wouldn't It be an Interesting experi
ment for a man to train a girl, to De a
social success?" she broke off Impul- j in a
slvely. "If you could only eliminate versr
lenslng her hand, she hurried away up
the path.
She did not appear for two days after
this; but when she did come nothing
could have been more cheerful and less
sentimental than her manner. Law
rence did not like to work on her sym
pathies by allusions to his Infirmities,
and no other subject was productive
of anything but kgy?htcr and nonsense.
He decided that "lss Betty was un
commonly precocious In the nrts of tan
tallzatlon, us well ns In a few other
things.
As the days went by, their acquaint
ance progressed rapidly. Almost every
day Betty dropped over the fence for
a couple of hours. Lawrence began to
find life wonderfully Interesting, and
astonished his doctor by the progress
he wns making towards health. A num
ber of his symptoms disappeared now
that he had something else to think
about. He found himself unable to keep
hold of the fact of Bettys youth, her
personality wad so absorbing. Once In
a while he would catch himself up In
Borne discussion that he considered un-
sulted to her nge, much to thnt young
person's amusement; but, generally, un
less sho herself recalled It to him by
some Inquiries about the social world
before berate forgot thnt she wns not
the woman of the world she seemed. "If
she Is like this now, what will she be
when she Is really mature?" he would
wonder, with pitying thoughts of the
poor masculinities whom these charms
were to dazzle. This was at flrst. Soon
he stopped thinking of nny man except
one number one In connection with
his young friend.
One afternoon they wore seated In
their favorite haunt, the buckeye tree.
It wns warm, so that ltty had declar
ed her long leuther gaiters Intolerable
and had taken them off; she had like
wise removed her hat and untied her
necktie In a dellclously free nnd easy
fashion that reminded Lawrence of the
old Betty. They were deep In the dis
cussion of Borne Interesting problem
when Betty, who was gazing across the
lawn, gave a start, hastily tied her
necktie, clutched her gaiters and gath
ered up Fly, who was asleep on the
ground beside her. She bent her bough
down to the ground until her short skirt
covered her feet and tucked her gaiters
out of sight.
"What are you doing that for?" de
manded Lawrence.
"Somebody Is coming here," she ex
plained. "Well, what of it?"
Betty did not answer, for the new
comer was very near. He saw the
group near the buckeye tree and came
straight for them, with eyes for nobody
but Lawrence. Fly showed a decided
Inclination to get down nnd bark at
him, but Betty held her fast.
"Well, Lawrence, they told me I
should And you heie," their visitor re
marked, as In the same breat that Law
rence exclaimed:
"Why, Tom! Where did you come
from7"
"I am on my way around the world,
and of course I would look you up," he
was beginning, when his gaze rested on
Betty.
"Miss Reynolds!" he exclaimed, as if
he doubted the evidence of his senses.
"Yes, Mr. Goodwin, It Is really I. I
don't wonder you are astonished, but
I am visiting my grandmother, who
lives next door, and Mr. Bancroft Is an
old friend."
"Dear me, but this Is a pleasant Bur
prise! I haven't set eyes on you since
the Colliers' cotillion, which, If you
remember, I had the pleasure of danc
ing with you."
"Did you think I had forgotten it?"
"One can never tell with such a pop
ular young woman as yourself. One
sculp more or less doesn't count. But
I hardly knew you with your hair down.
You wever looked much over seven
teen, but you don't look fifteen now."
Lawrence, himself forgotten, listened
clambering along tho top of It. He was
apparently unconscious of the neigh
borhood of his victim, but climbed up
Into the cherry tree, nway up Into the
higher branches, where a few scattered
cherries were left. Lawrence kept per
fectly still, feeling thnt he ought to re
monstrate, but being unwilling to at
ract his attention. He shut hlo eyes
Instead and forgot the child In his own
thoughts. Presently a piercing cry set
all his nerves quivering, nnd, looking
up, he saw Lionel hanging by the seat
of his little trousers from n slender
blanch near the top of the tree. And
he was powerless. Would nobody come?
Cry after cry rent the nlr. The fence
shook again but Lawitnce did not hear
It.
"Keep perfectly still, Llon?l," and I
will get you down," the one voice In
the world for him said calmly, and
Betty herself appeared upon the scene.
