Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-07-07
THE TWENTY
THIRD REGIMENT.

TINE day. the long. radiant day.
mas dropped and faded like the
paSsionate-hued velvet roses that.
clanbering about the wide French WIN
doWs, turn their beautiful dusky South
ern faces. now lost In the night shad.
ows, TO greet q little caresslng wind
which. laden with the perfume Of their
kisses. steals from the garden Into the
quaint, dinly-lit old room where a few
OF the usual afternoon tea-drinkers are
lounging and loath to leave.
Il declare" says Bobby Smythe, who
has unblushingly consumed countless
settler lemonades and gallons OF iced
punch. and IS now cheerfuny beginning
his fifth cup OF Russian tea, II should
like to make this room my permanent
home. really | should. II you viii let
me" turning his homely. pleasant face
toward the gentle chatelaine. Il prom
Use not to put you out at all. | could
live iii a little tent over there by the
window seat and do my own cooking
and washing. and l needn't Interfere
with you In the least. do love camp
lie. and there would be splendid hunt
ing for me in the poultry yard"
Bobby" observes Betty. who Is rev.
cling in desperate Irritation with an
officer of the Twenty-third. has al
ways such charmngly feasible plans
to suggest. His ideas are really child
like in their simplicity"
Il try TO make them So" answers Mr..
Smythe. because | know the intellects
have to deal with. and want to be
interesting to you. Betty. as we'll as"
POUR cries Betty, contemptuously.
aud\Icks the tip of her small red
tong N4k = Bobby with an imperti-
hence which rs ~ youns nan ~
parently to such a degree that he
reaches fora chair with which to scat
fer her brains. and then goes over to the
tea table where the little girl In the
gray gown is smiling over the silver tea
pot. while Betty and her particular
lieutenant wend their way out to the
shadowy lawn to make up any time
that has been lost.
My sweet child.' says Bobby, as he
passes over his cup to be retilled, you
don't know how perfectly charming
that silver teapot looks with you as a
background. But there, believe you
are leep-souled and don't care for com
pliments. You'd much rather listen to
philosophc problem, wouldn't you:
Well here's one. Why IS Betty when
she firts!'
Il give it up" answers the little girl
in the gray gown lifting a flower Of a
face to Bobby's freckled and shining
visage. Il suppose the answer IS, be
cause she wanted to get on the other
side of the road or so did the other
one or something Of that sort eh|
MY child" replies Mr.. Smythe, you
are frivolous, and there Is nothing
which l disapprove of 50 much as fri
volity. Why is Betty when she hirts!
Because he leaves for the Philippines
Tomorrow. That's the answer
The little girl in the gray gown laughs
lightly. though her eyes are grave. very
grave.
II do believe" says she, that you are
the Cheerful Idiot in disguise"
"Discovered"' cries Bobby, "but, o
snare me and kill the child. AS heaveL
Is a witness. | meant no wrong
Bnt here he is, providentially, inter
runted by tall man in lieutenant
uniform. one Of the officers or tne
| Tventv-third. He is a big. Dronzed fel-
/ low. with a large mouth, which Bobby
Smvthe tells Scuddy later he would
| give a dollar to possess, especially Wlleil
! Rettv has chocolate cake for AFTERNOON
! tea and his Drowned strong face Is
saved from absolute LONELINESS by an
indetinable fearless stamp that is the
outward and visible sign of the brave
soul within.
viii you says he, with an eXpah
sfvo smile that somehow softens the
,n,ression he gives of dash and danger
"be so kind as TO give me "A cup Oh YEA
II will be perhaps two or three years
before I will have the chance TO get an
other refreshing cup poured FOR me os
an American girl" i,
"Jeruslaem" observes BOBBY VIII
sympathy. if not elegance "put that
a long time between drinks. OLD man
World better make the most OF YOU
present opportunity" and then, WIN Z
wisdom that does him credit he ho.''
nm an revoir but not good-by 10 tile III
tle girl In the gray gown, ana mes M,
over to Freddy van Twitter' who' VIII
his hands thrust down deep III lie
trousers pockets, is Sowing pa''ic
,,,,,rdor and sudden death in the dlrec
ton of the garden. A.
"Got the toothache" ASKS A'