The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-10-04

gown?-better than wshy -was.ly tea
ana bread and butter and the pretti-
est ingenue ever created by Pinero
and company. Come back, and III in
'ite you again, and give you a lovely
cushioned chair all to yourself, and
sing reveries and cradle-songs anu
iovc-songs-oh yes, especially love-
songs-to you till you shut your
mouth with kisses-what am | saving?
No, no, let US be careful. and cold
surtout cold. But one little kiss does
not matter, does it? Just before one
goes out into the night--which il so
calious, so Indifferent And so l bid
you farewell, Tommy dear. Hope for
letter next week. IL will mean my
luck is In. Your Flcurctte.
vi.
CHEZ PAPA.
"1t's no good. Dad, I've stuck to il
six months and it's killing me by
inches. Ill have to go"
| They were seated in the big book
lined library. Thomas Grifths, sem
Tor. upright in his red leathern chair.
calm and dignified, observed his son
from beneath acute, shaggy eyebrows.
$50 ] see. It's the young blood again."
he sighed. IL thought you had sown
your oats, but it seems there's still
a plentiful crop"
Indeed, dad, you're wrong. III
be as steady as the Inchcape Rock.
butt must get away. I'm choking"
Cant brook restraint. Home ties
what are they? Brittle as paper,
solid as water. My SOM" lie turned
over the leaves of the Graphic" with
a large paper-knife. and let his eyes
rest vacantly on the pictures. Sud-
denly he spoke again.
"Of course, there's woman. VIII
you tell me who and what she is?"
The roots Of Tommy's hair blushed
n quivering red.
"There's no woman" he said, after
n pause.
"'And before the cock crows We
shall deny me thrice % love'"
Through the stained-g glass window
fell shafts from the westering sun.
Long shadows lay across the thcl:
pile carpet. the face of the old man
ness Of a sculpture in the dying light.
you are choosing, Thomas" he
said at last. "My way or thy way.
There is no going back. My fortune
goes TO your sister II you thwart me.
! can allow you nothing any more"
II can't stick it, dad" he repeated
doggedly. I'm sorry to cross you,
httf ha In
theories drown the voice of agricul-
ture.'
you are not in the army?"
"The battle-cry of life, dad, of the
world-the struggling-the swimming
to shore, the huzzas, the champagne.
| must get back to it, sink or swim"
Mr.. Griffiths rose. II don't speak
your language Thomas. / belong to
the old school, l suppose. You have
gone beyond me. Unless you change
your mind before tomorrow week our
ways lie apart. DO not seek to alter
my decision. You know my-shall we
call it--obstinacy? Goodnight"
Upstairs in the boudoir Of his dead
wife Thomas Griffiths, senior, un-
locked an escritoire. Drawing out a
miniature of n little lad in Scotch
suit, he held it to the light, while dag
onal lines from nostril to mouth
deepened into ploughed burrows.
''IIe should have been named ABB
salon." he said bitterly.
VII.
FLEURETTE.
A familiar knock drew Fleurette
bolt upright. She waited breathlessly.
Tho door handle was impatiently
turned and sunburnt man stood
barcheaded in the middle of the ROOM
Tommy"
Tommy didn't say anything. lie
devoured her with his eyes, from the
sober serge gown to the bangleless
wrists.
What does il mean, Fleurette?"
She laughed, but the blood fiared in
her checks.
What an awful time since I've seen
you? l believe you've grown"
What does it mean, Fleurette?"
What does what mean? Don't be
SO silly, Tommy. You look as if you
were going to eat me-"
Tell me, please"
Don't you like it?"
Tommy spoke slowly. "No, like
the ecw-gaws, frills and things.
Where are they?"
I've changed -tired of them. I'm
capricious. You haven't said you're
glad TO see me-"
lie looked at her with such intensity
that she stirred uncasily.
Come and tell me all you've seen
and done. I've been hungering for
you"
us that true?'
"Of course not. Do YOU think
should say SO If il was? / want TO be
polite"
They sat down. and a strained ST.
lence fell between them. Tommy
broke IL dflidently.
"Tve got billet with chap who
came out on my boat. Hes OH
change A Spectator, rich as Croe-