Lawrence watched her In tortured
suspense, for she was apparently run
ning towards the bottom of the garden,
and there was certainly no help to be
got there. There was not a ladder on
the place that would reach within ten
feet of the child. In a Fccond she
returned with a hammock, and, climb
ing the cherry tree, she proceeded to
hang It calmly and deliberately undet
the place where Lionel hung suspended
between heaven und earth, talking to
the child ns he did It. lie had ceased
his screams at the flrst sound of her
voice.
"Now," sho said at length, "If you
fall, you won't get hurt. Keep Just ns
still as you can till I get back." She
was over the fence In another second,
and before Lawrence could do more
than wonder what she was going to do,
she was back with a small saw In her
hand. Sho climbed the tree again up
to the highest point reachable, and ven
turing a little way out on the limb
from which the child wns hanging, too
slight to support them both, she began
to saw it off in front of her. Slowly It
dipped down. Lionel screaming all the
time In spite of her commands to keep
still, until at length he was deposited,
frightened but unhurt, in the ham
mock below. From there It was a com
paratively simple matter to get him to
the ground.
"Now, run nway home." she said.
giving him a parting little shake, "and
tell your mother not to let you wear
anything but corduroys for the rest of
your days. They saved your life. Noth
ing else would have held so long." Lio
nel did as she told him, crying at the
top of his lungs, nnd then his preserver
turned her attention to her old friend.
It wns time, for as soon as he had seen
the child on the ground, he had fainted
quietly away. When he came to, he
he found Betty's arms around him and
54 B P shrdl shrdlu shrduu
his head on her shoulder, for she was
sitting on the brond arm of his chair.
"Betty!" he exclaimed.
"Lawrence!" she answered, and her
tears felt warm on his head, for sho
had hlden her fnce on his thick hair.
When the doctor came the next day
he found himself for the flrst time able
to set a definite day for his patient's
recovery.
nil. "if vnn rniiiii oniv eliminate vcrs.ition that rouoweu. rresenuy rseny
the personal element!" she added more got up to go
iifin't iikp to bo so nartlcular. You and
iiuhfiiinra hml noviT liocii ono of her i Trir-nnn lined to make yourselves quite
. . ....... ..u.' . ... -. . i 4..1'. ... -- - T l .. 1 l.- ....V. ..u
virtues. at home In my room, i rememoer i nun ces3 at ter an.
cnlmrlv
"You mean thnt he would fall In
love with her?" usked Lawrence. j
"He certainly wouldn't want other
fellows to If he considered her worth
Instructing; and so he wouldn't play
fair. He wouldn't be honest nnd tell
her what men really like. He'd tell
her the things that Sunday school
books and old fashioned novels say
they like and she wouldn t be a suc-
"And tho funny part was that I liked to sleep one night with a whole family
it nil the time" she confessed frankly,
"At least I mean I liked It afterwords.
I had too great a sense of hurt dignity
and outrnged modesty nt the time. Is
It possible you were only seventeen.
Uncle Lawrence. 1 have always remem
bered you as grown up, though you did
condescend to play with us when there
were no boys convenient. Do you know.
I think you must have been rather
of paper dolls that you had put Into
my bed. ,
"Oh, I didn't mind, but I was afraid
you might!" nnd Betty walked up tho
walk, with a wave of her hand over her
shouldor. She hnd only gone a few
yards who he called after her:
"Betty!"
She turned nnd looked back.
"Well?" she said.
If you climbed that rencee over mere
a
nipp bov?" She was looking straight at
him, and the gray eyes still had the you would find It a much shorter way
gleam of mischief, but not an atom of , home," he suggested innocently. "It is
coquetry. In their depths. "I can re- not at all hard to climb, and the( cnerry
any Kina iniugs you tree Is a help, jusi try aim ee.
member n great ma
did for me: for Instance, how you car
ried me all the way home from Struw
berry creek the time 1 went in wndlng
and got my foot stung with nettles.
You didn't know how grateful 1 felt,
for I wns as unpleasant as I knew how
to be, so us not to show It."
Lawrence wns decidedly Interested,
and the thought flashed Into his head
Rottv turned and walked slowly back
until she stood In front of him.
