Middletown transcript., 1905-04-15

one Dub VERONICA naQ those eyes. Ihe
girl stood still.
"You p she cried, holding out her
small hand. t'You really 7ave come
back You don't know what lot OF
emotion We have been spending upon
you May l tell your mother that you
are here? They sent me for my songs to
soIace them-till you came"
"Teli them by all means, Veronica
We will compare our experiences over
dinner"
And Veronica went her way.
Somehow. she did not look SO winsome
and elfist now that her soft flying hair
was bound up in coils, John decided, as
he went on to his room. But he found
her very amusing at dinner. She told
him OF the vicissitudes OF their drive with
piquant charm, and proved herself very
captivating ingenious "sweet seventeen"
The whole table, in spite of few empty
places, was in glow of interested COM
placency. The hero of the night had
returned, and every one was prepared
to make the most of him. John himself
responded to the geniality delightfully."-,
and contributed just the measure Of sue
cess to the evening that his mother had
reekoned upon.
Therefore, when Betty Foster rustled
across the drawing-room afterwards and
offered him penny for his thoughts, and
for his dinner thoughts too, he looked
down at her in amused surprise.
Thoughts r he said. Didn't give
you words enough ?'
"You were eioquence ITSELF" she said,
settling her pink skirts comfortably on
the sofa beside him; "but there were
pauses-big pauses-when | thought that
you had the cares of nation or school
mistress on your shoulders, and couldn't
or wouldn't think of anything else. Now
you had, hadn't you? You we're pictur-
ing the cold comforts of that poor friend
less soul down at the Cottage, her frugal
meal and her few personal gifts, and COM
pairing her with us-us"-she laughed,
dimpling merrily-"who have SO many
of life's good thngs-frocks and carriages
and food and-yes, faces Is she much
palmer than Miss Smith ?"
"Not much," he said. "You are quite
little witch, Miss Foster"
"Am I ~ she said delightedIy. "Then
she is plain. l felt sure that she was.
The instructress of youth is nearly always
plain, poor thing And don't wonder.
/ should have lines on my forehead as
deep as a ploughed furrow if l taught
troublesome infants for week and day;
at the end of a month l should be bald,
and in a year palsied. 1t does seem
odd;n she added in soliloquy, "how
smooth things are for some women and
how rough for others"
"It does," he acquiesced.
| "Aud somehow it is stupid of me, but
1 always feel desperately sorry for those
who don't have the good times-the
Worth frocks and the Redfern coats, and
Tantrums and Tantivvys, and the rides
across country"
81 don't see where the stupidity comes
in for being sorry" he answered. Sym
pathy is the finest gem in woman's
adornment."
Betty laughed her gay laugh.
THAT shows that you are hopelessly
old-fashioned," she said. Lets 60 to-
morrow and demonstrate these shining
propensities of ours-you have them as
well as |, know you have-by visiting
Miss Earle and finding out if she had a
fire or a crust to solace herself with to-
night, and telling her we are sorry for
the cold welcome Cranleigh Moss has
given her."
eyes," said John Moncrieff gravely-
1--WE will find out morrow"
But on the morrow he had other things
| to do, for, during the talkative breakfast,
telegram was brought to him.
| Il know what that MEANS" said Betty
| OSter at once.
Mrs. Moncrieff's smiling face clouded.
"Oh, John, it isn't"
"1 am afraid it is" he answered. II
must get to town by hook or by crook
before midnight. The editor has changed
his plans.'
Three hours later therefore he was
gone, and at noon Betty was kissing and
comforting the weeping stepmother, as
she sank into a chair after the final
adieux.
II can't think why men want to run
off into danger and horrid bloodshed and
gunpowder," she sobbed, "when they
might be safe and happy at home"
"Enterprize, my dear FRIEND" said
Miss Foster wisely. "and the love Of
adventure and ambition too, expect.
Don't let us be sorry over what is pleas
ure and advantage to him. We shall
soon have him safe home again covered
with all sorts of glory. Why not 60
down to the Cottage now before tea and
see if the girl whom he piloted through
the storm yesterday is all right? 1t
would be bit Of humanity"
THE roads are impassable," expostu.
lated the Wears wife.
"Are they, Reg ?" asked Miss Foster Of
the younger son, who entered the room
at that moment.
"They are as dry as a swept hearth as
far as the green the snow-plough has
been ct work all the morning"
IT should be frozen to DEATH"
"Come with me then, Betty" Reg
suggested. Zone gets sick of life when
one can't stretch ones legs"
| Miss Foster acquiesced readily, and,
leaving Mrs. Moncrieff to read the most
sentimental story which she could lay
her hands upon. she and Reginald set off
for the Cottage.
ssI won't keep YOU long" Betty said as