Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-10-02

about mile from the village and the
road is good and Miss Laura and
drive over twice day. Miss Laura
lets me drive sumtlmes, but she's
afrade lie get the horse-hls name Is
The lookout Of the stile Of driving
that women prefur. And when l titen
up on the lines and The Dock strikes
a lively clipp, she says 'Steddy, Tom.
my and then have to pull him in.
But she Is nice girl notwithstanding.
She has the prittiest brown hair, and
such dope darke eyes. and such
sweet way of speekin'. And they
have butiful home. Its on hill and
you can see miles around It, From
my window l can catch site Of the
lake thru a gap in the hills. It's a
very nice lake tho not depe enuff to
drown me-and Laura's father owns
it. They say he is pritty rich. Mr..
Rummidge-he sells books In the vii
lage and lets you borrow them for too
sents day-says Laura's father is a
village Creeses. 1t tells about Creeses
somewhere in book and he was the
richest man in the State, but l think
he is dead now. CESS you must have
heard about him. He was HISTORY
kal carackter. wish you was here,
Brother Jim. We'd have crate times.
Laura's most as good as a boy for
havin' fun. Thare heer her calm.
The Dock Is a-champin on his bit
and waitin' impashent at the cassel
gait. That's the way Laura talks.
She's most as good as play actor.
Aunt Emmyline says Lauras roman
| tick. So must close. Write just as
soon as you hear from papa and man.
ma. From your loving brother,
TON"
James Thornton, rising young attor-
| ney, smiled over this epistle and laid
it away carefully in pigeonhole of
his desk, whence 1t would be taken
and inclosed with his next letter to
the absent parents across the sea.
There was long gap between broth
err Jim, aged 27, and brother Tom,
aged -. and this gap had seemingly
drawn them closer together. To BROTH
er Jim, brother Tom had never SEEM
ed the aggravated nuisance that little
brothers usually appear in the eyes of
| older brothers. Jim had looked with
amused tolerance on Toms widest
pranks, and as for Tom-well, there
were few heroes of childish romance
that did not suggest his clever big
brother. And Tom had been left in
Jim's care while the father and not
| overstrong mother went abroad for
the latter's health. 1t was hot sum-
mer, and Tom was convalescing from
a severe case of measles, and so Jim
thought 1t wise to pack him of to
little village that nestled in the woods
, of the upper Hudson, where he was
sure to receive the best of care at the
home of a superannuated bookkeeper
of the firm Of which James Thornton
was the newly admitted Junior MEM
Der. And 1t was from Bookkeeper
Barclays home that Miss Laura Gar
man had fairly kidnapped him. True.
she wrote a model letter to Jim. in
which she requested the loan of his
young kinsman. but before his answer
could be received she had him INSTALL
ed at Greycrag, and In a position to
add his petition to hers.
He wa. such a delightful boy, she
wrote, and he would make the hours
at Greycrag seem SO much less lone
some. Saving for the presence of
maiden aunt she was quite alone there,
her father and mother having gone
to California to take an invalid sister
Of the latter. Besides she was sure
the altitude Of Greycrag was quite GER
tain to hasten the return Of Tommy's
strength. She hoped this was not
taking q liberty. but she had never
seen a boy who charmed her quite as
much-perhaps because he reminded
her of little brother who had passed
away in his seventh year.
What could Brother Jim do? He
wrote a qualified acceptance of this
letter of invitation. She must prompt
" return Tom when she tired Of him.
She mustn't tolerate him II he proved
to be rude or manageable. And he
would ask 1t as a particular favor If
she would at once communicate to
him any infraction Of conduct Of
which Tom might be guilty. Being
80 very much the youngest of the
family" he wrote. in conclusion. II
fear that we fail to realize how thor
oughly he Is spoiled. No doubt you
will find this out very soon. The mo-
ment you do. kindly return him to Mr..
Barclay, to be left until called for"
Miss Laura Garman briefly acknowl-
edged Brother Jim's letters, promising
to faithfully abide by all Its condi-
t,ons. and thanking jim for acceding