"Uncle Lawrence," she begnn, twist
ing her hands In front of her nnd look
ing down nt the ground with nn em
barrassment which he wns sure was
assumed "Uncle Lawrence, I suppose
It would be politer to apologize for
stenllng your cherries; out i remum
thnt perhaps he hud been mistaken In bored how good they were, and thought
his conclusions of un hour ngo about. they were going to waste, and I was al
Ufe and things generally. There cer- Wuys fond of cherries." She caught
talnly were clrcumBtancea under which j,er breath once of twice, asJf she were
existence was desirable. going to burst Into tears.
"Have you really remembered that' "We will never speak of It, Law-
all those years? You were sucn a nrtie rence returned solemnly
thing," ho wns beginning, when the
voice of the enemy interrupted him:
"Choo, choo, choo, choo," Lionel was
scuttling hlB feet along the gravel
walk and raising a cloud of dust to
attract their intention.
lixl lv Imnnlnir un In the
. .1 ...ll. l.l llftln Intra u nt .1,1 '
HlB UUWH Willi HID 111"!! 'VftO lVv,.l.
wide apart and ejaculations of "Yuh,
yah, yah!"
"Who Is that Interesting child?" ask
ed Betty.
"You don't remember Tim McGuffy,
our gardener, of course?"
Ami thnn I sunnose she would won
der what the matter was," said Law
rence, who was intensely amuseu.
"No, she wouldn't. If she hnd native
savey enough to make the man want to
teach her, she'd have enough to dis
tinguish between what people say they
like and what they really like. I sup
pose, after all," continued Betty, who
was carrying on the discussion with
the utmost seriousness nlthough Law
rence had a lurking doubt which was
becoming chronic as to whether the
seriousness was as real as It appeared
to be "I suppose, after all,' she re
marked, with an nlr of summing up the
question, "If a girl doesn't happen to be
constructed in Just the i Ight way. there
Isn't much use giving her hints.
"There certnlnly won't be any need
to give you any." Lawrence declared
emphatically.
"Why?" demanded Miss Betty, un
compromisingly. ., .
"Because you are perfectly captivat
ing without any," he said unblushing y.
Betty did not appear in the least dls
certed, but laughed a mocking little
""Do you think that is the way to talk
o o-iri nf 17?" she asked. "You will
be putting Ideas In my head, first thing
"Anil nren't you going to no uuywiiuK ..,,., unw."
to me? she uemunueu, iuimh ..i think they are mere uireuuj,
"I have been bicycling,' she explained
ns she picked up her leggings. "I sup
pose It was dreadfully Improper to take
them off, but it was so warm, und I
have known Mr. Bancroft such ages.
His niece and I used to be bosom friends
when I was twelve and she wns ten
there was over two years difference In
our ages," she explained with apparent
tautology "and I have always con
sidered him as a sort of uncle." She
looked at Lawrence, but he refused to
meet her eyes. She and Mr. Goodwin
exchanged the most cordial goodbys
and regrets that they had met only to
pait, nnd then she left the two men
alone.
Goodwin found his friend absent
minded and not very expansive, but ho
set It down to Illness and was more
sympathetic than ever, while he enter
tained him witn various stories ui
Betty's triumphant career on the top
of the social wave. He stayed a couplo
of hours and then took his departure,
much to Lawrence's relief.
The next afternoon he had himself
wheeled down to the buckeye tree, In
a state of mingled Indignation ngalnst
Betty and longing to see her; but she
did not appear, and the longing got
the best of It. The next nfternoon In
dignation was rather to the fore when
a young woman Irreproachably gowned
In spotless white duck, with a skirt
that reached to the ground, parasol,
veil, gloves, and all the accessories of
young ladyhood, walked down tho
natJ: .,.. ,.
"Well, uncie Lawrence, sue ucbuh
calmly, "have you forgiven me?" .
"I have not been In the least offend
ed," Lawrence replied, with dignity.
"Are you going to oe uignineu mau :
There are several children in the fam
ily and they were talking of their gar
den. "I nm going to plant the seeds Uncle
John gave me," said one, "and raise the
most beautiful flowers."
"I am going to raise pinks and vio
lets," said another.
"And I'm going to raise tube roses,"
said the third.
But the little boy said nothing.
And presently his mother noticed that
he took no part in the chatter and her
heart smote her.
"And what Is Georgle going to
raise''" she naked.
Perhaps Georgie's lips trembled, but
his voice diuii't.
"Oh." he ald, stoutly, "I guess I can
raise a worm or two."
