Daily camera., 1901-09-30
he had nothing better to do.

he had nothing better to do.
"That's what have been trying ia
get him to do" murmured Miss Pey-
ton. with . side glance at Teddy from
under her dropping eye'ashes, "but he
won't come"
"First time you haven't got your
own way" chuckled tbe old man. "
guess it will do you good. missy. But
II he won't come for you he won't for
me-" Whereupon Teddy could do no
less than say that he would most GER
tainly call, II he still might, and he did
call this time. and papa came down first
and made him smoke and talked to
him about his prospects in an easy
sort of way and recommended him to
cut the arts and go into business.
which Teddy thought might not be
such bad advice after oil.
After q little Miss Peyton came
down in most bewildering little frock
and the smile that Teddy got ought
TO have been sufficient reward for COM
ing. G. w. B. trotted OF before long
and Miss Peyton played and sang in
sweet, thin little voice songs that
made Teddy rest his chin in his hands
and lose himself in the flicker Of the
Are. Then the girl left OF singing
and came and sat down by him and be-
fore he knew it he was talking about
himself, which is bad sign, and lie
was conscious that the delicate per-
fume of her hair had somehow got
into his brain. For time, it is to be
feared that he forgot all about Miss
Gleason. A. last he pulled himself to-
gether and rose to go, and she was OBJ
viously unwilling that he should go
Just then. so he stayed, and 1t was
quite late when she waved her hand in
farewell from the doorstep.
There would, no doubt, have been
. different ending to this story had 1t
not been for Teddy's idiotic habit Of
talking to himself. He was boy who
took in q show, a. = general thing. at
least twice q week. so he might have
remembered the almost Invariably IA
tai consequences Of solloquizing to
villains and the occasional inconven-
fences to heroes from the same foolish
practice. nevertheless he talked to
and. a. 1t happened, talked
himself into . good thing.
II was after he had talked for near
ly ten minutes TO Miss Gleason. whom
he had called "Delia" for the first
time. He was not only unreproved. but
she noticed that his necktic had dyif,.
ed TO ono side and had stEaightened
1t for him,
When he went back to the shop he
threw himself into a chair in front OF
the easel. whereon Miss Peyton's near
ly completed portrait was placed. ard,
thrussing his hands deeply iYts h..
trousers pockets and gazing Al th..nic.
ture blapky and unsesiD~'- began 10
free Ms RipdA -
He W." .ery much agitated, other
..e he would have noticed that the
original Of the portrait had arrived and
paused at the half opened door. Miss
Gleason saw her. and shortly after old
Balch saw his stenographer suddenly
rise from her work and walk unSteadi-
" to the window as the door on the
other side Of the passage closed with
slam.
Miss Peyton paused at the door be-
cause she observed the young man sit
ting and gazing inten,ly at her por-
trait. not working at it, bu, just look
ing, and with q rapt expression that
she had never seen on his face before,
although she had tried to imagine it.
Then Teddy spoke.
"It's all foolishness." he said; I'm
a chump to think that she cares for
me just because she has looked kindly
at me a few times. She can't help be-
ing sweet and kind, bless herl And
haven't got any business to ask her
how about il; I'm too internally poor.
1t wouldn't be the square thing"
Miss Peyton did not wait for fur
ther particulars. She tiptoed in. and.
being an impulsive young person. put
her arms around Teddy's neck. laid
her cheeks against his and said: "You
won't have 70 ask her, dear"
So, after all. it was not altogether
Teddy's fault. And We cannot hope to
have things always turn out as We
want them in this vale of tears.
In conclusion Mr.. Balch remarked
to Mrs. Balch one morning, as he laid
down the paper: Its the same Steb-
bins used to have the studio right OPP
posi.e the hall from us. l used to
think that you were little gone on
him in those days, my dear"
And Mrs. Balch answered.: mel
Gone on him? The ideal"