Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-09-17
ThG House That Jack Built"

| speak to each other on even the most
trivial subjects without stammering
and blushing, but Jack persisted in
calling, despite the apparent discom-
| fort his visits caused both. Everybody
could see that he was desperately in
| love, and it was a saying among their
friends that if Jack could ever summon
up the courage to propose, Ethel would
| be too bashful to refuse him, whether
she loved Inn or not. She had just
come out at the beginning of the sea-
son, about the same time that Jack,
who had just graduated from college
and entered his fathers business, of
! which he was prospective heir, first be-
gan to attract the attention of de-
signing mothers and attractive daugh-
ters Perhaps it was while avoiding
them that he met Ethel, who had found
that there are ways of keeping out OF
sigu. when a ballroom was crowded
with other girls who were enjoying
themselves. Anyway, some common
chord of sympathy made them embar-
rassed friends from their first meet
ing.
Although Jack was bashful, he called
on Ethel as often as he dared, but in
spite of all resolution to overcome MS
diffidence he made little progress with
his suit They could get along fairly
well when there were others in the
room with them but when left to
themselves they suffered. Urii'-N most
young people in similar case, they
courted rather than avoided the COM
pany of Ethels liIle brother, Gus, and
Jack soon became such friends with
him that he felt called upon to re-
member his birthday. This he did
by sending MIN an elaborate box of
building blocks, which Gus dragged
into the parlor on the occasion of his
next visit, and insisted that the donor
teach him how to build with them.
What shall | build?" Jack asked.
Build me a big hotel like the one
Ethel and | were at last summer"
Jack obediently drew his chair to the
middle of the room and began on a
suitable design. But he soon found
that building while sitting on chair
was difficult, and as Gus was sprawled
comfortably on the floor watching the
work, he presently slipped down beside
him. Now, it is a peculiar thing about
building blocks that although they are
always bought for children, very few
| children can work out the designs that
go with them, and consequently they
are forced to call on their elders to
help them. Moreover, their elders us
ually take kindly to o'the task and are
apt to get cross if the child interferes
In ally way and delays the work in
hand. In very few minutes Jack was
as deeply interested as if he were
building a sure-enough hotel and Gus
watched with admiration. Presently he
tried to put in place an arch that was
In two pieces and needed no other
blocks to be placed beside it in order
to keep it in place. Gus tried to hold
the pieces in place, but in doing so he
knocked a corner out of the building
with his elbow.
you clumsy boy!" exclaimed Ethel.
who had been watching with the most
intense interest. "Here-let me holu
them" and a moment later sne was
sitting on the floor with them.
Jack patienuy rebuilt the damaged
corner anu then Ethel held the arch
until he had built around it.
Now make some bathing houses on
the beach" commanded Gus.
Jack obeyed, and then Gus brought
out some men and women cut out of
cardboard and set them around to re-
present the guests.
Here's you and Ethel. I'll introduce
you, for you weren't acquainted then"
said the young rascal, as he placed the
| figure of man raising his hat before
that of a young woman with parasol.
"All right" said Jack But am not
raising my hat at her as | should. | am
raising it at the far corner of the
building. Here, let me set them right"
| Saying this, he reached out and
turned the figure representing himself
so that it faced the figure representing
Ethel. Immediately white hand shot
out and turned the back of the paste
board belle toward the bowling figure.
"Spdbbed!" exclaimed Jack having
boldness for his pasteboard repre-
sentative that he never would have
presumed to have for himself.
But you don't know him yet. He's
the checklist nan on the beach, at
heart" and he moved his representa-
tive with his bow in front of the maid
with the parasol.
"And she's the haughtiest girl at the
beach," said Ethel as she again snub-
bed her cavalier.
"Try them behind the hotel where
the hammock is and folks ain t look
in" volunteered Gus.
| Great head!" exclaimed Jack, pick
ing up the two figures to make the
change.
Take care whom you're handling
like that" exclaimed Ethel grasping
him by the wrist and striving to pry
his fingers loose from her figure
There was o struggle full of the
abandon gayety OF the nursery, to
| rbiob +bo b1only boJ