The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-22

l.
 that I have confesed my sin and am Fl explaining it."
 1 "A letter. now" said his mother.
 would be as sad mistake as the telegram was. You must go"
 All right" he said cheerfully, dump
 ing his dismembered gun and the galaxy of greasy rags into his closet.
 here goes"
 He put a few things in his suit case, Kissed his mother, and was gone in
 less than ten minutes from the time
 she had climbed the stairs
 | At the station he hesitated whether ne should telegraph cousin Martha that ne was coming or whether he should not. He decided that communications
 by wire or mail were not safe. He
 had never given much attention to sb- cial conventions himself; his mother had vacariously done his politeness, and he was not just sure that cousin Martha's code permitted people to tele- graph that they were coming. To tele- graph might imply that he feared that cousin Martha was not prepared to l receive guests unexpectedly, and that might be an insult, and then. too, he could not formulate telegram. To wire: Am coming to beg pardon. Please have forgiveness ready" would hardly please cousin Martha. Neither Would-"Am coming to beg pardon. VIII leave on next train" That would imply that cousin Martha's pardon l was too cock-sure of receiving at--as if he expected her to meet him at the gate and hand 1t to him. To telegraph Am coming to beg pardon. win re- main one week" would be quite as bad. for it would look as if he thought cousin Martha was stifY-necked and unforgfving, and that he counted on having long, tough fight of 1t. To wire simply--"Am coming" would saver or egotism. as if he supposed coming sleepfessly. The only alterna- tive he could think of was to wire Am not coming" but however tact- 1 tul that might be--and tact seems to l consist in white Hes. more or less-he decided 1t would not do at all. for if would suggest that he was coming ana that he cast the gauntelet of deHance In cousin Martha's face, and would only serve to harden her. and 1t is a poor kind of tact that does that. So he did not telegraph.
 He had not visited cousin Martha since he was boy in knickers He could hardly remember cousin Bessie at all, but when he sat In cousin trippingly into the room he was sure 1 she had improved greatly since he saw her iast She must have improved for now she seemed entirely unsurpassable He arose and bowed and smiled. T am your cousin, Thomas Grant |" | Bessie Marlowe7"
 l Yes" she said kindly; am glad to see you. cousin Thomas"
 | Thank you" he replied, T was l afraid you might not be That is why have come. I don't mean came be- cause I thought you would not want to see me-" he hastened to explain, but mean came to apologize for sending you that telegram. I am afraid it was very rude. All the best author ities say SO. But when I found you had not received any acknowledgement of the pretty present you had sent me I was so upset"
 'Yes7' she half asked half agreed
 But do you really think it deserved the importance of a telegram Tt did" he declared, boldly. IT liked It better than any other present received" He said 1t brazenly. There was no sense in being meek about 1t. She was sure to give some hint of what the present had been. soon, and then he would be on safe ground.
 T considered it especially appro- priate," he added. That was safe to- say at any rate. You can say that about any gift. You can say that of 1t. Bessie drew deep breath of relief. He had begun talking about the pres ent so freely that he would evidently SOOH give some cluc 10 IL. Tnen Sh6 would feel much more comfortable. T was not sure you would care for it. she said. deubtfully Men are so hard to find suitaoe presents for. | expected you would throw 1t away when you saw what 1t was" Now. she thought. he must give a leading answer as 'I read it," or T ate it." or T am wearing it." of some thing of that kind. But he shook his I head.
 Throw that awaym he exclaimed. throw, away that when you had so deed; I -" he was going to say kept it." but the suspicion that it might have been something demanding in stant consumption came to him. T and then, with fresh courage, he added T did just what you intended I should do with It."
 Did you?" she asked. sweetly, and then. What did you do with it?'' Well, first" he said, hesitatingly, q -I showed it to mother Yes, that was what I did first--I showed 1t to mother You sec" he added. knew mother would like to see it. She takes a great interest in you--and in my presents and-and In everything. She-she Is that way you know"
 Cousin Bessie smiled sweetly, and cousin Thomas felt uncomfortable. He had intended boldly enforcing a con fession or what the gift had been and now he found himself in a corner with questions.
 Did she like the present?" asked Bessie, sweetly.
 "oh. very much indeed! Very much indeedt" he cried. earger1y. It was such a relief to be able to say something that was not apt to expose his ignor- ance She was enthusiastic about it."
 Something in cousin Bessie's face warned him that perhaps the gift had been something that his mother would not become so wildly enthusiastic
 'That is." he corrected, "she was pleased with 1t. She took a great in-
 What did she tell you to do with it?" asked cousin Bessie, innocently
 Cousin Thomas breathed deeply and nervously smoothed his chi:I Inspira- tion came quickly.
 me to do with it?" he asked. triumph antly What did you intend I should do with it?" It Is thus great generals turn the tide of fortune in their favor.
 "Ohr exclaimed Bessie. rising, "I forgot to tell mother that you are here" And she left him alone in the room By such narrow margins do surrounded forces sometimes escape
 As soon las she was gone Thomas saw where he had made his great error. He had allowed her to talk about the wrong present. He should have turned the conversation upon the present he had sent her Of course he did not remember what he had sent her. but she would. and she would be pretty 1flraH ..a..