Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-08

well-curved ear, and the soft hollow of a
pink cheek. Eva's successor had an oval
face. in spite of the glimpse which Uncle
Perrys nephew caught of a square chin.
And little Eva's successor had long strong
lines like young deer hound.
The cicada shrilled loud in the tree above
him, and the crickets murmured at his feet
A red bird lifted gay note across the
brook and butterfly flickered for an in
slant above the head of the unconscious
girl. And still Uncle Perry's nephew stood
motioness. Half-forgotten memories, old
time promises, boyhood dreams and ideals
were throngtng back. A strange delight
thrilled him,
You've found her, You've found her >.
sang the red bird. You never dreamed
you'd find her. but here she ISL
He moved little forward to find what
was so engrossing little Eva's successor.
On the ground beside her was a pile of
tattered books. but to these she gave no
heed. On a broken bit of slate, not much
larger than the palm of her hand she was
drawing figures which she carefully let
tered, then pondered over thoughtfully
while her lips moved then, with a quick
movement of her fingers, erased them, and
after a pause, began again.
Eva" said Uncle Perry's nephew, softly
With single bound the girl was on her
feet. The startled gray eyes widened a
moment, then the whole face relaxed in
smile of recognition.
why, it's Jack Reeves" she said
Where did you come from?'
Uncle Perry's farm wagon said Uncle
Perry's nephew, moving forward with out
stretched hand. I'm having little vaca-
ton before going into fathers Chicago
office. And you-what are you doing down
here alone?"
Little Eva's successor blushed II mostly
am alone, this way" she said. "On fine
days | come down here to study like the
sound of the crick-creek, 1 mean"
STUDY" repeated Uncle Perry's nephew
Why. L thought" He paused awk-
Wardly.
Tbo civil 1oobad ~ bi,,, NTH bar aary
slow smile. Thought" she asked
Thought what? That we-all in Hooper
Vile didn't know a book from pasture bar,
l suppose"
This time it was Uncle Perry's nephew
who blushed. "Oh, no, not that at ALL he
stammered. IL merely wondered what
what are you studying"
Hang it ALL he said to himself, "she
is as calm and collected as college
widow, and I'm as ratified as a freshman.
The gray eyes looked squarely into his
II suppose you're through college, now,
and know a heap about everything"
Uncle Perrys nephew laughed from pure
joy; the gray eyes were so soft and fine
and the red lips so perfectly curved that
he simply could not help it,
"a month ago." he said, II did. But now
why now, don't know anything"
Little Eva's successor looked puzzled
and little disappointed. I've worked on
that isoceles equation a week. she said.
and L can't get it. Are you sure you
can't help me?'
Uncle Perry's nephew gasped 'Isoceles
triangle" he murmured. He stopped and
picked up the bit of slate. Then he looked
slowly and lntently at the girl. Eva" he
said. won't you come over and sit on the
old stone and tell me all about it?'
you sit there" she answered, "and let
me walk about I can talk better that
away
Uncle Perrys nephew leaned back
against the willow tree and watched the
girl in silence
You see" she said, standing before him
like a child saying It's lesson. you see,
was just bound l wouldn't grow up like the
girls around here who can hardly write
their own names. After father and mother
died l had so much time my hands
decided to teach myself. I am poor, you
know, and l didn't have anything to begin
with except the Bible and the almanac,
and that old half-gone volume of Shake
speare that a peddler gave me, once
mother had taught me to read. She was
sick so long, you know, that l never had
a chance to go to school while she lived,
and afterward 1 was so big, was ashamed
to. And-and I was too poor to buy books
anyhow"