The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-06-29
"Admirable! But we can measure
neither hours nor pounds

Admirable! But we can measure
neither hours nor pounds .
II think we can do both. l will
construct a balance Of some kind.
Then, with a lam slung to one end and
a rife and some cartridges to the other,
| will tell you the weight Of the ham
to an ounce. To ascertain the time I
have already determined to fashion a
sundial. l remember the requisite
divisions with reasonable accuracy,
and little observation will enable us
to correct any mistakes"
"You are really very clever, Mr..
Jenks,' said Iris, with childlike candor.
''Have you spent several years Of your
life in preparing for residence on a
desert island?''
"Something of the sort. have led
queer kind of existence, full of use
less purposes. Fate has driven me in
to a corner where my odds and ends
of knowledge are actually valuable.
Such accidents make men millionaires. -
useless purposes" she repeated. II
can hardly credit that. One uses such
phrase to describe fussy people, alive
with foolish activity. Your worst enc
my would not place you in such a
category"
"My worst enemy made the phrase
effective at any rate, Miss Deane."
"You mean that he ruined your ca
reer?."
"Well-er-yes, l suppose that de-
scribes the position with fair accura-
cy."
''Was he very great scoundrelY
| Gle was and isl 49,.
jerks spoke with quiet bitterness.
The girls words had evoked sudden
flood Of recollection. For the moment
he Gid not notice how he had been
trapped into speaking of himself, nor
did he see the quiet content on Iris
face when she elected the information
that his chief foe was a man. A GER
tain tremu!ous hesitancy in her man.
ner when she next spoke might have
warned him, but his hungry soul
caught only the warm sympathy Of her
words, which fell like rain on parched
| SOIL
"You are tired" she said. won't
you smoke for a little while and talk
to me?'
He produced his pipe and tobacco.
| ''That is first rate pipe" she de-
| clared. my father always said that a
straight stem, with the bowl at right
angle, was the correct shape. You evil
IDENTIFY agree with him."
"Absolutely."
"You will like my father when you
meet him. He is the very best man
alive, am sure"
"You two are great friends, then?'
"Great friends! He is the only friend
possess in the world
"What! Is that quite accurate?'
ooh, quite. Of course, Mr.. jerks, I
can never forget how much I owe to
you. I like you immensely, too, al
| though you are $3.50 gruff to me at
| times. But-but-yOu see, my father
and I have always been together. l
| have neither brother nor sister, not
even cousin. My dear mother died
| from some horrid fever when I was
quite little girl. My father is every
thing to me-" $780,. -..
Dear childv' he murmured, appar-
| emily uttering his thoughts aloud rath-
er than addressing her directly. $50
you find me gruff, eh?"
"a regular bear when you lecture me-
But that is only occasionally. You can
be very nice when you like, when you
! forget your past troubles. And pray,
why do you call me a child?'
"Have I done SOP"
mot moment ago. How old are
you, Mi. jerks? am twenty-twenty
| last December"
"And T. he said, twill be twenty
eight in August"
Good graciousv' she gasped. Il am
very sorry, but really thought you
were forty at least"
II look it, no doubt Let me be equal
ly candid and admit that you, too.
show your age markedly"
She smiled nervously. "What a lot
of trouble you must have had TOTO
to give you those little wrinkles in the
corners Of your mouth and eyes, she
said.
wrinkles! How terrible!'
II don't know. I think they rather
suit you. Besides, it was stupid of me
to imagine you were so old. / suppose
exposure to the sun creates wrinkles
and you must have lived much in the
open air.
early rising and late going to bed
are bad for the complexion" he de-
clared solemnly
Il often wonder how army officers
manage to exist" she said. "They
never seem to get enough sleep, in the
east at any rate.'
$50 you assume I have been in the
army?'
II am quite sure of it,
MAY I ask why?''
'Your manner, your voice, your quiet
air of authority, the very way you
walk, all betray you'
'Then,' he said sadly, IT will not at
tempt to deny the fact. I held COM
mission in the Indian staff corps for