The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26

Mary would go of at a tangent, possi-
bly, because Jack was using round
about ways.
As Jack confided to his chum (who
shall be nnmeless for various reasons):
"Do you know, H., if / speak of sun
sets, she will Immediately have wild
desire to discuss ethnology or irreg-
ular Greek verbs. and if should ever
mention love--not that ever have,
you know-but if ever should, hang
me if | don't believe she'd ask me
how my liver was"
BY which it can readily be seen that
Lady Mary and Jack were on the best
of terms, and the very intimacy seemed
to preclude the possibility of anything
more.
One afternoon | was lying on the
river bank industriously fishing, while
Jack sprawled upon the grass alter
nately reading and scribbling. Then
he looked up and observed compla-
Gently: "Now, I Aatter myself that's
rather good. Listen, H.:
"The weary sun has sunk to rest.
And with him fades the dying day.
Come night come hour love the best
Fit time loves winning words to say.
'Tretty good, eh?"
"Good? Oh, Lordi You want to
change those last two lines. You
should say:
"Alas still lives u love-struck crank,
Who can't say what he wants to say.
"Besides, best isn't good gram
mar, if you're comparing day with
night"
"Hang it all, H., Tennyson himself
could not please you" Then long
silence which he at last broke with:
"Say, do you think she would have
me?"
ooh, take a run around the block
How do 1 know? There she comes
now, and 1 give you fair warning if
you two stay here and scare all
my fish away I'll tell about the
poetry"
Divinely tall and most divinely
fair was Lady Mary. She came trip
ping sedately over the tender grass,
the mountain winds kissing delicate
peach blossom into her cheeks. Jack,
with his customary facility, rose to his
feet and the occasion to play the gal
liant. Neither of 'em paid the slight
est attention to me. was supposed
to be dead
"Jack," she said, sweetly, 81 want
you to row me up to the store. Will
you?"
OF course Jack acquiesced, and the
two of them got into the boat and
started.
Jack is finished oarsman, nt least
he generally finishes it in about ten
minutes. knew it was to be inter
esting, so l gave up the fishing and
watched them.
Mem. later: They have drifted
down the river, both behind Lady
Mary's parasol.
Now, Jack being one of those fell
lows who believe in never losing an
opportunity calmly rowed the boat
out in the middle of the river and
then, as I predicted, shipped the
oars and opened the conversation.
"How we'll we get along together
in o boat" he remarked, gazing senti-
mentally at the cliffs.
"Yes," abstractedly, "but I wish
you'd row up to the store. 1 don't
want to waste the whole afternoon
drifting like this"
"No, of course not" waking up
suddenly. Two strokes. Then, 81
wish we could always"
"There are lot Of new people COM
ing tonight" she broke in. "Mr. Egg
gleston told me So"
'Did he? H'mW Then with a
brilliant idea, "Are you over inter
ested in other people?" he asked in
his most beguiling tone.
ooh, yes-now, there's Christopher
Columbus. I'm interested in him.
wish l had him here this very minute.
I'd kiss his dear little nose"
"If were only Christopher Colum-
bus" insinuated Jack.
81 wish you were sometimes" she
cried, wickedly. "Then I could shut
you up occasionally, couldn't II"
Now, what could anybody do with q
girl like this? The end of it was that
Lady Mary took the oars and rowed
to the store herself.
Jack came to me disconsolately.
81 wish I was Dead" he said. ]
told him how annoying it would be to
me to have him lying around dead.
He said I talked like fool.
'Jack, my dear boy" I said, patron
izingly II am two months older than
he), "the next time You try to pop
the question be like bottle Of ginger
ale. Go off with bang and let all the
Azzle come afterward."
II nayer thought OF that he An.