Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-08-31
THE PROFESSOR
A Love Affair of October and
May.


There was a hint of autumn in the
woodland tints, where the colors shad-
ed from softest gray green through
russell tones to deepest red and brown,
and the breeze that swept over the up
lands was suggestive of chilly Octo-
Der, but the golden spell of Indian
summer lay on the valley, touching the
ripe peaches with an added bloom and
woolng the late roses to unfold their
fragrant hearts before it was too late
to give their sweetness to the dying
summer.
In the -ectory orchard, under the
shadows of the fruit laden trees, village
lads and lasses hid and sought, and
out In the meadow the children laugh
ed and played and danced to the music
of their own voices.
The professor stood at the outer
edge of circle of infant revelers. his
spectacles pushed up on his broad
forehead, his soft Homburg hat tilted
forward to shield his eyes from the
sun
Gray eyes they Were, with keen
ness In them that was reflective and
that lent them a clearer vision for
things that time had set at distance
than for present realities
The iron gray hair was brushed back
and outlined features that were not un-
handsome, though their sternness gave
him a semblance of severity until he
smiled.
When the professor smiled children
understood that the tall figure with its
inclination to stoop was not likely to
prove aggressive, and that the learning
contained in that massive frame could
that the professor might have been
young once. before the weight of a
laurel wreath had puckered his brows
and powdered his hair with the frost
that comes before winter.
He was smiling now and looking
with appreciatiye interest at the game
in progress.
"Do you hear what they are sing
ing?" he asked the reetors wife.
Mrs. Errington detached herself
from the tea urn to answer carelessly,
Nuts and May isn't itT'
THE delightful irrelevance of child
hood" pursued the professor. "the
sublime faith in the impossible. Here
we come gathering nuts and May-so
early in the morningp Not content
with demanding their autumn and
their spring at the same time, they
must have 1t early in the morning, too;
all the world at their feet, with youth
to make them enjoy it. They have faith
enough to remove mountains, but am
afraid the days of miracles are past"
Mrs. Errington's glance fingered on
him for a moment, and then he travel
ed to where a girl in a white dress
stood under the trees that bordered
the rectory garden.
There is Eyadne," she said; chow
fresh and cool and sweet she looks.
Don't you think SO, professor"
He adjusted his spectacles to give a
conscientious answer
Miss Evadne is always pleasant to
look att he said as he gazed with a
painstaking air In her direction; "at
this distance do not see her SO plainly
as | could wish"
"And she is always pleasant to talk
to-, added Mrs. Errington; "go and
ask her if she would like some tea. pro-
fessor."
He went obediently. and the white
figure moved to meet him, While the
echo of the words "cool and fresh and
sweet fioated still in his ears.
II am sent to ask you if you will
have some tea" he said
"Is that meant for an excuse or an
Apology asked Evadne demurely
Does my eriand need either?" he
questioned in return, with his usual
gravity.
You seemed to consider so," said
she, sin which. if you will not think
me conceited, / will confess you are
unusual There are people" she con-
tinued, noting his puzzled air, 'who
come and talk to me without any err
rand at all-merely for the pleasure of
the thing"
A little smile was playing round her
mouth. and through her curved eye
lashes the sparkle of her eyes meant
mischief
The professor pushed his spectacles
up again; when people were close to
him he could see better without assist
ance.
There are people," he said, who,
might venture to come to you on their
own merits, Miss Eva. am not one
Of those fortunate feIv ,,
"No?" she queried. lifting her eye
bross, ''yet your merits are by no