The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-15

was her one chance for the year-hers
and the girls. They dreamed Of it, and
pa worked for it the year round.
I'D ought to have fixed up for ma S
sake and the girls thought Gregory
Knox guilty, and in a minute the hOl-
iday's zest had vanished. He settled
back DULY on the hot velvet cushions
and made his plans YEARLY. He would
keep out of sieht-that would be easy
enough in such crowds-and ma and
the girls need never know he had been
there at all 1t would be nice just to see
'em enjoyin' themselves, he said.
I'll keep on the outskirts, o out
their sight-my old clothes won't do
EN- any harm that way"
Poor little stocking counter clerk! He
had always been on The outskirts and
he was 80 years old.
But when he had settled himself on
the great not bench, hidden in the lee
of a mighty boulder, whom should he
see dancing down the beach toward his
hiding place but Peggy. in her dainty
bathing suit She was all alone, and
she made pretty picture TO pas ad-
miring eyes.
Peggy was the baby and his favorite.
In his quiet, secret way he worshipped
at little Madam Peggy's restless feet.
The other girls called him pa but she
called him daddy. How pretty she
looked in that little blue and white rig,
The little Oil silk cap perched on her
brown hair had a witching, saucy air
But GregOry Knox shrank back in
the lee Of his rock. A minute too late,
daddy, for PeSgy had seen him.
'Daddy-of all things. great and
small things Daddy Knox"
Yes, it's me, Peggy" he answered
meekly.
1T is, as sure as / live But whered
you drop out ola balloon? Did you
come on the wings of the-but there
isn't any, not a breath! We'll, tell me
about it, daddy"
She drew herself in the sand beside
him and dug the toes of her bathing
shoes deep in. Her long black stock
ings stretched out before her, and dad
dys experienced eyes fell on them at
once. He was SO well acquainted with
stockings He nOriced instantly that
they were rusty and Ioose-fibred Then
he saw the little "gObbled' darns in
them. Peggy was not renowned for her
needlewOrk.
Poor dye, slazy weave he thought
Couldn't have come from Bruce's.
Mine are fast black, and you can't see
daylight through EN-, either"
Fire away, daddy Don't you see the
iady's Waiting?"
Peggy's clear, laughing voice inter
rupted his thoughts and brought him
back from the stocking counter at
Bruces to the great hot beach, with
the sea at his feet.
'Er-why, yes, Peggy, yes. What was
1 sayin'?"
That's the trouble. You weren't say
ing solitary word, Daddy Knox Just
moaning-Or selling stockings"
Toll
Peggy! That's what I was dom, sure.
1t kinder comes second nature to me.
That's what l expected to be doin' this
minute, but the boss gave me a day Off
SO l ran down here-I hankered to see
a little harum- scarum girl o. mine. But,
you see" Che lowered his voice conf
dentially), | never thought to fix uD,
so I'm keeDin dark. | wouldn't have
your ma see me this way for the best
pair o silk stockin's at Bruce's."
Peggy eyed the crumpled shirt bosom
with Dalpable disfavor. Her eyes trav-
eled over the shabby little Figure, TAX
ing in the shiny seams and the frayed
edges disapprovingiy. How little and
and seedy daddy was,
Yes. mad have a fit-two fits" she
said, promptly. You'll have to remain
incOg, daddy. Now, ] don't mind-I'm
not in full dress myself! So I'm willing
to fellowship with yUu. I'll run up
across lots to our room, and tell them
I'm not going down TO dinner, and then
I'll trouble you for a silver half-dollar,
kind sir, and buy our lunch at a res
taurant. And We'll eat it right here,
out of a paper bag. Larks,"
Her eyes were still on daddy She
was seeing many new things-the hOl-
lows in his temples, the patient droop
to his lips, the whitening hair around
his bald spot. She was seeing how
''stoOp-shouldered" daddy was getting
TO be, and how tired -tired-tired he
looked. 1t seemed to Peggy, lying there
in the warm sand beside daddy, as if
she was just being INTRODUCED to him.
She reached out a little Sea-brOwned
hand and slowly threaded the scant
gray hair between her fingers. The
softness and sickness of it surprised
her. She had never known before that
daddys hair was soft and silky.
But it's thin, daddy. | believe to ~
soul you're growing old. Aren't you
ashamed of yourself sir? The idea!''
mo older than some other folks this
side O. the sea, pusS,' TetOrted daddy
with a boyish laugh. He old not feel
old Just then. He felt young. 1t was
so pleasant to have Peggy all to him
self, and to lie. resting. with the gentle
boom OF the breakers in his ear
You're growing old, too, ma'am.
Bless my soul, wasn't it day before
yesterday you had the collie, and l tOted
you up and down the nursery floOrl Up
and dOwn-up and down-did you ever
say pnOn0b 2'' NOT Won -