The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-21

s.ef t1 y.
I'm his great temptation.
3. rent to the window and, carefully
..ser~ the sash, pulled al string that
- fxssered 70 the woodwork Imme-
ssst.av there Gcated into view large gas
s.fIeen. ltglter than air. and giittering.
..s.ndeecert In tire sunshine. like a gle
1910 nap bubble Michael drew the
ss~-ufui. fragile thing 10 level with mis-
- had and. reaching out of the win
- caught IL carefully In both hands.
7, rs then that bis temptation took
g. - the throat: an odd temptation tru-
9 - TO each man his own difficulties.
x.snm stores no color like that Celestial
- and Michael was cursed with TIE
~ q m artist. His own air balloon.
1920 last night on the thorns OF a
s.aem royebush. had been magenta In hue
- AM ugly magenta, wholly unsafisfy-
-. he hinged consumediy for the delicate.
Ssinfv toy, which. alas. belonged to the
p.hy ana rSyer. never might be his. Tho
pasr uas entirely unappreciatiye: Michael
sIniy fek It a sacrilege that she should
$500 ~ fairy thing TO whose attrac-
ssocs ~ Remained 60 totally Indifferent.
i. h,szred 1t closely. yet carefully. to his
kaasf and. wiia touch and sight the
- ~ beauty laid hold uoon him. Dur
"a brjef five minutes he forgot every
lhIns ssye the joy of possession. and then,
s dlrEaay, he realized that, while reckon
iue with the Baby. he must also reckon
With MS brother Teddy. For Teddy, re-
turning from school for the Thauksgfv-
ine holidays the day before, had bought
n generous mood for each of the chill
drer colere6 air balloon. He had ex-
frseted from Aubrey half payment for the
une, explaining that such gifts ought TO
coint from both brothers: that he had ex-
- L..
and that In the delight of the little ones
mi2hs well BE- found an ample reward. A
indeed would Doubtless have been the case
had not all The balloons collapsed during
their iiFs. rapture OF enchaH.ment, so that
gratitude became merged In regret. and
only the Baby remained happy mistress OF
sphere intact and exquisite. Teddy, to
Miehaers annoyance. lad insisted upon
preseHiing her with the biggest and fair
III Of his gifts. a balloon whose colo. RI
yalfd that OF the sky a. midsummer
s.1hs's not really h-haby. yea know;
she'a almost as old as You are. and Just as
fnnd Of blue. B-Aesides. ladies first" said
te tn a;sswef 10 tilfiid resnonstranes and
M.haeI. pcrforce, Rad been Obliged 10 ac-
Gaiesco. Nor. At that time. and 80 long
81 tbs magenta air balloon remained 10
him. did he find tie matter beyond philoeo-
ply bat wnen his own airy plaything had
beet pierced by the cruel rose thorns ard
another day still. saw the Baby In full en-
j0ymeat az hers then Michaers resent
E1ent against Fate became imperiouz For,
look you his sister made small use OF her
opportunities she did not gioat over her
balloon az Michael would have done. she
neglecsed and forgot It: indeed. there
fesened no reason why II should not float
secured By A string, from the nursery win
dow unit. the end OF time. But Fortune
Pays strange pranks. and here was MI
cAasi. ali alone. With The coveted treasure
held IN his hands A wind was blowing:
ne let the balloon drift away upon a ,esr-
Ifnt 81 air. and then coaxed Il back again
within his grasp II looked so big. and
taut. and glis,ening: the smooth-stretched
SKIN, with Ire satiny rib. was Infinitely al
uacffve. The more Michael gazed, the
more Ae coveted. J. was intoIerahIe 10 re-
nert that such beauty belonged solely 10
the nnappreesat!ve BABY
He had been 50 absorbed that when.
Close above his head the big tea hell
changed a summons. he started nervousiy.
ara drew hack again into the nursery, ear
rylHg With him the ohjec; OF his desire.
and LAYING his chesk caressimgly against II.
- TOR z moment hc stood and then. with
uncertain sisps he walked to the table ant
fuseiaassa In Nurses work basket After
NAfHs l.le r8o1o WAS perfectly quiet. and
#aen lAs others ra:ae IN presently. MI
sSaes was sitttng In "a corner. with the
ae4 Ianlsa upoa his lar.
isa nirutes later Teddy passing
aheasFh the yard. lifted his eyes 10 the
nafsffS wiaaow and saw. dangling above
."s pavement, iialp blue bag. sticky and
bses.
That's Rths's halloon." he said. what
Ply ! wonder how she b-hurst it?''
AseY II sot worth buying" sa:l AT
ets 70 up ard ask her what shes
fRey raoed up stairs ana TSas~. burst.
3 a's lh'petsoasiy into Tho nlrs4ev went
80 go 9 ths window and secured the drag
why" sail he. in as,on;zh.nent
l.tr pia sticking through II. How
s, ~ VITO enH haee iere THAI. nurSeea''
- y pat% brake into sudden iaulerta tfaf,.
patiently ''' IN
secsleess' Who should have dor, it,"
= ss'a ai.s the sas burst of Itself rcu may
~ ceit@in ara Tn GID O. fl. Tor there
l.asss' hcischoas thfnga New leave cr
erlAng DC. Miss Patv' Yours tasted long
= nan aof Of thcm. 50 you've no cali 20
"sAr fuss about H."
Teddy fDFp5,l The corpse ~ an ~, hal.
- offf m bis fingers. \ large white mir
-. - .snsse. he tas folds ard Teddy was in
stssss ssxs', re always llked as Tar as nos
e.. ' = onae stand the why and where
.eso 81 everything and often lamen,e,,
1.Rse siesls aons IF knowledge whseh en.
Ct gspwr-uns e'''
F-fiss don't set into thlnss unless
az Y niI there" he remarked. thou~ht-
a.. ss.,s has Il been hanging here all the
ear me-. ees' said nurse. and no.
keen Bear the mace b,,t ma ard
sssssff Aichfei Put the thing sown ara
- va harris washed sor tea. Miss Rabv
ao5 3"i'g "a erv any more aheut n
49, shs seeesd hsu Will be ringing In a
e'iE ei5noed around and his ewes fey
corner WY Quietly III MS
4sloek here Michael" he ,-es5. - A
~ =, N5'sw anvthiog about baAv'- air bailg''
!. Hsia az the remnant % shrunkes skin
ss2Stp6 foriera}ly between his ;nouh
~ ~ aoseaN%1r Michael looked at Teddy /.
- aesFt best very hard. ard ne arintsva
ss's,' eenFaisiVely 30 that he ,ust nave
49, aeT Bus size was staunch ana 81.
a. W no mc>tn. while heg own "a plUutn
~, fsiaa.ned 'r0passiee- lie saoak h.s
$50 silently Ga suoken tie was r,ecv.= shs.,
ae dared commit hl.,.se.f .ol a,4 ,,,,,,,,'},'
n AvNstS volatile attention wandered
- sss'eee'' dtsEasfs5iiy NJ his brother ana
tsnpsao1slv 'N''4S" '""S S"1-
49,. aafsiSs dole 8eaia." he said n Au-
49,. eol~' Is hvr went send him 10
i. 49, Nith ne 1..e ffeliaasll rsfv hss
49,, eel and s'pose I'll have 20 keep On