Thomas County cat., 1890-08-07
REPENTED HEROISM.

1t was not poor Ethels fault in the
least. She could not prevent Tom Ken.
dali loving her any more than she could
help being the dimpled merry little body
that she was. Tom could not have told
you when he began to care for her, be-
cause as far back as he could remember
Ethel had been the prettiest girl in the
world TO him When she was only a
very little girl, whose long yellow curls
fell down to her waist, it was her school
books that Tom carried: it was to her
} that he brought'her offerings of apples
and sticky taffy; to her that he sent all
his valentines with impos-
sible cupids shooting arrows through
magenta cOlOred hearts-but Ethel
thought they were perfect, and side by
side the two would spell out the stupid
little verses.
Only low garden wall separated the
two houses, and it was quite natural
that Tom should come over it every
day. 1t was little shorter way than
around through the gate, he would say,
and Ethel gazed admiringIy at him as
le cleared the wall at bound. 1t was
lonesome at home for him with only the
old hOusekeeper and his father, and
they did not take the lively interest
which Ethel did in kites and dead in
coof rrnu'c y,,ofhor bod 1;od ;r, o;vipn
birth to him, so he had never known
the tender words and loving touches
for which in his childish way he had
.uCconscionsly hungered His father, a
sober, studious man, lost ali IFS interest
in the world in losing the one woman
who understood him and frightened
his home like sunbeam. Though he
was very fond Of rom and kind to him,
in his own quiet way, yet the child
stood little in awe of him, and gave
his father none of the childish conf
dences or merry chatter which might
have reused the silent man.
They were not rich, but Mr.. Kendall
had a small income from certain pro-
perties he owned, and on that they lived;
the father among his books and studies
and the son growing up as children will.
1t is way they have.
Ethels mother was a widow and
wealthy. Besides being the only dau-
ghter, Ethel was an heiress in her own
right, and would be mistress of large
fortune as soon as she reached the age
of %. Mrs. Van Zandt was fully alive
to the Importance of her daughters
prospects, but the thought of money
never troubled either Ethel or Tom.
AS they both grew older. however,
and Ethel was almost 1S, the un-
pleasant fact became evident to Tom
that Mrs. Van Zandt disliked him.
He had not noticed it as a child
perhaps the dislike was passive then
perhaps not there at all; but it Ger
tainly seemed to be there now. Her
brow was frigid, her manner icy; the
dear little drawing room had lost its
cOziness for him.
And now, unknown to Tom, the
worst had happened. Mrs. Van Zandt
had forbidden Ethel to have anything
further to do with him, and Ethel had
heard the edict in silence. Accustomed
to obey, her silence was taken for assent:
and Mrs. Van Zandt congratulated her
self on the management with which she
had settled this little affair. Unpleas-
ant it was to her, as trouble of any
kind always was, but she considered it
a duty to herself that her daughter
should make brilliant match. As for
the unimpOrtant matter of her daugh-
tiers sentiments in the case, it troubled
her not bit, and as for Tom Kendall.
"Pooh! all childish nonsence"-and UP
went the aristOcratic nose The very
ribbons in her stylish breakfast cap
Oristled with dignity.
And poor Tom. He could not un
de:5tand, at first, why all his invita-
Lions were refused by Ethel, why she
was no longer ''at home" to him; no
more delightful little strolls: no more
rides. What was the matter? There
was only one solution of the mystery,
and that was one which he did not
like to discuss even with himself.
One moonlight evening Ethel hal
gone down to the garden, and there.
leaning on the little wall, was Tom.
She started back, but he called her 50
:mploringly that she half hesitated and
then was lost, for in another moment
she too was leaning on the garden
fcacc.
'Oh, Tom, Tom," she whispered, 81
tsust go back-I must"
"Now, see here, Ethel" he said. half
10 command, half entreaty, 'what is the
matter with you, anyhow? Lately YOU
rsfuse to see me; you run away if 1:
coSls in sight, and now you are unwill,
ms even to speak to me- No, / sha1i
nc: le: you 60 till you tell rle. Gut