Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-06-09
CHAPTER XVI.

CHAPTER XVI.
n LICE PAGES first impression
$IA of Frank Mason did not do
|5S10S| him justice. She thought him
ysE&sy a big, good natured, polite
boy, rather conscious that he was like
ly to be sought after and disposed to
sulk If he wasn't. His plea for SYM
pathy on the score that his life of idle
ness was bore, which he made the
day they went sleighing, only provoked
her derision, and as she was disposed
to judge all men by the standard Of
her self reliant brother, he came near
awakening contempt on her part. 1t
was not until the last evening Of his
visit that she discovered her mistake
and realized that he had more depth
of character than she had thought. 1t
Is likely the keen enjoyment which he
seemed to feel when she sang for him
had weight, for we are prone to like
those who like us, and it was natural
also that she should feel little graft
tude for what he had done for her
brother.
Her life, hidden as she was in by
way corner Of country town and
seeing no one all the week except her
small band Of pupils, gave her plenty
of time for thought. Once a week,
usually on Saturday. she received a
letter from her brother, and that, to-
gether with the mild excitement Of
Sunday churchgoing, was all that
hro1xo tho ynonn%Nrv oF how, HPo
A week after the Christmas visit she
received package containing a new
book, three of the latest popular songs
and box Of candy, and pinned to the
candy Frank Nason's card, on the back
Of which was written, For the girl
who wanted to kiss her teacher"
She wrote polite note of thanks. 1t
was midwinter and two weeks after
her brother wrote that Frank had be-
gun studying law in his Office when she
received letter from that young man
that surprised her. He wrote:
My Dear Miss Page-I trust you. will
pardon me for intruding myself upon you,
but wish you to know that a few point
ed words spoken by you while I was en-
joying your hospitality have not been for
gotten and have influenced me to make
an effort to be something better than an
idler in the world. Your brother kindly
consented to let me read law In his office,
and am now hard at 1t. do not mag
Inc this will interest you, but felt that
you had scant respect for useless people,
and as you could rightly so regard me
wanted you to know that I am capable Of
rising above my aimless life.
have recalled 80 many times all thu
little Incidents of my visit to your home
and lived over those evenings graced by
your presence and lit by a cheerful fire
time and again. Do not think me insin-
cere when I assure you that they were
the most delightful ones 1 ever passed.
II you find time to write a line to one
who Is now a worker in the hive Instead
of q drone, 1t will be gratefully received
by me.
I To a girl with Alice Pages sympa-
thetic nature and tender feelings words
like these made her feel she was what
she most enjoyed being-an inspiration
and help to others. In this respect
Frank Mason had read her better than
she had read him, or else some fortu-
nate intuition had led him Alright She
answered the letter at once, thanking
him for his fattering words, but for
bidding him to use any more of them
II do not like tlattery," she wrote,
because no one ever can feel quite
sure it is sincere. l will answer all
your letters If you will promise not to
tell Bert we are corresponding Not
that am ashamed of 1t by any means,
but he is inclined to tease me, and
love him so dearly can't bear to have
him do so. The little girl you sent the
candy to was both astonished and CRATE
full. l did not tell her who sent it, for
the fact would have been all over town
in week if had, and do not like to
be gossiped about merely told her a
good fairy had sent 1t, which was bet
ter"
Once week thereafter Alice re-
ceived long letter from Frank and as
regularly answered it.
"Frank is getting along nicely" AL
bert wrote Alice in the early spring.
II believe he has the making of Gu
pable lawyer in him. He grinds away
harder than 1 ever did when reading
law and has never yet complained of
how dry and dull it all is. He is a big,
warm hearted fellow, too, and l am
growing more fond of him every day.
He is more devoted to me than broth
er, and we have made lot of plans
for months outing on the Gypsy this
coming summer. like his family very
much, and Mrs. Mason and both her
daughters have invited me to bring
you down when your school closes to
make them visit. think I shall run
up in June and stay over Sunday and
bring Frank with me. I imagine he
would like to come, for once in awhile
I overhear him humming Ben Bolt"
"a very nicely worded little plot, but
don't you imagine, my dear Bert, do
not see through It'll" was the mental