Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-03-15

; and looked across at the pine woods.
1t was one OF those country windows
to open which demands strength which
is as the strength of ten and which,
when opened, refuse to be closed again
save with the archaic force of a bat
tering ram.
Even though 1 do live in Harlem
fat" pondered Kitsy Graham, 1--WE
been accustomed to windows that re-
mained up without any visible means
of support. Since I've come to the
Berkshires I've learned better. Seems
to me that one volume of Thackeray
doesn't keep the window up high
enough" She gazed searchingly about
the room. Il reckon one of my high
heeled slippers win about do it." and
she inserted that bit of personal prop
erty with no mean skill, so that the
heel raised the sash two or three inches
! higher
"That isn't much" she concluded, q
trifie warm with the exertion, "but it's
something. And how delicious that
| pine fragrance isr' She bent her pret-
| ty head so that her little nose drew in
long breaths OF the sweet air. Then,
picking up her letter, she went down.
stairs
Mrs. Barnes" came Miss Graham's
| silvery voice from the hall, 'shall 1
leave my letter here ON the table? Or
| is it too late for the butcher?"
"Sakes alive! Yes. He was here
fore you was up" returned Mrs.
Barnes cheerfully from her rocking
chair on the front piazza. But maybe
| there'll be somebody along presently
| on the way to North Adams. You
might stick it in the railing in case
| anybody does come" she added.
Kitty sauntered to the fence and
leaned over the railing. But no one
was in sight
Suppose 1 walk over to North Ad-
ans myself" suggested she. els 1t
far?" She tapped the belated envelope
| against her small white teeth.
Land. yes, childl It's
The gate of the ''other house" creal-
ed as it was pulled open. They could
always hear that gate creak. Mrs.
Barnes stopped rocking and looked up
the road.
Here comes Professor Thornton"
she said placidly. But, of course, we
couldn't ask him.
'H'mw murmured Kitty absently
"Why not:"
The professor was a tall, aristocrat-
ic looking man of middle age As he
approached, followed by a handsome
collie, Kittie went to the gate and held
out her letter with a frank, winning
smile
If you're going to the village would
you mind mailing this for me?" said
she grayely "I should be very much
obliged"
Mrs. Barnes from the rocker on the
piazza looked at the girl with mild
reproach, but met no glance of apology.
Kitty's wide gray eyes were following
Professor Thornton's aristocratic fig
ure down the road and evolving some
questions. She turned abruptly.
''Who is he? Why did you hesitate
about asking him? Don't you think
he'll mail it all right? It's to mother,
and it's very important, and you don't
think he'll drop it, do you?"
And what Mrs. Barnes thereupon
told her was in substance if not in
words something like this:
He was Professor Hamilton Thornton
of New York city, serving as his mis-
tress star eyed science But of Won
an with capital W) and her Ways
(another capital W) he was totally ig-
norant. The iciest of iced water was
warm, so rumor had 1t, to the look he
bestowed upon women.
"And how ever you braced up spunk
enough to ask him to mail that letter."
concluded Mrs. Barnes, rocking way
back, II don't know"
"Ho! Hump' yawned Kitty. 'Well,
the woods for NINE" And with a nod
of farewell she passed out of the gate.
Over the slippery needles she went
till she reached tall tree whose shaft
went straight up, not botherlng itself
a7ith branches for thirty feet. Here
she threw herself down and leaned
back in the embracing roots, plying
the people in towns and heaving q
sigh of satisfaction.
IF only dear mother could be with
me, though" said she mentally, 'but Of
'course it's impossible. Oh this power
ty stricken workaday worldr' She
souldn't help thinking of the pretty lit
tie estate in Virginia which yielded
nothing and of the subsequent hard
ship which she and her frail, delicate
mother were enduring
'Well. the doctor said if I'd stop fret
ting and would try to enjoy every mo-
ment Of my month here in these fra
grant hills I'd be all right for my win
ter work, so I'm only going to think Of
pleasure and-and bracing things"
And while the resinous bark gave forth
its spicy smell, reclining against the
roots Of the pine tree, she lazily watch
ed the small and active insects which
went pottering about the needles and
moss of soft earth.
''Oh, it's delicious and restful-so
restfulr' sighed she, stretching her
arms above her head.
That night, instead of lighting her
bedroom candle, she went to the win
dow through whose uncurtained frame
the moonlight poured in. 1t was still
upheld by the volume of Thackeray and |
by the high heeled slipper. The Octo- |
Der night air was quite chilly; there |
was too much Of IT. Kitty thought, |
while she was getting ready for bed,
shed close it from below and profit !
afterward.
So, staying the sash with her right |
shoulder, she tried to extricate the slip
per and the book, but, alas, the slipper |
eIuded her and tumbled heel first into |
the path below.
Eitty's first thought was to run and
fetch it back, but she was utterly |
sleepy "Oh, pshawr' yawned she. !
"Whats the use? I'll get it in the |
morning. 1t isn't going to rain; the |
sky's cram full of stars"
The next morning, very early, Prince, |
the big collie, came running in to his |
master, waving his tail excitedly, and
dropped something at his feet. Then, |
Hopping his tawny length upon the |
hearth rug, he eyed him expectantly.
Professor Thornton looked at the |
thing which Prince had deposited at
his feet without touching it.
II was a slipper. he saw now, but |
how incredibly tiny it looked on his |
expanse OF door, how helpless and lost.