The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-04-13
A FIRST OF APRIL FORFEIT.
BY \. a. N ROE.

BY y. A. NJ ROE.
tGoand kiss Howard, Elsie,r "Oh,
I can't" "Pshawi Yes you can, too.v
It's April FOOLS Day." There was u
CLEAN Of mischief in her brothers. eyes,
and an answering gIeam appeared in
Elsie's when she fully took in the
meaning of his remark. She crossed
the room and stood before Howard
Payne a moment, and then said very
demurely, with her eyes on the carpet,
her hands behind her, looking the very
picture of bashfulness, though under
the long lashes her eyes were spark
ling with fun: ''My forfeit is to kiss
you, Mr. Payne. wonder if it is a
hard one"
He laughed, thinking how pretty she
was, and how shy, and said: "We'll
try to make it easy.p
She thought 10 herself, "How dread
fully tail he is when he stands up. 1
wonder if dare do it." and then just
as he bent down to touch her lips she
whispered: april Fool and like
flash she disappeared through the hall
door, leaving Howard with his mouth
in such good position for whistling
that he couldn't help doing it, ana
then when they all laughed and Mac
said: "How easy you made that for
her. he sat down much discounted.
Everybody else forgot all about il, but
he couldn't forget it, and when Elsie
came again into the room and sat down
by her father, he couldn't help looking
at her and wondering how 50 much
mischief could be hidden under such
demure exterior. Every time be caught
her glance she dropped her eyes, but
she could not keep a little smile from
curling her lips when she thought of
the trick she had played on her broth
er's college friend.
Eisie's birthday was the first Of
April, aud all the cousins came to help
her celebrate it. Besides the cousins,
her brother Mac had brought his col
Iege chum, Howard Payne. Such
tall, good. looking, goOd-natured fellow
could not help being a favorite at once
and while they trimmed the big par
lors he decided he never had been with
such jolly set of young people before
and entered into the fun with all the
zest of student Off for holiday.
With no home of his own, paying his
own way through college, refusing to
go out very much lest his studies be
lost, he had fallen in with mcfarland
Kinney, and strong friendship sprang
up that gave TO the one society which
he liked, and kept the other from too
hard work and the accompanying de
spondency. Mac talked constantly OF
his home, and most of all of his little
sister Elsie, that when her birthday
came and Mae invited him to go to his
home and see her, he was ready TO ac-
cept, especially as kind note from
Mrs. Kinney came soon after, saying
how glad they would all be to welcome
any friend of Mac
"Bnt Howard, you mustn't take
much notice of Elsie at first, for if she
dislikes anyone nothing can make her
change her mind, and do so want her
10 like you. She can't bear 10 Stuart.
! He's one of the western cousins, and
the pranks she played on him when he
visited us last year would fill book.
She came to me one day in perfect
tempest because Jo had tried to kiss
her, and she had scratched his face,
ano she didn't know what papa would
say. Mamma and papa both tried to
make her apologize, but she said 10
shouldn't have anything of hers, not
even an apology, and | stood up for
her. ! did my best TO talk her over into
liking 10. He is very pleasant, and we
all thought him so nice that it was a
great trial to US that Ei-.e wouldn't.
She was the only one Of us that lac
seemed to care about, but do what he
would, he couldn't win her regard. II
he came near her she was off like a
birdn
Thus cautioned, Howard studied
Elsie from afar, not saying much to
her, and wished she would look up
more often, because she had such won
d,rful eyes; so big and bright-eyes
that talked; eyes that sparkled over a
joke; eyes that were very grave and
deep when the soul that looked out
was quiet. When the rooms were deco
rated with their green wreaths and
rope Of evergreen, and the vases filled,
and all in readiness for the cousins
who would come to the cutting of the
cake, all hands sat down tired enough
to rest s little, and "what shall We
do?r was the question.
Get Howard to tell you story" F"
said Mac.
sOh, do, dor was the cry, and How
ard began one of the German folklore
stories, and kept on talking till he de-
clared he couldn't think of anything
more to say. A most interested audi
ence they were and called for more
every time he stopped. Elsie stood
leaning on the back Of Macs armchair
looking at Howard with her great eyes,
taking in every point of the story, and
giving Howard keen pleasure as he
watched her sensitive face change at
each new phase Of the story. By and
by she sat down on the arm Of Macs
chair and threw her arm around his
neck, leaning her head against his in q
confiding way that made lump rise
in Howard's throat, and he suddenly
brought his tale TO an abrupt close.
TT1.s. .frf tho hffr IL.