The new age. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1902-190?, 1902-10-11
NEIGHBORS
BY BALDWIN SEARS
Copyright. 1909, by the
s. S. Met lure Company
BY BALDWIN SEARS

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
"He's there all alone with nobody
but an old servant. His mother and
father are still In Europe. no one
knows where. It's all overwork, the
doctor says, and he ought to be thank
full it's not total blindness. But I'd be
cross. too, II had to sit in a dark room
for six months without any one to
read to me. And he's so anxious to
get on with his law"
Mona Stewart gazed intently at the
visitor, whose jetted sringe ratified
castanet accompaniment to her stream
of talk. Who ought to be thankful?
The laxative lady did not say.
When she had gone, Mona slipped
from her corner by the window and
stood behind the great chair where her
grandmother sat winter and summer
playing solitaire.
era ndmother, she said questioning
". "who ought to be thankful, and
why must II last six monthsT
"Eh? why, of course he ought to be
thankful. Inflammation of the eyes is
no joke even If he did bring 1t on try
Ing to learn everything In one year.
Commend me to young men for a par
eel of fools" And the old lady snap
ped a king of hearts on a queen and
shuffied the pack viciously.
GRANDMOTHER" again the small
brown head peered around the corner
of the great cared chair-"who did yor
say it WASP"
"who? Why. young Phil Strong. OF
course, the most reckless youngstel
; that ever lived. | ought to know too
Wasn't his grandfather my own cous
in? Wasn't he just the same. obstinate
as a rebelT'
GRANDMOTHER. did you say that h
was all aloneT'
mercy upon us, child, what next
Yes, he's all alone. Look out of thu
window all day If you want to. an'
you won't see a soul go out or In ex
2 cept the doctor and the butchers boy
/ At this time of year AZ the silly PEG
. pie have rushed off to roast at the sea
{ side, and there's no one In town to g
: and see any one."
i {NOnd iOOhNb Out VI thN =
Z the house opposite. For days she ha
:. wondered who it could be that the doc
a tor went to see.
81 should think he would be lonely,
4 said Mona to herself. 81 should thin
4 he would want some one to come an
= read to him." There was a long paus'
Il "And he's a kind of cousin, too, beside
j being my neighbor. | shout
think. - And grandmother take
her nap every afternoon at T."
:
"Here's your cousin come to read
you, Mr.. Phil" The old housekeept
pushed open the library door and stoo
aside for the young girl who had 70
lowed her up stairs.
"WhatY came in a weary growl fro
q the darkness. who's going to read
me?'
But the housekeeper had departe
q and Mona was left standing in the mi
die of very large. very closely Gu
tanned room, with a shadowy somebod
ID who had turned his bandaged eyes u
on her in q way that made her wond'
why she had ever come and how 81
"a could get away without speaking. Ar
as she stood there the voice repeate
l. who's thatT
Mona twisted her fingers togethe
I'll heard my grandmother say TIL
n you hadn't any one to read to you an
\ that ii might last six months" 81
could get no further. but 1t was t.
late to retreat then.
IS At her first words the person spraw
K, ing in the big chair had risen abrupt
saying: Pardon me. didn't qui
understand what that beast of a coo
!, said" How polite he was compars
with a moment before! Your gran
mother is quite right | haven't ar
one to speak Christian word to-" WI
. was this girl anyhow? He wished tn
+ he dared pull up the bandage for a sc
Il ond. IL her face matched her voice
well, anyhow, If she were as home
as sin she was an angel to come al
v read 10 him. Its awfully good of 20
s Miss
to Stewart, Mona Stewart. just aero
lg the street." she FASTENED to tell him.
Its mighty good of you, Miss Ste'
art. What shall get you'll mea
a. won't you find a Book? stayed
n. town TO study. and ! haven't seen
Sc book since l came here. This curs'
n luck-I beg your pardon-I mean n
nc eyes went back on me just as ] beg
to read for my degree"