Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1893-08-17
THlRTY-LCVE.
THE STORY OF A DAY.
Down !!

WIS name was James, not Gany-
mede. 1t was a closely clipped
81 lawn upon which he trod, in
III stead of the divine heights of
Mt. Olympus. Neither were
those godsand goddesses, those
four athletic figures, clad in white and
red flannel, disporting themselves upon
portion Of the lawn marked off with
lime, and wrangling in tones high and
heated. James never wrangled. He
scorned it. AS he approached the group,
bearing his tray so skillfully that the ice
scarcely tinkled in the pitcher, the ex-
preston of his countenance bordered up
on the sublime.
'sSet it down there, James," called
Miss Edith, and James set it down, with
mathematical precision, exactly in line
with the tennis net and about three feet
from it. The pitcher was of earthen-
ware, and the glasses came from the
kitchen and were not cut. James had
been told by Miss Edith that, when ten
mis- balls came violently in contact with
cut glass, broken glass was apt to be the
result. Hence the Discrepancy between
the elegance of James's demeanor and
the painfully plebian character of the
anc,, however, was beneath him; and
Jupiter himself, to say nothing of Gany-
mede, could not have bent the upper por-
legs in a more classical manner than did
James as he deposited upon the grass
the pitcher, of the earth, earthly, and the
kitchen and the cook. Musingly, with
hio oroo ,,pop hirb boouop rot rocnoot
fully always, James withdrew.
Five minutes earlier, as James was
standing in his pantry decorously polish
briskly. scarlet-capped head had pre-.
sented itself to his view, and Miss Edith'l
voice had said: "Water on the tennis
and gingerbread at half-past eleven"
eyes, Miss" said James. His voca
organ did not correspond in dignity with
the rest of him. 1t was most undoubted
ly squeaky. Miss Edith paused. Twice
within week James had qualified his
respectful assent to similar orders with
ssThe lemons is h'out, Miss The lem
ons were evidently chin this time, and
Edith was spared the necessity of sigf
over the inconvenience of living foul
miles from a lemon. A moment latel
her red and-white tennis-skirt had fut
tered across the lawn, and the game hat
begun.
Just as James appeared with the water
Edith, who was playing at the net,
jumped into the air, gave a downward
blow with her racket, sent the ball into
the air and said "Deuce."
ssDeuce!" vociferated Eric Allen. with
q vivicious tug at his moustache. 'sErit
always loses his temper when he plays
with me-" had been Edith's comment be
fore they began. t'Deuce! Why, you're
wild! It's thirty-love. They're thirty
and we're love-" he added unnecessarily
$50 it is" said Edith, as she backed tt
position for receiving the next ball
ssand much nicer for them than if it were
deuce. Papa does so love to wip."
s'By Jove!" growled her partner.
ssWhat's the matter with you, Eric
haven't seen you in such a fiendist
humor since-yesterday morning, THE
last words were jerked out as Edith
made frantic effOlt to receive a bal
which came flying at her from bel
fathers racket, and sped by her with the
rapidity of light.
Vantage !''-duet from Mr.. West anG
Ned Whitney. Eric Allen laughed
IS IT'S strange-'tis passing strapge-'ti!
pitiful the way you miss those balls, he
said. Miss West looked at him with al
air peculiar to Miss West. s'Sears him
self couldn't have taken that ball, and
don't pretend to play better than Sears
"Children! Children!" expostulatei
Mr.. Neil, while Ned Whitney sat dowI
upon the handle of his racketand smiled
'sStop guarding. Ready, Eric?' The
swift ball was returned on this occasion
and was volleyed back by Ned Whitney
over Z iith's head. Edith struck wildly
at it, then turned to see Eric do likewise
and fail. ssGam,," called Mr.. West.
0why on earth, Edith, didn't you taxi
that ball?' demanded Eric.
''For the simple reason that 1t WASH
mine. You ought to have taken 1t your
SELF"
SIT was yours. You had 10 business
to miss it,"