The times., 1898-11-13
IN GAFFER'S LIBRARY.


father. He threw himself upon him, ex-
claiming. Il love you; Oh how l love
you.''
Kit regarded him with astonished eyes
That Addison, who never kissed anybody
but mother; who was so undemonstrative
so slow TO show feeling. should behave in
this extraordinary manner. because he
was told he might have Latin lessons
was to her incomprehensible; and CAT
fer seemed to approve, for he lifted Ad-
olson on his knee and said in such
queer voice: 81 think we're rather of a
kidney YOU and 1; were going TO under
stand each other uncommonly wen.'' and
Addison sat enthroned on CATERS knee
all the rest of the luncheon and shared
his cheese. Kit felt injured.
When CATER went back to his study
he sat down before the fire and he pom
dered for a long time over his queer lit
tie grandson. Then he gave his shoulders
a shake and sighed: 'T was a disappoint-
ment to my father. and he'll be disap-
pointment-he is a disappointment-poor
little chap. to his. He is unaccountably
like me-
a lonely child was Addison. The fact
that he was always called Addison, from
the time he ceased to be a baby. was
proof enough. A child who is understood
gets nickname. Kit had fifty. Addi-
son was always called by his baptismal
name. 1t was CATERS name, and CATERS
grandfather had been called after a gem
tleman who wrote poetry and things Lit
tie Addison knew that much. and he Won
dered If the writings of that far-away
Mr.. Addison was more interesting than
Step BY Step" Addison was called an
'oid-fashioned child" he was not very
sure. precisely, what that was. but that
IL was something a child ought not to be
he was convinced. Kit was pretty. very
pretty, so the officers said not infreouent
ly to Kit herself. Kit was never afraid
of anything. by day or by night. Kit al
ways spoke the truth; Addison had been
known to prevaricate when he was
frightened. and he was often frightened
IT nothing at all. Kit said
But the worst and most unforeIvah,a
thing about Addison was this: he had no
wish to be soldier-and said so. The
sound or the popgun caused his heart to
thump against his breast in an unp!eas-
antly violent manner, and a review was
to him prolonged agony that made him
i'll for days
His mother-whom he worshiped. and
who loved him tenderly-was quite uncon-
scious Of his many sufferings She was
absolutely devoid of nerves herself. and
thought that Addison would grow out of
IL.
proud of his remarkable resemblance to
her father. whom she admired above all
mortal men-but she was disappointed:
and poor Addison. with the quick intui-
tion of childhood. was perfectly aware of
it-at his being what her husband called
such Molly
So it came about that Kit was always
brought forward, and Addison kept in
the background-to his own satisfaction
certainly. but very much to the detri-
ment of Kit.
Edinburgh, where the regiment was
stationed. was too cold for mother. and
dad obtained leave to take her to the
Riviera for the worst months; so Kit
and Addison We're sent to CATER. and for
Addison 1t was the turning point of his
life.
To most people. their initiation into the
accidence of the Latin language is not a
very happy recollection. To Addison it is
a recollection little short of rapturous.
To him the first pages of a Latin gram
mar call up the picture of a large, old
fashioned room. flooded with mellow
light like that of the sun through veil
of yellowing beeches. There is a goodly
smell in the room the smell of dressed
and well-kept leather. The walls are lined
with books, books bound in calf and rus
set-colored russia. and in the middle of
the room stands knee-hole table both
deep and wide. 1t. too. is covered with
books; but here they lie open, one upon
the other, crowd of witnesses to the
tastes of the owner of the room. That
gracious owner, Addison's eyes grow dim
as he thinks of the spare, upright figure
seated in the revolving chair: the keen
scholarly face and noble white head. He
hears again the kind. cultivated voice
ready to answer questions. to answer
them so fully and SO beautifully, with
such tender sympathy for the eager.
childish questioner. And then. Addison
goes down on his mental knees and thanks
his God that as yet he has brought no
look of sorrow into those kind eyes, but
many look of pride and joy.
Is there not one shelf in that iib-aTy
devoted to Addison's priest And the
row is lengthening by leaps and bounds.
Yet they wonder at Winchester why he
should be SO fond Of .ciassies--London
Outlook.