The Aregentlne republic has passed
a remarkable law to encourage mar
riage. It Inflicts a flne upon any per
son of marriageable age who rejects a
rropninl. Young men and women un
der 20 are exempt from the law and
can marry as tney please. After they
aie 2S the men are obliged to pay a
heavy tax if they remain single. In
Argentine women propose as well as
men, so an unmarried young man be
tween 20 and 2S years old In that coun
try has a troublesome time. Not only
Is he mad" to pay a tax for being a
bachelor, but If he refuses a proposal
he has to pay the proposer a flne.
At five and a half years of age Mr.
Dinwiddle's little girl Is absolutely self
reliant. She has none of the timidities
of ordinary little girls; yet she Is not
less feminine on that account. Her
father Is not at all afraid lest she will
grow up to be a masculine young wo
man. He says thut the women of tho
coming generation will be self-Independent
and able to tukc enre of her
self. The time hns gone when women
were looked upon as Inferior to such
a degree as to be hardly companion
able. Little ears, pearly teeth and minc
ing ways delighted men formerly; now
they want the femnle of their species
to be their equal even physically.
he
eyes, which, as he suspected, were full re,,ileu boldly. Betty laughed harder
of mischief. He had to laugn, too, anu , Uwn ever at tnis nn,i turned tne uacic
i. ...,i.-it nnvor rrrplvpd the sentence
she deserved.
"Why don't you take the fence way:
he asked Instead.
"Because," she answered demurely,
nnd walked up the path ugaln. This
time he did not call her back.
After Lawrence had been established
i. novt nftprnnon under the shade of
I tho hin hnrkovo. the son"" f vnne
Don't 1? You don't meun to say he .vnoctutlon that he hnd had all day cul
Is still with you?" minuted In a feeling oc uuciise anxiety
"Yes: and this is Lionel, his son. He na to whether his visitor of the day
Is kind enough to help me through a before would keep her promise or not.
few of my many leisure hours by glv- ( He blamed his nerves and confounded
lng entertainments like the present one himself for everything contemptible
for my benefit." that he could think of, but he could
"Oh!" exclaimed Betty, expressively, I not help It. Fortunately, the suspense
"and can't you do anything?" did not last long. Betty appeared, by
"And hurt Tim's feelings? He thinks way of the fence, considerably earlier
aninnlmilv 1 tho must mfi rvplousl v nt- I t.r. th nfternoon before. She W08
tractive person who ever walked this dressed In the same blue duck skirt and j
earth, and that it is a great resource loggings ns tne uny ueiorc, iuv n
t.i mo tn havo such a comimnlon. He ahirt wnlst was nlnk Instead of blue.
knows I am fond of children." Lawrence thought It was more becom-
! nf
"I don't see why you wouldn't go
home by way of the fence. If you would
come by it." he began when she had
"A little red bird llew in a sewer!
droned the tormentor, In a monnoto
nous voice. "Look nt me, look at me,
look at me!" he went on, ns nobody
noticed his song, pulling his cheeks out
nnd letting his breath out again with an
unpleasant noise. I
"Before I'd stand tnis tor any ones b
of the book in her lap a little tanner
away from him. Neither spoke for a
minute or two. much """
tlnued:
"You are much quieter than I ever
thought you would be. Betty. You
dont llvo up to the nnme you gave your
self yesterday."
"Now I think of It, I have been rather
subdued since we renewed our acquain
tance" she replied; "but there has been
a special reason for It."
"What Is that?" he asked.
"Oh I don't mean to tell you! I
Just thought that the fact that thera
was one would sound Interesting.
"It does. And you won't tell me
what It Is, Betty?"
"No, Uncle Lawrence, i won i.
lOU IIIIKllt UIU(I 11IC u......-,
gested.
The Ttev. Sam Jones, the Georgia
evangelist, was holding n series of
meetings at a church whose pastor, was
noted for his lack of good looks.
One evening at a revival service, as
he was talking about the sin of hy-
milatf nnil flunllntf- ttn 1 r r atwLlnn
Betty demanded appealingly. ulnB an I B,eam of characteristic humor-turned
he sug-
seated herself on the low hanging buck
eye bough.
"You don if I nm uinuu yuu mc
"There are a great many things I
might do; go home, for one.'
"Oh, no!" he exclaimed, ns she got
up from her bough.
"Oh, yes; I am going for a drive with
my granny. It Is one of her good days.
Good by, Mr. Bancroft, since you object
to the 'uncle.' " ,,,..
