Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-11-02


Did your cousin happen to sing?
There are brothers and sisters by doz-
ems. Tom.
But cousins a different thing!
Anon.
The news and the dessert were served
simultaneously.
by George, if hadn't nearly for
gotten!" quoth Stafford pere. He rum
mayed in an inner pocket
Cant find the letter. Must have
left it at the Office. Anyhow, it's from
my cousin, Godfrey Chester"
Now, Henry" interrupted the mild
voice of Mrs. Stafford in amused ex-
postulation. why will you keep up
that fiction about the cousinship? 1t
is mythical, and you know it,"
Its certainly remote" conceded the
beaming paterfamilias at the opposite
end of the table. but there once was
relationships long time ago, l ad-
nit. But Chester and have taken the
world as we found it. He's good fell
low and I've always been urging him
to manage that our young people may
become acquainted. He writes that his
daughter will pass through Chicago to-
morrow on the way to New York, and
will spend few days with us. He
says he wishes one of my family
would meet her. Bless my soul, here's
the letter after ALL" He put on his
spectacles-read aloud: You can't
mistake her She's a curly-headed lit
tie girl, in gray gown and a hat
with gray feathers. She's nice child,
and I'll be glad to have her meet your
youngsters" "Therel"
"a child" groaned Ralph, who was
% and studious.
He swallowed his cafe noir at a
gulp and rose disgustedly.
Youngsters, indeed!" cried Dick dis
dainfully. Does he take us for kin
dergarteners?"
Ross, who was the eldest, smiled in
quite superior and disinterested fash
ion. He boasted a fourishing mus
tache. He was studying law. Plainly,
the subject had no interest for him.
"Eh. but one of you must meet the
child" cried the head of the house.
You'll go, Ralph"
Cant. sir. I'm doing an article on
the architecture of the tenth century.
1t takes lot of research. I'll be all
morning II the Newberry Library"
Henry Stafford, huge of girth, rose
ate of visage, and twinkling of eye,
turned his harvest moon face implor-
ingly toward his youngest son.
You. Dick?"
Got a golf match on. Can't make
it. SIR"
Dear, dear! If your sister were
only at home"
She'll be back tomorrow after
noon" put in Mrs Stafford.
But the little girl gets here in the
morning. She must be met She Is
from a comparatively small town. She
would be quite bewildered were she to
find herself alone in Chicago. Besides,
I'm under several obligations to Ches-
ter in business way" He sent the
good-looking young fellow with the
mustache an appealing glance.
Il wonder now, Ross, if you-"
Ross laughed leniently. you poor,
perpleXed old chap! Yes, I'll see that
the child gets here all right"
Good" said Henry Stafford, with
sigh of relief. Good"
But when the Western train dis
gorged its jostling multitude in the
Union Depot the following morning
Ross Stafford, standing close by the
iron gates, found that he had under
taken a task of greater magnitude
than he had at the time imagined.
| There was such crush of people,
stout and thin, tall and short, big and
little. There were children-proces-
sions of them. But they all seemed to
belong to the folks who hurried them
along. Never glimpse could he catch
of a curly-headed little girl in a gray
gown wearing hat with gray feath-
ers. Or-was the dress brown? BY
Jove. He wasn't even sure of that.
The last laggard group trickled away,
Ross knew the conductor of the Den
yer train-spoke to him as he came
hurrying along.
"All off your train, Brigham"
"Sure!"
There was a little girl coming to
Chicago-had curly hair-a blue dress
| SiVCh DieoI IL
| Wasn't she on?"
Alone, was she?"
Yes"
''No, sir. Didn't come. Sure? Course
| am"
Ross wheeled around. well! I'll
telephone the folks that she wasn't on.
Dad can wire her people and find out
Il beg your pardonl''
And he suddenly found himself bow
! Ing profoundly, hat in hand, before
| young woman with whom he had al
most collided in his haste, a slender
young woman, a graceful young wo-
man, lovely young woman, as his
susceptible heart instantly acknowl-
edged.
She accepted his apology with q
slight bend of the head-a vivid blush.