Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-11-25


AS she mCV.I to one of the windows
she chose to mention that once in pass
ing she had glanced up and found
Inky and myself watching her with
painful interest.
Just as they were all filing out of the
room l saw Inky deftly abstract his
sisters handkerchief and drop it on the
floor. Seeing me start to pick it up,
Inky shook his head savagely. A mo-
ment later Miss Allen returned alone.
Il am always losing my handker-
chief" she said. Brother thinks that
he saw one on the floor in your ROOM
l FASTENED to restore the missing ar
duplicity.
1--WE have heard so much of you"
she continued. Ingram regales us
each evening with a veracious chron-
icle Of your days doings."
EFT" broke in the voice of 1nky
from the doorway, make him show
you what he has in the desk. Say,
that Lyden's a stiff. I'll get even with
him. He laughed all the time l was
reciting"
at is true" said Miss Allen when
her brother had again disappeared.
"Mr Lydcn did laugh, and l don't
think it was a bit nice, do you?
OF course | did not.
"But what was it Ingram wished me
to sec?" she continued. Did he say it
was in your desk? Please show it to
me at once. My curiosity is of the
kind that will not be bridled."
q beg of you" l began, very much
embarrassed; "it is really nothing at
ALL" And in that statement | was
merely quoting Inky's own words.
"May | look?" she persisted, resting
one white hand on the old battered
lid of the desk. I'm going to-"
was powcrless. Her smile fairly
turned my head.
81 can refuse you nothing" l muir
INJURED.
The next moment she had the lid up
and was rummaging through an ac-
emulation of books and papers. She
came upon it suddenly.
"Oh," she cried, where did you get
it?"
l explained that l had taken it from
her brother and had unlawfully retain
cd 1t in my possession. Unfortunate
ly, she soon turned it over and discov-
cred the verses penciled on the back.
"That is very silly" she observed
severely, and then with demure
smile, But it is very clever"
Without looking up she replaced the
photograph in the desk and closed
down the lid.
After Mr.. Lyden and the Aliens were
all clear of the building Inky came
rushing back to my room.
"What do you think of her?" he in
quired eagerly.
Il never met n more agreeable young
lady" was my guarded reply.
"Of course you didn't" he said glee-
fully. Fits hummer. You ought to
hear her play the piano and sing. And
she writes poetry, too, but I'm the on
ly one tl.at knows it. Say, why don't
you go in and win? I'll back you"
Ingram" | said solemnly, these
matters are entirely too serious and
sacred to be made light Of
Inky grinned and clacked his tongue
in his cheek.
"Say," he cried suddenly, did any Of
your people get cut up in the Revolu-
tion?'
Several of Them" replied.
no Ia;
That's big casino with the mater!
Oh, see Lyden's finish"'
A few days later Inky whispered TO
me during class that l was soon to be
invited 'up to the house" and must on
no account fail to respond in person.
The invitation did arrive and 1 avail
ed myself of the privilege.
Mr.. Allen was jovial; the mater grew
deeply interested in my family tree;
Miss Allen treated me with great kind
ness; Inky could scarcely refrain from
standing on his head. The presence of
Lyden as an old friend of the family
alone married the pleasure of the even
ing.
l was not aware that during the sue
ceeding days my treatment of Inky
grew any more lcnient, yet it seems
that there was sufficient partially dis
played to excite the envy of the other
students. This fact was deduced from
a conversation accidentally overheard.
In the words of the oracle, Inky would
continue to have "cinch" while the
prof was crushing" his sister.
"The moneys seven to two in your
favor" Inky remarked one Friday aft
crnoon as | was going home with him
after school. for such had become my
custom. "Lyden isn't one, two, three.
He's out of the race; left at the pole"
That particular afternoon was des-
tined to become one Of the happiest
periods In my life. Miss Allen was
alone and received me with outstretch-
ed hands. Inspired by Inky's conf
dence, | riskcd all and won After an
Infinite elapse of time we saw Inky
emerge from Il dim corner of the room.
Ingram" said his sister, "was it
nice of you to try and overhear con-
fidencesT
EFT" Inky replied, 81 couldn't stay
away. I was afraid he would funk at
the last minute, and you don't know
how hard I've worked to have him dis
lance Lyden."
l think l Rugged him, much to his
disgust, and | know that his sister
added to his confusion by kissing him.
Ingram" l said, NOW tell me the
truth. What first put the idea into
your head?"
"Well," he grinned, Il knew I'd new