Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-02-14

makes you anxious TO martyrize yourself.
It's mino, however, and am not as anx-
ious to part withit rs l was--not till I've
looked through it anyway"
As no turned the key Al remembered
that his own photograph was lying in
conspicuous box and exclaimed:
"Wait until after dinner, then l am
half starvedl"
Perhaps It would be better" was the
answer, and they passed ont together
When fairly down stairs, Al said he had
forgotten his handkerchief and flew back
three steps at "a time 10 get 1t. Securing
the picture and placing it In an inside
pocket lie said to himself:
"Surcly there is nothing else to give me
away. But / must wheedle him out of
the trunk.
After dinner Fred event through" the
contents of the trunk, making boyish re-
marks concerning each article as he threw
it aside Al inwardly WINGED at these re-
marks and could scarcely restrain himself
from knocking him over on the spot
"What makes you so crusty| queried
Fred suddenly as one of his choicest jokes
was met by II gruff "H'mr' 'Theres no
fun in YOU and why you want this stuff
beats me. Your sisters would turn up
is pretty. But it isn't worth fussing over,
SO take it along No doubt ii would prove
a white elephant on my hands sooner or
later
Not until the trunk was safely in his
room could Al breathe freely. Even then
it was no easy matter to keep it out of his
sisters sight. They made both "A pet and
. coniidant OF their one brother and had a
fashion of dropping into his room at all
hours to tell him of their schemes and
woes He had pushed the trunk under
mahogany table in tho corner, the old fash
toned cover of which reached almost TO the
floor.
When he told them he was going away
FOR u littlo business "trip, - they besct him
with questions and petitions to be taken
with him, finally declaring they would
clean house while he was gone and sort
out his trash.
So behold him, in the dead Of night,
carrying the "white elephant" up the mar.
row attic stairs, humping his head on ev-
cry raftcr and getting cobwebs in his mus
tache. He covered il with old clothing,
pushed big box in front Of il and then
crept down stairs feeling as guilty as If
he had been conccaling some crime. At
breakfast the girls both talked at once
about tho burglar who tried TO get in and
how they pounded on AIS door and could
not oven get an answer
AT noon ho was off, and as the train
whirlcd onward he became possessed with
fears. Sho might not be at HASTINGS she
might not care for him after these three
years; she might even be married or dead.
Arriving ut his destination at last he
only stopped TO leave his bag at a hotel
and walked rapidly TO a familiar house in
the suburbs. Ringing the bell, he in
quircd for Miss Burr in matter of fact
way as if he had seen her the day before.
He watched the girls face rs she spoke
and saw no trace of surprise. She simply
said
Miss Burr may not be able to see you,
but come in and l will ask. -
Presently be was shown into a small,
sunny room, where, on couch, lay the
one girl he had ever loved. He meant to
explain at once the cause of his foolish GO
ing and eager coming, all of which he had
framed into frank, beautiful sentences,
but somehow they forsook him, and he fell
back on the commonplace. She received
him with quiet words Of welcome and then
said:
Pardon my position, but 1 am such an
invalid that it is n trial to sit up.
"An invalid! he echoed family.
eyes, she answered did you not
hear of my accident several months ago?
On coming home from ayiSit | stopped for
n day or 80 in London hotel. Tho build
ing caught fire few hours after | entered
it. The horror of the scene is so stamped
branded would be moro appropriate
wOrd-on my memory that ! cannot bear
TO talk Of it. | lost everything except he
ulster which WAS wrapped about me, and
would have lost my life but for the brave
fireman who broke my fall. oh, no, / am
not seriously injured ~ She continued, in
answer to his hall spoken question,
Though have been i'll ever since. 1t was
such n shock, you know
BY deft questioning he succeeded in
making her say:
Eyes, l lost my trunk. 1t was left AZ
the station & expected 10 go on i'm day
or two, and the deposit ticket was de
strOyed with my pocketbook. Railway
people arc necessarily particular about
identifying luggage, and for weeks J was
too i'll to even remember it. Besides,
had only gono for short outing. and it
held nothing of much value, except some
kccpsulos that were dear 10 me
\ deep fl l-h stole over her face ut these
words. lie watched il for one delicious
moment, and then gathered her up in his
arms, exciaiming:
Il will bring them back if you will pay
.he reward | want.
Thcn-or, rather, after he had tortured
her impaticnce mcrciiesSly-he told her Of
Frod's bargain bought at auction She
begged for it, coaxcd, pleaded, all in vain.
He declared she could only have the little
leather trunk as IA wedding present. And
very happy wedding party it was too
London Tit-Bits
Posy Rings.
When posicS inside wedding rings were
FIRST introduced does not seem To he known.
limo has covered hat, Gs he does So many
things, with the MOSES of oblivion; but
we know that from the sixteenth century
until Tho middle pf bp cit-htpepth IL yvas