"Don't be cruel to a poor cripple," he
pleaded.
ttn.IdT Just give yourself Ave minutes change. ne smue u,u . , .... , ,,. u ,,,
feelings!" Betty exclaimed. "Why don't and see If you can't think of n reason. ' I'? """ DV" "nce crasned it In both . lauchs. At the
..' 1 . ,r," "" ,uu' hi, hardly fit for it.
you make the child understand mat ne i "Tne irame or mo leuve i;
l nnt tn ramc npnr vou?" slilo; In that it. Miss Sphinx?
"A little red bird flew in a sewer!" . "Yes. Mr. Oedipus. I don't believe
continued Lionel. I could climb up from this side, even
"I'd like to see nny one do it!" Law- with the help of the cherry tree, par-
rence exclaimed, with a short laugh, tlcularly with an Interested audience.
"Llonjl Is Impervious to suggestions. "You havo a book under you nrm.
and, like his father, he thinks he Is so You are not going to insist on reading
fascinating that he canot understand to me, are you?"
mind now ns to which feeling wns up
permost. Lionel, finding out that tho
enemy had departed, appeared upon
the scene and gamboled around his
chair unthreatened. On the fourth day
Lawrence was so much worse again
that he had to stay In bed, having
fretted himself Into a relapse.
A wretched, tormenting, agonizing
npttv's face underwent a , week he nassed In bed, haunted by vls-
The smile died away on her ions of gray eyes with tears of sympa-
and iy lime mocKing
end of a week, though
hg. hardly nt tor u, ne nuu nimstMi ureeaeu
"Is this It, uetty: Am i me reusum ana iuKen oui imu me Ki"--ii un
he asked In a low voice. The tears dismissed his attendant, nnd, shutting
came Into the girl's eyes, but he held his eyes, lay back on his pillow In an
her hand so tight that she could not J agony of expectation. Presently he
turn away. I heard the much longed for sound, the
"Oh, I cun't bear to see you like this" , shaking of the fence; but a cruel dls
the exclaimed with a short sob, and, re- appointment awaited him. Lionel wa
expression that belonged to the old
ilnvs.
"A man does not like to be made a
fool of," he replied angrily.
"I lust did It for fun," Betty explain
ed humbly. "You were so patronizing
that I couldn't resist when you made
the mistake about my age. It was very
natural. Nobody over uelleved that I
wiih nlder than Florence. You must
never be a Sunday school superintend
ent. Uncle Lawrence, or take nny posi
tion where you have to address the
young, for you certnlnly nre not a suc
cess at It." I
Lawrence's face was colder and his
manner more polite than ever ns he
mmin some commonplace answer. Bet
ty's temper had never been her strong
, ,i nm. oho hpnnmo nnlltp. too. !
IIUIIll, UIIU iu, o..w -. ...- -- . -- .
nnd a minute later took her departure . It Is a curious fact that the higher
with a remark about expecting a caller, the civilization of n race the slower tho
Three days pasesd and no Betty, nctlon of the senses. At any rate, ac-
There was no doubt in Lawrence's tunl experiments have shown that.
round to the pnstor, sitting in tho
pulpit behind him, nnd said, amid a
whirlwind of laughter:
"Well, John, your congregation can
never accuse you of being a two-faced
man, can they? For tho Lord knows
that If you had another face you'd wear
It, wouldn't you 7"
The Prince Regent, being at Ports
mouth one day, and seeing Jack Tow
ers across the street, shouted out in his
royal way, "Hullo, Towers, I hear you
are the greatest blackguard In Ports
mouth!" Towers replied, with a Sow
bow, "I hope your Royal Highness has
not come here to take away my char
acter."
whereas the ear of a white man re
sponds to a sound In 147-1,000 of a sec
ond, that of a negro responds In 130
1,000 and that ot a red Indian In 11C
1,000. m
Small Tommy was very fond of candy
and asked: "Mamma, can God make
anything he wants to?" "Of course he
can," was the reply. "Well!" exclaimed
the little fellow. "I'd Just like to seo
him make a stick of candy with only
one end to It."
Two Irishmen were talking together
one day. "Say, Pat," said one, "nn' do
ye know that If ye follow your nose
ye'll always get where ye want to go?"
"Shuro, then, Mike," replied the other,
"If ye follow yours yeil go to heaven."
JL
y
