The suburban citizen., 1902-07-12

'V-hi5hl' queStlOneu lne DOy oWK-
wardly. She turned upon him In puz-
zled wonder at the question.
why. at the hotel, l suppose. l
hadn't thought, but that's where shall
go, of course. Is it near the Parsons
| placer
Terry Quinn felt a wild desire to
laugh. The idea of hotel near the
Parsons place was too much for him.
But side glance at the wistful, glrlsh
face sobered him.
There isn't any hotel hereabouts,"
he said.
mo hotel? Why, / thought of
course Oh, L don't see what l am
going to dor
"Mother'll take you in, guess" in
terrupted Terry, hmrledly. 1--WE live
close by. She'll see to you. Mothers
great"
In the instant of Offering the girl the
hospitality of his own home, another
idea had occurred to Terry Quinn. He
sat on the edge of his seat, driving the
old white mare at snairs pace, and
thought it all out to his satisfaction.
1t was growing late. The soft June
dusk was settling over the land. The
girls impatience nearly asserted it.
self. 1t would be so late to see the
Parsons place!
We've got the key at our house"
Terry announced, with startling alb
ruptness. We've always kept it.
You'd better not try to go down to the
house till tomorrow, lit needs day
light to see it anyways we'll Motherll
go along with you in the morning.
Mothers great"
He had said that before. The girl
smiled to herself wearily.
They were jogging by a little un-
painted, unlnhabited house set in
weeds and neglect. The girl shud-
dered.
oh hope it won't look like that!
That's dreadfulw she said 'If il
looks like that think l shall-cryw
Terry whipped up the old white mare
hastily, and drove away from the
dreary place. In another five minutes
he had stopped in front of cheerful
little house hugged by vines and roses.
His mother was in the doorway.
"Oh, yes, she's greatr" the girl
thought, as she lay upstairs in a big,
soft bed. She's beautiful. She helps
out the Parsons place, no matter what
It's like. And that boy-well, he's
pretty nice, even IL he is muddy out
side"
Downstairs Terry and his mother
were talking things over Mrs. Quinn
approved of the plan, but was not three
O'Clock earlier than need be?
It'll need all that time" the boy
said Il guess you haven't been down
to the Parsons place very lately, moth
er. It's a sight"
'Yes, know Poor dear. it was a
mercy she did not know it to-nlght!'
At three o'clock the next morning the
boy and the birds were up. Terry
went straight to the Parsons place,
encumbered with a scythe and rake
and various other tools.
He whistled under his breath till he
got past the house; then he broke out
Into clear, shrill melody. The birds
jubllantly.
For an hour, two hours, the boy
tolled. Gradually the unkempt little
front yard took on a kind OF trim
ness. The tall weeds and grassbladea |
fell before the sturdy swing of the |
scythe, and the struggling bushes be.
gan to look more neat. There were |
left untouched only the Haunting holly. |
hooks and bouncing.bets.
They're too pretty to cut down" |
thought Terry. Maybe she'll like 'enl.
| do"
The precious time sped by, but Terry
mad made his plans carefully. He
righted the sagging gate. He raked ND
the grass and concealed it beneath the
bushes. He even had time to mend
some Of the broken windows.
And as a finishing touch he painted
the brown old pump a marvellous. celes.
tal blue! That was his final triumph.
He stood back and gazed entranced It
the work of his brush.
1T looks great" he muttered. but I
hope she won't want a drink. It's got
a heap Of drier in it, but it won't dry as
quick as that. There's mother blowing
the horn! I've got to hurry home to
breakfast"
Mrs. Quinn went with the girl to the
Parsons place. In her crisp starched
and print dress she plodded
heavily beside the slender, glrlsh
igure.
All things were favorable this morn.
ng. Nature abetted the boy in his kind
little plan What had looked dreary
md unattractive the previous night
looked bright and pleasant under the
spell Of the clear, new day. And the
girl did not recognize the Parsons place
IN its new dress. She thought she had
never seen it before.
"What queer little placer she said.
Is they approached it. But 1t looks as