Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-04-28

I don't believe /, for one, was
ever in such mess before, and I've
been in good many, l can tell you.
Now there's only one way to get out,
and that is by all sticking together,
and by nobody minding what he does
as long as it's for the general good.
Gentlemen, we have your adhesion and
support in thisP"
well, but l say-what do you
want us to do, you know" said Tenn
pie, deprecatingly.
IF anybody is going to make con-
founded fool of himself by starting
objections, he can go outside" said
Cameron, dropping his dignity and
staring at his elder brother with an
expression of face to which his black
eye gave a pathetic ferocity.
"Shut up, Temple" cried Harry,
whom victory had made bold.
II think there can be no serious
difference of opinion as to the abso-
lutte necessity for the course you
propose, Cameron, remarked Hil1red
sententiously. "And l, for one, am
quite ready to avail myself of your
suggestions, as ! feel that you are the
! person best qualified to deal with the
difficulties of the situation"
"Me, too" chimed in Han ~. "I'll
do whatever you like"
Temple then, reluctantly and with
suspicion, acquiesced in the arrange
ment. But at the very first sugges-
ton which Cameron made he jumped
up and objected again. For his BROTH
er proposed that they should all give
what they could spare, and that Tenn
pie should be the person to take the
| collection so made to the nearest
| pawnbroker's. This Temple fatty re-
fused to do. If Cameron liked to do
that sort Of thing, he could go, he
said. For himself, he would rather
starve than -
mo kicking" broke in Harry.
To everybody's surprise, the stately
| Hlldred volunteered to 90 instead of
Temple. But Cameron gave him n
series of exaggerated winks to dis
suade him from his high emprise, and
| Temple was at length half-coaXed,
half-bullied into undertaking the dis
|
distress, Harry offered to go with
him, and as no objection was raised
to this, the pair started together in
charge of an assortment of portable
property consisting of Temples chain,
silver matchbox of Cameron's, and
gold bangle, which Hildred sacri-
feed with much reluctance. Harry
had nothing to offer but silver pen
cil-case with the top gone, and de-
fective pocket compass, both which
contributions had to be courteously
declined.
The two ambassadors were gone
nearly two hours. For poor Temple,
haunted by fear of being seen by Lin
da Frere and her father on the
threshold of the accursed place, lin
gered about until Harry persuaded
him that if they waited until it was
dark all the shops would be closed.
When they had at last fulfilled their
humiliating errand, prompted thereto
by the fact that the ever-hungry
schoolboy was on the verge of starva-
ton, while even Temple began to feel
other pangs than those of hopeless
love, they turned toward "Seaview.'
Harry went into a bakers shop,
bought fresh loaf, then fell vic.
tim to the temptation of jam puffs,
and came out crimson with shame.
"Twopence short" he said reck'
lessly. as he handed the rest of the
change to his brother.
But Temple only nodded good
humoredly.
So they sauntered up to ''Seaview'
on the best of terms, Temple still
babbling TRANQUILITY of his love, ignor
ant of the crushing blow which wa:
in store for him.
"And So" he was saying, as he
placed his hand upon the gate, ga:
our grandfather's money is not tc
come to us after all, l suppose ] shall
have to leave the army and go into
some beastly office. And in any case
whether l do or don't, l shall
never be able to think of her
for she is the handsomest girl out
and her father is as proud as Lucifer
and"-
FRO pu CoNrrNTrp