Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-06-29

.n~n,
Hello" he observed. 81 ain't seen you
afore."
Il came yesterday" said Ellen How
do YOU do?" She held out her hand. 1t
was pale brown, too, and strong, and on
one finger OF it was n ring set with Il tur-
quoise Wary grasped at the hand. re
took the measure of the lady with ms
bright eyes "You seem to be all brown
an blue" he observed
Ellen smiled, but she said, why were
you ringing the beil?'
.Jes. for fun" Wary said and smiled in
return.
"ys .sa't nice OF you. It gives some o"e
the trouble OF coming 10 the door all fol-
nothing"
Wasn't you already at the door?'
Wary qucried.
''Ie-es, bat if hadn't BEEN"
but you was. YOU see An fac's is
facs Women never thinks o that, said
Wary. who was forward
Ellen looked into the shrcWd. mischie-
vous face. with its unfalteriug eyes. "1 on
understand what | mean she said grave
y. "And"-Wary had this effect upon
her-"wonen think Of more thar YOU I'M
agine" With this remark this very, very
young settlement worker swept down the
steps and went to make her calls. Wary
stared after her.
"Wel I'll be jggered" he calculated
she amt jes' liz the rest. She talked
lillc-I was man.'
As she turntl MO the street on which
TIE settlement V".5 situated after the last
call. he was forc!5ly brought again to hel
mind and before her Mortified eyes. The
portion of the street in the vicinity of the
settlement was in state of wild excite
n7ent The scttlo-1ent steps We're crowd
ca with little children, chiefly girls, and
the curbstones We're lined with older ch!l-
G.en, chiefly boys In the middle OF TIE
street stood. or, more accurately, danced
ard cavortel Wary before two bedraS-
god cats, whose tails were tied together
..ith an Old red necl.tie. Ellen. for an
OUTRAGED moment, stood rooted to the
spot Then. with her lips IN a line that
would have done credit to the Douglas to
whose race ard clan she loved to think
she. Ellen Douglas, belonged, sne ap-
preached Wary. With one hand she seiz-
ed him. Unite that string'' she said
"'Ta!n't no string
Unite that-strinC." said Ellen Doug
las. And Wary united the red nec!lue,
wh.cn technically was a string.
One Of the cats rushed fur!0usly away,
but the ether, a yellow kitten with green
eyes covered up to E',on. She took 1t In
one arm With the other hand lo he'd
Wary. GONE with me" sAe said. she
expected Wary to resist but he did not.
H. even opened Il cheerful conversation.
"vouu cit Yourself all smutched up
with that cat" he said sweetly, as they
entered TIE hall of the settlement.
Ellen deicned no reply. She led the
vav up TO her room. Ellen had bat one
chair She did not offer her couch. She
sent Wary down 20 the kindergarten room
Tor a kindergarten chair. Wary seated
himself in tho kindergarten chair, and
i.llon sat opposite with the kitten.
"Wary." Ellen began 1T surely cannot
be necessary to tell you that il is posi-
lively wicked to be cruel to animals She
strolled the yellow kitten. and she met
Wary's Dyes squarely. "How could YOU
do 1t, Wary"
1T was fun." Wary said. my. how
they yowled!'
but Wary it was cruel. It couldn't
be fun
"You ever tied two cats tails together?
Wary inquired
Tllen's voice was inhexibly stern. mo,
never did" she said
Then how do you know 1t amt fun?'
At a similar point the family usually
dismissed Wary, but Ellen did not.
Wary" she said reproachfully.
Wary was unprepared by experience for
this. He wriggled. but he replied, "Wo-
mems got such upside down ways o ar
gum"
II am not intending to argue with you,
Wary" Ellen said II only ask how you
could be so cruel to those cats, and so
thoughtless to people too? ] hear that
YOU are Why are you, Wary?" She lift
ed her eyes and looked gently and stead
ily at the boy "Why are you?'
Wary was but twelve, in spite OF the
fact that he was forward. He was having
new experience. ana he found himself
unprepared fer Ia handling. He had fre-
Uuentlv been rnbulIeA; he had Frequently
haen asked. Wary. how could you?' but
this Cuestioner vas the first to ask ana
then to expect and to desire a reply The
vulnerable spot of the child Of the stro"t5
Is acutely responsive II one can bat touch
It. This girl was UHcCnsciouGly trying to
understand Wary. and Wary happened to
| need to be understood more than he need
ed TO be made different He had had Sc
many monitors-and SO few friends.
why do you Wary" Ellen persisted.
Wary regarded her frankly. We'll. no.
body cares wot do-'less 1t bothers en-
SO tes' do wot I thinks on an have
fan"
"3ut, War;, that doesn't excuse you
You ought to do right because 1T is
right" said Ellen. a trihe uncertainty.
Don't people care wot you doF
Yes" said Ellen. "Oh. yes. There are
people who do SO ruch-people who are
fond OF me-. .,-
Don't you care whether they cares!
| How d you feel II nobody cared. less II
| bothered 'em?' ......
II care. Wary" Ellen said earnestly.
| II haven't known you long. but do care.
! Do you think knowing 1t will make any
| difference TO you?"
II dunno" Wary said. staring at her.
| TN kinder have to git used to thnkin'
| IT,"
Ellen looked at him In silence. Then
she smiled She suddenly recollected her
| announced resolution to try chivalry with
Wary She impulsively unfastened the
blue scarf that she wore and held 1t out
to the boy I'm old. old days" she said
when men fought they We're called
knights, and they didn't tease animals
and little girls. and they didn't fight for
fun"
"Wot did they fight for?"
Ellen smiled dreamily. "They fought
for ladys smiles.
"Kinder silly OF EN-" said Wary scorn-