Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-03-20

| convinced himself that the letter was
really his, and frequent perusals of 1t
so lmbued him with its spirit as to
make that belief not only possible but
probable. In the long hours of dream
ing with which his days were now oc-
cuped Lefty was never anything more
than a shadow with that suggestive
ness of spring-and the springs fair
ness about her.
One afternoon, when these dreams
had been in progress several weeks, as
he was taking his way home he missed
the sense of her companionship for the
first time.
He entered his door with feeling OF
pride not unmixed with humility and
went Immediately, as was his custom,
to the little bare study. The one easy
chair the room contained was turned
toward the window; some readjust-
ment of house-cleaning had moved II
from its usual place at the table, but
to the man on the threshold 1t had the
appearance of being turned for
watchers convenience.
I'm home, Lefty" he said softly.
wac q IuolhSht
lence, then from somewhere near, it
seemed to him, came the words: "Wel-
come, dear"
He crossed the room with a happy
face.
The next day an unusual thing oc-
curred-the professor went shopping.
1t was not an extensive expedition, the
purchases being confined to one shop
which he had never visited until that
hour AS the bell above the door an
nounced his entrance a sudden trepi-
dation seized upon him, every nerve in
his body pulsated with the tangled
wire and he would have fed inconti-
nently had it not been for the appear
ance of the shop-woman. He did not
respond to her greeting, but chung to
the small showcase as II in need of
material support. gazing helplessly
around. When he could collect his
dazed senses he made known his wants
by series of pantomimic gestures.
She seemed to comprehend him for
after fumbling over the contents of a
box she finally produced large bone
thimble with eulogistic words. The
professor found his voice.
"Smaller-much smaller" he gasped
For a child?"
"Er-er-not exactly, but small and
pretty-what would fit your little fin
ger, ma'am."
The woman rummaged through her
stock and obligingly tried on thimble
after thimble until a satisfactory silver
| one was found. The professor took it
into his capacious palm and inspected
the simple chasing with undisguised
delight.
Needles, maam," he said next.
Coarse or fine?"
oh! fine fine"
She placed some little oblong pack
ages before him and waited his afur-
ther orders.
What's that you call it? Cotton? Yes,
some cotton"
What number-seventy?
ooh! no-no-not seventy. Eighteen
or twenty"
The shopkeeper regarded him with
ill-concealed contempt. you could
only use crowbar with such coarse
stuff" she cried sharply; il you want
fine needles you must have cotton to
match"
The professor removed his hat and
l mopped his brow with some perturba.
: ton.
a Seventy or eighty" he murmuret
e half to himself. 81 don't like thu
|. sound"
n She got down a drawer without an
t other word and took out two small
d white spools.
: "These are what you need" she said
e with the air of one who will not toler
b ate trifing. There was no misunder
: standing her meaning. The professo
+ might be in doubt upon other vexet
IS questions, but this much was clear t,
= him.
o you know best, ma am" he faltered
Then, with happy inspiration, h,
d added: Perhaps the numbers will
q come Off"
II She pushed a pin upder the offending
e bits of paper and removed them deft
II ly. The wrinkled face of her custome
II Was Win
a You're very good, ma'am. They'r
o for somebody quite young, you see, an,
d she'll like them best so.'
y "P'r'aps she'd like basket to hol
,s 'em an a cushion?"
IS "Of course she would, ma'am-o
l. course-Pm grateful to you for men
tioning them"
8 He was almost feverish with impa
n tience while she took the articles fror
:, the window and spread them tempting
d ly before him; that they were fade
d from long exposure to the sun was un
noticed by his happy eyes. He wa
= blind to all defects, and when sh
e added needle-book with a marvelou
d bird upon it's cover and small pair @
\ scissors to the other objects he fairl
v glowed with pleasure.
II His happiness, however, was slight
. in comparison to the Joy he knew late
, when he unrolled his purchases an
! placed them upon the table near the bi
, chair. He occupied the only othe