The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1903-04-10
naiAs Eesssr Bsnnst.
Annie Hamilton DonneIl.

was all rome from her voice. II
guess Nine. Jacque will be willing 60
take them in exchange for n bonnet.
Oh, Horatio, you must see that lit
tie beauty In the window! It's the
one ! mean to get-the one on the
left Of the window, as you look In
from the outside. II has ap~ple-blos-
som buds on it-you know you al
ways liked a~pple-blossom buds. Hora-
tiol" She nodded across to him
nrchly and her full face reminded
him OF the Martha's OF is years ago.
lie coniured up that other beautiful
little bonnet with apple-blossom buds
In IL. and set 10 on her smooth brown
b~air-Martha had not grown gray
at all.
"Thnt one was beautiful" he
smiled.
"wcll. this one Is. I shouldn't won.
der " II made me look IS years
youngcrl" she laughed. "But don't
want 10 decide on II till you see II.
You always did have excellent taste
In bonncts. dear" She fell into the
dear" naturally enough. MS " the
soft halo ~ Is years ago were over
her. too. She had always called him
dear" then-how many years was IL
she had called him Horatio?
IL wish you'd go TO the Office
through Jcrmyn street tomorrow
morning-no, I'll go with you. That
will he better. You n pass judg-
ment on the little gcm-bonnet. and
| shall go In and buy itl-for I'm
certain youn like H."
They had not walked through the
streets together for n good while
not even to church. Horntio Whit
ncy was kecnly sensitive TO the fact
that his ovcrcoat aud hat were shah
by. lie did not care to remember
how long IL was since he had bought
new ones, and he did not want
Martha to remember. SO he stayed
at home quietly, and grew a little
grnyer and n little older every day.
"Martha's handsome and young,
STILL" he reasoned; IL want her TO
keep 80. IL doesn't matter now
about me; it's too late In the day to
save me. Marthn's going to have
pretty bonnets and things Just ms
long as ! can scrape together the
money. And what's more, she isn't
going to he mortified 10 Heath by
having n stoop-shouldercd. wrlnklrd
old man, In u faded o%vcrcoat, going
up the broad aisle beside her. I'm
tired; I'll stay ut home and rest"
So he had stayed nt home Sunday
after Sunday. lie was always tired:
IL vas a good enough excuse. Martha
gave up urging him after awhile.
The next morning Martha walked
downtown with Horntio. through
Jermyn street. 1t was a beautiful
day. lielated spring had come at
last. and the birds were celcbrat-
ing the event %joyously. The lawns
were taking on green tinges, aud the
electricity of growing things aud
buoyant spirits was In the air.
Martha tinglcd with II as she walked
along.
"iou walk so slow, Horatio." she
complained. "Why don't you step
up brisk and smart? Anybody'd
think YOU were an old mani
We'll. ! guess they'd hit H.,
Martial" he smiled. thine was
when I'd have skipped On this kind
of u morning"
"Well, I'D skip now II | was surc
nobody was looking! Here we are
ut Jermyn street"
They turned into the busy thor.
oughfare and settled into the cur
the world was In u hurry. but all
the world was cheerful. The cleo
tricity in the crisp, clean air was
manifest on every side, In alert gait
and smiling face. Everyone was
qunning the sweet spring tonic. Even
Horatio Whitney drank In uncon.
scious whirs Of il and picked himself
up. ~rcjuycnnted. and swung along
with the rest.
Down the street a little way prog
ress was temporarily blocked, and
Horatio and Martha came to n stand
still. A heavy dray was being backed
across the sidewalk.
Eve can go out round" Horatio
said. Its u nuisance the way these
fellows take possession Of the high
way. II ought to be stopped. Come
on-this way"
"No, I'm going TO wait. He'll get
unloaded In a minute. l don't fancy
being mixed up with n lot of electric
ears and grocery carts and folks.
There's no hurry, Horatio."
They were abreast of n splendid
plnte.glass show-window- and Martha
turne'l 20 :. for entertainment. What
woman was ever at loss for amuse-
ment with n show-window at her ell