Evening journal., 1904-09-29
CE,e Major
BY HItce 6. HlIen
Copyright, 1901. bu Alice E. Alien
BY HHcc 6. HIIsn

race.
The Major had taken the apple care
fully from the Girls soft hand. He
had blinked a slow Thank you" with
his great kind eyes. Then at Dicks
command he had trotted gravely away.
Next to Dick. Major loved the Girl.
Sometimes he grew impatient even
with Dick. Now was one of the times
The rich favor Of that late russet stin
fingered in his mouth. He wondered
the Major-if the Girl herself never
grew impatient with Dick.
OF course the Girl loved Dick. One
couldn't help that. even if one did
grow impatient sometimes and want
to be off on a-stiff trot when one was
told to walk But did Dick love the
Girl? Or was it Geraldine?
He went to see Geraldine nearly
every week. and almost never to see
the Girl. But time was, not so long
ago, when they-Dick and the Major
had waited before the Girls door near
ly every day.
To be sure, they always had waited.
And sometimes. the Major remember
ed now with a sigh, he had grown res
tive and impatient with the long delay
But in time the Girl had always come
well worth waiting for. And before
she stepped into the carriage she had
always stroked his nose and fed him
q lump of sugar or told him admiringly
what a fine horse he was.
Geraldine never noticed him at ALL
except TO scream when he jumped at
an automobile The Major didn't ap-
prove of Geraldine, although, perhaps,
she was prettier than the Girl. But
Dick evidently did approve of her.
The Major chewed away on his crisp
hay and meditated. Sometimes he felt
that he must do something desperate,
something that would open Dicks eyes
to the superiority Of the Girl.
The Major meditated a long time
over his hay before Dick came to har-
ness him. The Major saw. with JOY,
that it was the single carriage which
was drawn out. not the surrey. That
only two people should ride together
in the same carriage at the same time
was one Of the Majors pet theories.
Dick whistled all through the har-
Messing. The Major didn't know one
| tune from another, but he did know
| that when Dick whistled he was in
good humor. SO he, the Major, pranced
little as he had always done when
he was young, to show that he, too
was light hearted.
The Major crossed the bridge with
slow. steady trot. increased his pace
up the long hill. dashed determinedly
by the turn which led to Geraldine;
and. his head held high, drew up be
fore the Girls house.
When he looked around at his mas
ter Dick did not seem in pleased. H'
seemed surprised, but that may have
been because the Girl was ready and
waiting
She came down the walk She wore
a blue shirt waist and her prettiest hat
In her slender. ungloved hand was a
great lump of sugar.
"Its for you, sir" she said, reach
ing up the crisp lump 10 Major. The1
she stood on tiptoe and patted his nose
Good Major, good old Major" she
said softly to him. Il believe" she
added to Dick as he helped her into
the carnage. that the Major under
stands me thoroughly"
Lucky Major" said Dick as he took
the lines Il wish l had horse sense
The Girl laughed Major would g
mile over sandy roads to hear hei
laugh. Now he started of at his bes
gait He soon found that they wer'
going out into the country. OF tina
the Major approved fully.
Dick and the Girl conversed read
lily enough on various subjects-th'
weather, the roads, the outlook for /
good hay crop. Interesting as thi
last topic usually was to Major. h,
felt vaguely dissatisfied now. VIII.
couldn't that stupid Dick say some
thing which would bring back to tn
Girls voice the tone she had use'
when she said good old MajOrT On
had only to look at her, the Majo
knew. Twas easy enough.
Major shifted and trotted on, Wei
he knew the road-every inch Of II
II leu, up hill and down, past gay iii
tie brooks, between fields bright wit
eowslips, and orchards white with tn
snow of cherry blooms, to the pin
. grove on the bank of the river wher
the arbutus grew.
The wind was soft and sweet wit
the kisses II had stolen from the vic
r let's. Hosts of dainty bluets raise
their pretty parasols in the dust of tn
wayside. The world was very fai
and in its May.
n The Major wished that he could tall
n How stupid to be only horsel For q
y they went on and on silence fell upo
i the occupants Of the carriage. The M'
e jor's head dropped lower and lower. "a
n went more and more slowly.
The Girl hummed a careless little tur
70 under her breath. Dick addressed a
OF his remarks to the Major, and th
Major did as he thought best abou
obeying.
"Major's lazy today" said Die
E gloomily. "He's scarcely worth b
Il feed; believe I'll sell him when chan'
Offers"
d The Girls voice was sweet, but a II
= fIe strained, when she responded. I'll
d Major. who paid more attention TO toni
!, than to words, knew that somethir
q must be done for her. What should
be? he mused MS be walked slowly alor