Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-12-31
HE LAY.pRosf'RAf.h.

the, ppnoh bowl SEEDED sffeeI5lsnfsA isaEssEsIs
disappeared as swiftly 'as 'ifihsIh a ds:heen a
prestidfkitasof5;%and the black coniuror, for
got to bring it hack. Clever Pompey!4 ~
F: iMus. ..SteebE smiled ara ijaAed ssaNS. ex;
4changi ags badisaks nta cher a. light ,heartsd
WY, anaclQpklng very fair and pretty: eShe
tfpplsd Iout:a merry laugh, as che yohhg
+ inhal tel TO his knees while. making gal
lahtsabesch. oyer her exteads III fhaaitf Across
I firan15ns Stssle's face came Fash Of color.
T She aafppsf Shiekly toward her slaughter.
ain taass. axclsiHlng:
F. tAtsag Be: chtefti j.! ,buts ,she. was too
tasse as The :daEi young sman was on HIS
t.teek anS. made "a rush for the now fright.
ffaaaad Lady. He caught her sti5h.ly in his
Drunken embrace and starsad TO run of
with her. The other men were laughing
help the qs, 'ss1, a. huge
Macy ,gleaned and covered her face with
both fsafhnds saHd1, in fury of rage, dashed
in front of the young man and tore open
his arms with the power and ease of some
+ mighty aYeDger. Mrs. Steele, thus freed,
fais& sasx sup StheF stairs, hsrs face filled
with tsfrprfand, distressJ as3sff
stood by the newell post a second, flushed
lFand painting; gazing down in disgust at the
Fprostrate man. Then, as Pompey lifted the
I drunkard to his feet, volley of curses,
| black and deep, that were intended for me,
befouled the air. :-,ra.,
The memory Of my mornings pledge
came to my mind. I'walked to the parlor,
and said to the three gsntlemen:
Your friend is ILL., He is in his carriage:
Pompey is waiting at the door. will make
your excuses to Mrs Steele"
They bowed themselves out in maudlin
fashion; and it Vas tie pfsuaesf moment of
my life When Grandma Steele laid her hand
on my yellow head and said, -qGSiatiys
sss az 'ay-s Boy sss ssa tsosst0E1s th'at
Mr. Steeleseame in shortly after that.
Grandma Steele net. him atsshe doors and
His .order-t to PoMpays as went home, was;
That ss t. a2f PaEas f bos4diss,
school,, carrying my lady's color with me,
in'the shape of pink haiE ribbon Mary had
worn on New Years day. Isl Surely, tiiers
never was a proadersknishtthae X sss.,.-
Year by year the coed .old. custom dwin-
died; killed by just such sights as had dis.
gusted my young sss9YNa jThe gorgeous tot,
rious tables shrahk abs trays of cakes and
wine. or cakesand coffee. Men walked, or
rode in street cars, to pay theirtaAs. Fam
| lily reunions began to be pdraihsse Still !
made my, annual zoaN hhs Mary and her
mother. and grew nd ite@es;si -
The stately Grandma had passed away,
| and Mary sometimes ewore her pearl-set
miniature. Then my home was desolated.
| My mother death left me sad indeed. Mr..
| Steele was kind friend in my trouble,
and when the worst was past Mrs. Steele
showed herself still merry, .childike, and
| young. Mary, alone, could not fathom.
| had been in Paris two years, and had
correspondent with Mary in fraternal fash
ion for more than twelyemonth; when
| suddenly wrote an imprisoned letter, tell.
ing her of my lifes love, and mploring her
to be my wife
She responded briefly, and in the tone
used through all her letters: II thank you
for the high compliment" She wrote, but
why not keep on in our old friendly way"'
This was too much. | was hurt deeply,
never answered her letter, and resolved tc
| keep aloof, now and forever. Toward the
end of December became uneasy, and re.
| solved to go home, or, at least, to old
| New York. We landed on New Years eve,
and on New Years morning, as the bells
of st. Margaret's were Ginning for serv.
ice, | found myself opposite Mary's house
looking over at the old place, with the same
old boyish interest.
What change from the old days! Every
| shade of every house on the block entirely
| covered its window, and on each bell-pul
| was a tiny basket fastened with bunch Of
gay ribbons. ! was indignant "A nice way
that" argued, mentally. ito treat visitors
on New Years day A closed house, in
/ deed 1t should open to mel And that
basket! Probably itw was the gift OF some fonc
lover, like the Mayday baskets of the Older
time. Tied with Marys iavorite color, tool
Very well. | would take it down and Offer
her my congratulations, when | handed hel
| the basket!
| So ] mounted the steps and gave the
| bell knob vigorous pull. Old Pompey
opened the doo. He knew me at once
and smiled bfoa;lly, as lie said:
| Miss Mary, SHE'LL be delighted Disvisit'
so on-regla1', jes whut she likes"
| When Mary came, size seemed a little
| tremulons and confused. | remembered
the basket. 1t had fallen to the floor.
pounced upon it viciously. In it lay {
! card
Mr. Stewart Kingsley"
| Mary, ! gnsped; surely you are nevel
| going to marry the man who insulted your
mother II years ago." and held up the
card before her astonished eyes.
"Yon silly boy" said she, and with thai
years vanished; we were young again.
This" shaking the basket, is the way
people receive today. We put out ou
basket, and anyone who wishes may drol
his card in it,"
| "Then he did not send the basket?"
"Oh, mol" laughed Mary.
| well" said l, what silly fashion; tt
tie five yards of ribbon to ones bell-handle
that friend may not pull i'll"
No Only two yards" said Mary.
Five" l protested, and then said
j Come; let's measure it." So took m,
1 handkerchief to measure and finished
| up the inches on the ribbon that hum
| from her belt. This brought us yer,
near each other, my hand tremblsd
hut had gained . aps courage. A apsl a
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