Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-08-30

! first time IN knlckerhockers. However,
instead of crying she blazed out az him in
anger:
What business is IL of yours, she
cried, how | am dressed You are moth
ing to me, aud am sure don't care a
penny for your opinion one way or an
/ other.
Il dot suppose you do, " said Jack,
striking \ match and lighting his pipe.
Il used 80 Ice under the impression that
you knew how 20 dress. l am not any
! longer l used 10 think that you could
not put on anything that would be unbe-
coming Now hold no such opinion. l
| once had an idea that nothing you put on
would make "A guy of You but now, Cissie,
| that idea has fed. Still must say that
/ admire your bravery in coming out in the
! DAYLIGHT where people can see you in such
"a rig IL is utterly futile for you TO pull
/ together the skirts Of that coat The hard
/ things You have said "a me when you had
/ on "a pretty lawn tennis costume, for in
stance, do not affect me bit when they
are said 10y one who merely looks like a
saucy, impudcnt boy, You see. Cissie, l
! look down upon you as You once looked
down upon me. "
How dare you say you look down upon
me- said Cissie.
Because its true, answered the young
man calmly. This bank is ever 50 much
higher than the one you are sitting on, or
rather were sitting on, for now you are
trying 20 crouch out Of sight, and don't
wonder AT il. take back all those numer-
Gus offers Of marriage | made 10 you. O."
"You wretch she cried, springing 10
her feet "You take them back do you,
when you know very well they were all re-
jected and scQrnedY'
ooh, Cissier' cried the young man,
turning away his head "Sit down again.
Do sit down The costume doesn't look
30 bad on a bicycle but it is simply awful
when a girl stands up.
When he looked around again, CisSie
had sat down and had drawn her bicycle
up on its wheels, crouching in "a measure
behind il, rs if with its spindly tires IL
could hide the awfulness Of the costume.
well, Cissic, - cried Jack. "when are
you going 10 get at mending that tire?"
Ill don't know anything about
tires -" sobbcd Cissie
"Ah. " said the young man. with long
breath, Il thought that was the case. a
woman never knows how 10 do anything
well except scold Most things in this
world "A man can do better than a woman,
l
when woman tricks herself out as a man.
Then her general futility becomes appar-
ent, even 70 nh infatuated fool like my
self. ="
Cissie had bent her head upon her hands,
which rested on the saddle of her cycle II
was quite evident that she was in tears,
and Jack, waiting for reply, smoked on
in silence.
At last he said in "A gentler voice:
"Look here, CiSsie, if you ask me very
nicely. l will take off that pneumatic tire
and mend il in five minutes by the watch.
Cissic looked up again with something
like her former Indignation in her eyes.
on throw the machine into the
stream, " she said "before l will ask you
TO mend il "
"Just as you please, Cissie," replied
Jack, clasping his hands behind his head
and leaning back in luxurious enjoyment
Of his pipe Just rs you please. The day
is my own. and l suppose you will wait
here till night before you venture back
home again. out Of the kindness Of my
heart | will stay here with you, not 10 look
at you, for l shall gaze at the tops Of the
trees as much as possible and not TO talk
10 you, for if there is anything in this
world abhor il j. an impudent cheeky
boy. But this lane is "a great place for
tramps and gypsies, and il becomes very
Z dark at night, because Of the overhanging
trees. 1t is "a grcwsome thoroughfare and
nasty place in which to meet villain
after the sun has gone down"
Il have already met villain and a
brute - sobbcd Cissie, who had now let the
bicycle 90 and had buried her face in her
hands
If you refer 10 me, CiSsie, " said Jack,
"ths is simply like most Of the things
you have said-nOt true. am only too
pleased TO DE Of any assistance 10 anybody;
but, at the same time, although you might
not have thought il by my former conduct,
| am too proud 10 offer any assistance un-
asked. ~
Jack smoked on, gazing up, rs he had
promised, al the tree tops The silence
was broken only by the sweet singing Of
the birds AMI ~ and then by a quick
catch Of the hrc-h on the part Of Cissie
Five minutes elapsed and then ten.
Jack said Ci,sie, without raising her
head
"Did you speak" inquired the young
man.
Jack" she said, Il am perfectly help
less, and l think you have been very hor
rid 10 me "
IAN right, " said the young man, rising
to his feet. Il will go away. But do try
to get out Of this lane before darkness
! comes on
Don't 60 away, " cried Cissie please
! forgive what / said, and won't you be SO
kind as 10 mend my tre;'
Jack picked up the bicycle, took off the
! dripping lamp, turned the machine quick
! ly wrong side up, took the materials out
of his own cycle pouch, had the tire off
and on again and pumped full in an in
credibly short space of time. Fighting the
machine and putting the lamp on once
more, he held out his hand.
Cissie reluctantly got on her feet.
"Therc, he said, "you see how quickly
a thing is fixed when the time is not vast
ed in foolish conversation Least said,
soonest mended. Are you going any far
Their Cissie2 If you are, l would advise
you TO walk your machine over these
stones"
mo" said Cissie, with deep, culver
ing sigh, 81 am going home as quickly as
/ can, and then | will burn this awful cos.
tune did not really want TO put it on