The times., 1898-11-13

Mana had at last gone out and left the
coast clear. Kit seized her little brother :
hand. and they sped down the long pas
sage to the red baize door which swung
heavily, buJ did not latch shutting off
the nursery quarters from the house.
| Kit was person Of dramatic instincts,
and as they ran down the passage she
| quoted in a deep and awful voice: The
| tiger is fearful beast; he comes when
you expect him least Addison gazed
| fearfully over his shoulder and ran at the
top of his speed.
| At last by a mighty effort they pushed
open the heavy red door. and the stair
case and the house lay before them for
| exploration. 1t was very wide staircase.
black and shiny and slippery. and as they
| went down their little feet made a patter-
| ing noise which seemed to echo and null
| tipy in the silent house. Kit turned and
said 'Hush!'' in reproving voice to Ad-
olson, who was. like Agag. walking deli
cately, on the banister side. Il can't hush
any more than I'm doingt' he replied. in
an injured tone. Il must put my feet
down firm or Id skate"
Come onI' said Kit. Lets GO and see
If Jakes is in the dining-room. and he'll
tell US whats for luncheon
They crossed the stonc-fiagged hall and
Kit opened the dining-roOm door and
marched boldly in. There was no one
there; the big room was wrapped in si-
lence. and Addison felt very small and
timid as he stood on the threshold. Not
50 Kit: she walked boldly up to the table.
which was laid. There was a great deal
of old silver on tn" table ana many flow
ers; but its appearance was evidently
most dispieasing to Kit for she eXclaim-
ed, angrily:
r.,l-
Jakes has only laid luncheon for oner'
Even the mild and gentle Addison was
reused to something Ike indignation at
this tremendous intelligence. To have
breakfast and tea in the nursery is an
understood thing; but lunchaon-who ever
heard of a well-conducted child having
luncheon anywhere but in the dining-room
once he or she could hold a spoon and
fork? 1t was abominable; it had to be
seen into at once.
Kit gave an indignant sniff. saying: Il
know it isn't Jakes; it's Mana. She'd go
and say we could have luncheon with her
till Miss Mercer came; but I'll go and
speak TO grandpapa at once: it's n shame;
l won't stand it Come oni'
The obedient Addison trotted after Kit
across the hall with some alacr.ty. He
hadn't seen much of grandpa but what
he had seen he liked. How still the cd
house was! No sound to be heard but
the drip, drip of the rain on the ivy out
side the windows, and the sizzle and fizz
of the big logs in the great stone fire.
place
The children looked upon "Nanas' and
their like as necessary evils. hey di-
vided mankind into two classes, which
they called respectively .the dears" and
"the deafs." To the "dears' belonged
o.. all
and most of mothers; CATER and all Gaf-
fers servants; orderlies-particularly Or
derlies-and grooms. To the "deafs'' be-
longed nurses, governesses. cross garden
ers, and a great many young women who
wore smart frocks and We're affectionate
in public. These latter were called
"deafs'' not because of any defect in their
aural arrangements. but simply because
the children considered them incapable of
discussing anything interesting. Stupid
people," Kit was wont to observe, who
ask you how old you are. and who fetch
stale cake out of tin boxes, and ones got
10 eat it for politeness' sake. Oh, 1 hate
deafs.''
When Kit reached the study door she
knocked, but there was no answer.
Mother says he never hears II he's writ
ing" she whispered: lets go income
| on,' So she turned the handle of the
door and went in. Grandfather was writ
ing. His great knee-hole table was piled
with open books, and he had on his gold
trimmed spectacles. He never looked up
as Kit shut the door softly behind her.
For one thing, doors never creaked in
grandfather's house.
The children stood inside the door
and waited, but he never looked up.
Come on" said Kit. as. holding Addi-
son by the hand, they walked leisurely
across the room till she stood close by
their grandfather; then she said In a
loud and cheerful voice:
Good morning. CATER: we've come to
see your'
We've come to see you!" echoed the
ever-obedient Addison. Grandfather was
fond of old-fashioned things. and the
name "Gaffer" was so delightfully."- inap-
propriate that he encouraged the chill
dren to use it when they spoke to him.
"Oh, you've come. have your he said.
taking of his spectacles and turning HIM
self in his heavy revolving chair toward