Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-02-26
By LOUISE LAMPRAl

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@ S. S. Mcclure Company
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why, don't know, Bobby. What
would you like to name himg' From
under her filmy gray parasol Fairfax
Browne regarded her son with look
grave in its perplexity. Bobs adored
his pretty mother because she never
laughed at him; also because she had
big blue eyes and mass of fluffy red
gold hair precisely like princess in
fairy tale, Therefore as a matter of
course, the pepper and salt terrier was
brought to her to be christened.
"Call him Rags" suggested Captain
Frederick Lawton, the navy officer,
who CHANGED that morning to be at
tendant. This had happened so often
of late that dowagers were beginning
to suggest in penetrating undertones
that if dear Mrs. Browne were really
thinking of marrying again she could
not do better than to take Captain
Lawton, suitable in age, good looking
and quite Independent of his profess
sion. And every one knew that Mrs.
Browne had but little besides that
ramshackle old plantation in Louisi-
ana, or was it Maryland?
Bobs had overheard one or two of
these suggestions and, revolving them
in his seven-year-old brain, had come
to the conclusion that something por-
tentous was impending. This or some
thing else made him regard Captain
Lawton's suggestion with vague disfa-
vor.
Il don't like that" he said shortly.
ut might seem disrespectful, you
know"
He turned a sturdy blue back on
them and trudged off, with the meek
terrier under his arm. Presently came
in sight fresh faced young subaltern.
"Hello, Bobs! Where are you going
with-what's his nameY'
"He hasn't got any yet" said Bobby
soberly. ''That old Captain Lawton
said to call him Rags, but l shan't.
How would he feel if his father had
named him Rags, I'd like to known
"That is a question which Captain
Lawton has probably never consid-
ered," answered Charters gravely.
"But you might call this little beg
gar after General Kitchener"
"Is General Kitchener great sol
dier?"
.'The greatest next to Bobs," averred
the lieutenant. And that settled it.
Henceforth it was Bobs and Kitchener
| to all the American colony.
Meanwhile, as the gossips had sur
missed, Bobs' mother was pondering in
the remote depths of her subcon-
sciousness the question of accepting
| CAPTAIN Lawton. There were times
when she felt a longing for the home
and position which he could give her.
1t would be home for Bobby, too Bob
| bys. y fio looked at aer with his big, HON
est, adoring gray eyes, so like his faith
er's, But, curiously enough, as often as
those eyes met hers she felt strong
distaste for Lawton, with his precise
speech and immaculate uniform.
| She had no idea that Bobby was also
considering the merits of a prospective
stepfather but he was.
"Mr. Charteris," he said one day.
'syou aren't married, are you?"
Charters blushed all over his boyish
face. Not yet" he said.
Because" said Bobby with deliber-
alton, 'I've been thinkin' it over, and
1 believe I'd rather have you for
father than anybody that's here now"
Charters gasped. "Its very good of
you, I'm sure" he said, smothering an
impulse to laugh, "but your mother
might have something to say about
| that"
"Pooh! She wouldn't mind" said
Bobby superbly. "She'd like you any
amount better than that old navy cap
tain. Ny father was a cav'lry officer,
and his swords hangin' up in the libr'y
at home. I'm goin' to wear it when |
grow up, but 1 won't be in the navy.
A mans no good less he can ride
Bobby's tone was that of long set
tied conviction, and in his heart Char
| teris, subaltern of hussars, with
medal won in Africa, may have agreed
| with him. At any rate, when he made
| Il
consisting of Mrs. Browne and Captain
Lawton the latter inwardly cursed
| the inclination of the subaltern to talk
of cross country hunts in England,
rough riding on the plains and wild
| dashes over the African karroo. All
| the more violent was his emotion as
he saw the rare color come into Fair
fax Brownies face.
.sHe was the best rider / ever saw"
Charters said at the conclusion of
one of his stories, "a big, gypsy look
ing chap-one of those men who don't
seem to come from any place in par
ticular, though | believe he was born
in New York; chap that was always
sure to do great things some day, by
Jove!''
Charteris' eye had fallen on para
graph in the paper on his knee.
"What is it?' inquired Mrs. Browne,
interested.
''The very man. He's in Brighton
| just back from South Africa"
| Nobody noticed that as the group
separated Bobby secured the newspa-
per and studied it carefully.
Arrived at the hotel, he begged the
clerk for sheet of paper, an envelope
and a stamp and, producing stubby
pencil from his trousers pocket, COM
posed letter, sitting on the back We
randa, while Kitchener made love to
the cook. When the letter was done,
he addressed it in a scrawly but dis
tinct hand to "8fr. Edward Wharton,
Brighton. England"
The letter ran as follows:
Dear Mr.. Wharton-Mr. Chartris told
about you and / like you my father was
cavlry officer to and I don't like the
navy one bit and don't want a navy man
for my new father
I think Kickner and Id rather have you
If you'd like it I'm sure Mama and you
would be CRATE friends Yours with love
ROBERT FAIRFAX BROWNE
by Jover' said Wharton, and he
threw back his head and laughed
splendid, ringing laugh that eonsorted
well with the CLEAN of his white teeth