The new enterprise., 1905-01-26

horse.block was within easy stepping
distance Of her old-fashioned covered
bpgey." Miss Lodusky Ellis wound the
lines carefully twice round the whip,
which she never used, shook the dust
from the gray linen lap robe and pre-
nared 10 descend from her conveyance
"WDliam!" she called, when she had
progressed as far as the horse-block'
"Willyum!"
"That's a dreadful awkward name TO
boller." she thought, impatiently.
"And by all accounts boys have to be
hollered at sight. | mistrust I'll
he sorry that while | was a-picking |
didn't pick an orphan named John"
F"Will-yum!" she called again.
A freckled urchin Of twelve, who
was risking life and limb hunting
swallows nests in the great barn, heard
the summons. Leaping from the 'fod-
der window" upon the straw-stack, he
sid to the ground in a twinkling and
appeared at Old 'Li2as head, his keen
little face alive, with curiosity
Miss Lodusky, with the aspect Of
craven image, beckoned him with one
lean brown forefnger
Take these bundles in to Mis-
Cobb" she said, pointing to the pack
ages, big, little and middle.sized, that,
reposed under the buggy seat Don't
drop EN- or spill 'em or stick your
fingers into EN-. Then come back and
unharness Old Liza an turn her into
the south pasture, And don't go
trespesin of anywhere else till Mis-
Cobb's taken your measure"
"Yes'm-no'm," answered william,
brisllly, appearing in his arms a lofty
brown paper pyramid, the base and
apex Of which were, respectively,
dollars worth of sugar and three nut
megs.
But when the bundles were deposited
on the kitchen table he selected one
with unerring instinct and handed it
to the little tailoress who had ar
rived the day before,
That's it," he exclaimed, with eX'
element. "And III be back to be
measured soon as tend to the horse. %
His bare feet few down the path
10 the horse-block When Miss Lodu-
sky entered the kitchen Mrs. Cobb had
united the string which bound the
package, and stood obviously inspect
Ing a piece of heavy woolen goods Of
most peculiar hue,
is that what you got for Williams
trousers" she asked, holding the fab
rlc off at arms length and looking at
II over the tops Of her glasses.
Yes" said Miss LodusEy, COM
placently, untying her bonnet strings
and rolling each carefully before
placing the bonnet in its box. Good
cloth, isn't 1t, Malviny?" e
"'Taint what I'd call a handsome
color" answered Mrs, Cobb, cautiously.
"'Twa'n't color was after" re-
marked Miss LodUsky, with a superior
air. For boys everyday trousers
colors no odds. Wears the thing to
look out for, and got it, too, If I'm
any Judge O. cloth, Now get William
sewed up soon's you can, Malciny. 1t
frets me TO have him going round
looking like y rag-tag an bobtail. II
I'm going to raise boy, want him
clean and whole"
"I'll do my best" aaid Mrs. Cobb,
trying to rub out the anxious wrinkle
between hsr mild blue eyes with a
thimbled second finger, But | mis-
trust William won't be over pleased
with his trousers, II this was brown,
now, or gray, or most anything but"
We'll, amt it brown, Malviny
Cobb--a lightish kind of brown? And
ii William Isn't pleased with good,
whole clothes after what he's been
wearing, he's got less sense than /
give him credit for, to say nothing Of
gratitude" taNg. tsa"eA
Miss LoduslSy sailed into her bed
room, frown upon her forehead, the
bandbox In her hand, Mrs. Cobb
shook her head as she spread the cloth
preparatory to 'laying on" her pattern,
Gingham apron In hand, Miss Lo-
dusky re-entered the kitchen just as
William, breathless, but full of joyful
anticipation, bounced in for his meas
uring. Miss Lodusky was not an adept
at reading facial expressions, but no
one could have mistaken the boys
look when he saw the cloth spread
upon the table. Surprise, disappoint-
ment anger resantmenti
Miss Lodusly knotted her apron
strings as one who girds himself for
the fray, and set her mouth in more
determined lines. A crisis was at
hand, Like Napoleon's bugler, Miss
LoduslSy was one who could not sound