The Press., 1904-03-10

Janey Gates was the beauty Of Cane
Greek neighborhood. Even Sister Meak-
ins admitted as much in spite Of robust
prejudice. Janey would have been like
wise the belle IL it had not been accept
ed as a fact ever since she put up her
hair and let down her frocks that she
was, in neighborhood phrase, ''mort-
gagged property" Phil Mayhem had
laid claim to her when she came hardly
to his elbow. He had, further, let mo-
body dispute the claim even after she
came back from boarding school, fear
fully and wonderfully accomplished.
He was big fellow, square jawed and
square headed, who cared nothing for
books unless they dealt with figures.
At figures he was marvelously quick
and clever-so clever it was nothing for
him to stump successive schoolmasters
even though they were college bred,
while he knew nothing higher than the
neighborhood academy.
Possibly it was a triumph of this sort
which had first melted the present
schoolmaster, Leonard Trabue, Esq,
to try conclusions with him ia the field
Of Miss Janey's favor. Janey loved
books in the freshest, most whole heart
ed fashion. Trabue could talk books
by the hour, and talk very well. Nat
1rally he found himself welcome at the
Gates homestead. Quite as naturally
Phil Mayhem resented his presence
there and showed it outright, after the
manner of a masterful man crazily in
love. Thus by fate and free will and
the obligation of hospitality Janey was
IN manner forced to take Trabue's
part. The result was very pretty
quarrel and the transfer Of PhiPs at
sentions to Miss Dora Meakins.
There had been no set engagement to
break. That made Phips attitude all
the more aggravating. Janey was for
months bitterly unhappy over the rup-
ture, although she let nobody see it, not
even her mother. Outwardly she was
gayer than ever, and SO charming Mr.
Leonard Trabue quite lost his head.
He had meant at first only to punish
that pestilent fellow, Mayhem
tally, of course, to divert himself and
pass time otherwise heavy on his hands.
Teaching was merely stop gap. Lit
erature was his chosen vocation. He
meant to enter upon it through the gate
of newspaper work as soon as he could
scrape together a few hundred dollars.
The Gateses were not rich folk, but
still comfortably of, and Janey an only
child. 1t is but just to say the fact had
little to do with Trabue's falling in
love. That came upon him unawares.
But once he had realized his frame Of
affections he took full cognizance of
it. Might it not be easier to make him
self immortal even here in the deep
country, with charming wife and as
sured comfort, than out in the hustle
and hurly burly of a city? To settle 1t
out of hand he proposed plumply to
Janey. He was dazed to get refusal,
distressed, almost fearful.
Next week the county paper printed,
with iattering comments, love rhyme
signed "LeOfric." Cane Greek read, IL
because reading the paper thoroughly
was certainly the part of thrift, II not
of Christian duty. Still, It felt no curl
osity as to the authorship until the
rural press quite generally copied and
praised the rhyme. A second bit of
verse got reprinted in three city pa
pers, SO, upon the appearance Of the
third, Leofric's identity became burn
ing question, one that the editor him
self could not answer. All he knew
was that the copy came to him by the
hand of Mr.. Murdoch, a leading law
yer.
All winter long Leofric wrote inter
mittently, becoming more and more q
riddle and a parsonage. All winter
long, too, Phil Mayhem ate Sunday din
ners at the Meakins' table, and Leon
ard Trabue talked books and the world
to Janey Gates. He was playing
waiting game, resolved to win her in
spite of herself and Phil Mayhem.
Janey's heart was singularly stead
fast. Still, there were times when she
thought Trabue would succeed. PhiPs
going had left her desolate indeed.
He could never have cared as he pre-
tended or he would not be able to stay
away. OF course she could not make
the first move to reconciliation, espe-
cially since he was so taken up with
the Meakins generation. Since he was
forever lost to her, it was far from un-
pleasant to sun herself in Trabue's
devotion.
Spring came with such a rush that
year the picnic season opened in mid
May. Sister Meakins and Sister Hodg-
in, self elected social autocrats, got up
the first one and set the place for it,
Clear Spring, just little way of tine
Gates pasture The spring was, In
fact, Gates property, so Sister Meakin
let the owner know she thought 1t
would be no more than neighborly Of
him to put up tables, seats and stakes
for the gypsy kettles, to say nothing Of
the swings. There Phil Mayhem inter-
fered "You don't play lone hand at
this game with me around, squire" he
said to Janey's father. Thus 1t fell out
that for two days before the picnic he
was nearly as much in Janey's eyes as
he had been all winter in her mind.
1t amazed and somewhat frightened
her to find how equally she regarded
him. Squire Gates brought him to din
ner whether or no, and Janey shook
hands with him and chatted gayly
throughout the meal without the least
fiutter of the heart. She even watched
him go away with no access Of senti-
ment.
If only Trabue had spoken there and
then! But he was invisible until next
day. The picnic crowd gathered early.
Phil was the life Of It. though Dora
Meakins stuck to him like a II lpet.
He even bowed ciyilly to Trabue, who
hung about Janey, his eyes downcast.
his look preoccupied. The end of the
school term was just three weeks
ahead Before he came to that parting
of the ways he felt that he must know
exactly where he stood. Janey had
grown distinctly kinder. Still, there
was something in her Kindness that