The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-11-28

nocently, to Yates, "that you made the
young lady's acquaintance. must as,
you for an introduction"
For once in his life Yates had moth
ing to say, but he looked at his friend
with an expression that was not kind
ly. The latter, In answer to Mrs. Bart
lett's inquiries, told how they had
passed Miss Howard on the road, and
how Yates, with his usual kindness Of
heart, had offered the young woman
the hospitalities Of the hay rack. Two
persons at the table were much relieved
when the talk turned to the tent. 1t
was young Hiram who brought about
this boon. He was interested In the
tent, and he wanted to know. Two
things seemed to bother the boy. First,
he was anxious to learn what diabolical
cause had been at work to induce two
apparently sane men to give up the
comforts OF home and live in this ex-
posed manner, If they were not COM
PEELED to do so. Second, he desired to
find out why people who had the privi-
lege Of living in large cities came of
their own accord into the uninteresting
country anyhow. Even after explana-
tions were offered the problem seemed
still beyond him.
After the meal they all adjourned to
the veranda, where the mir was cool
and the view extensive. Mrs. Bartlett
would not hear of the young men pitch-
ing the tent that night.
Goodness knows, you will have
enough Of 1t, with the rain and tho
mosquitoes. We have plenty Of room
here, and you will have one comforta-
BILE night on the Ridge, at any rate.
Then In the morning you Gun find a
place in the woods to suit you, and my
boy will take an ak and cut stakes
for you and help to put up your
precious tent. Only remember that
when 1t rains you are to come to the
house, or you will catch your deaths
with cold and rheumatism. 1t will be
very nice till the novelty wears off;
then you are quite welcome to the
front rooms upstairs, and Hiram can
take the tent back to Erie the first time
he goes to town"
Mrs Bartlett had way of taking
things for granted. 1t never seemed
to occur to her that any Of her rulings
might be questioned. Hiram sat gaz-
ing silently at the road as If all this
was no affair Of his.
Yates had refused a, chair and sat
on the edge Of the veranda with his
back against one of the pillars In such
position that he might, without turn
ing his head, look through the open
doorway into the room where Miss
Bartlett was busily but silently clear
ing away the tea things. The young
man caught feeting glimpses Of her as
she moved airily about her work He
drew cigar from his case, cut off the
end with his knife and Lit match on
the sole Of his boot, doing this with an
easy automatic familiarity that re-
quired no attention on his part, all Of
which aroused the respectful envy of
young Hiram, who sat on wooden
chair, leaning forward, eagerly watch
ing the man from New York
Have cigar2" said Yates, Offering
the case to young Hiram.
"No, no; thank you," gasped the
boy, aghast at the reckless audacity Of
the proposal.
"What's thnt?" cried Mrs. Bartlett
Although She was talking volubly to
the professor, her maternal vigilance
never even nodded, much less slept.
IA cigar? Not likely! I'll say this for
my husband and my boy, that, what
ever else they may have done, they
have never smoked nor touched drop
OF liquor since I've known them, and
please God-they never will"
"Oh, I guess 1t wouldn't hurt them,"
said Yates, with lack of tact that was
not habitual. He fell several degrees
In the estimation Of his hostess
"Hurt emp" cried Mrs Bartlett, In
dignantly. II guess 1t won't get q
chance to-" She turned to tho profess
sor, who was good listener-respect-