The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-12-27
The Lie
Charitable
BY Harlan Eugene Read
Copyright. by Joseph n. Bowles)

no more than hunting dog chasing .
rabbit In the tall rye. continually |
jumping up and down and never get /
ting anywhere. A dozen times he /
walked resolutely toward the brass I
dour-knob of 1916. and as many times |
he concluded TO samtcr langudly |
past as IT he had no other reason |
for appearing in that noighborhood
than simply to sun himself But
finally he summond up courage enough
to pull the bcll.knob. and an imitation
Cow.boll tinklcd in the back ot the
house
~. Spencer Parker. upon my word
exclaimed the middle.aged woman
who came to the door. And pray
what brings YOU here today
She spoke in sweet, musical tone,
in pleasing harmony with the dill
dent demcanor of her guest, whose
every motion was quiet and respect
able. and whose voice sounded strange
ly like hers, as he replied: just WIS
iting. ma'am. | wished to pay you
my regards. Mrs. Simpson. and to con
gratuate you upon Mr.. Watkins. who
is coming to board with YOU.
Congratulate me-" cried Mrs
Simpson. why. ! am indeed delight
ed to hear that. DO you know,
have never seen him YETI"
"Yes?" The look in Mr. Parker's
eyes was far away as he replied. and
his body bent forward attentively. ~
4 Nr n InEanlt
Watkins. ma am-from boy. | am
glad he is come to such a home as
yours.
Indeed you please me, Mr.. Parker.
returned Mrs. Simpson. u shall be
especially happy TO tell our boarders
what sort of person they may ex'
pect"
Mr.. Parker gave sudden start, but
carefully recovered himself All he
said. that's what I came to tell you
Of"
Indeed"
Yes, Mr.. Watkins is a-a-a gen
tleman.'
Again the courteous speaker leaned
forward as he spoke, struggling awk'
wardly for the next word-"but want
you to know that he is "a gentle
man
"Ah!" returned Mrs. Simpson, with
ready intuition. "Then he is perhaps
eccentric?"
Not exactly" replied Mr.. Parker,
thoughtfully and sweetly, but he
looks, let me say, he looks rougher
than he is."
But he is"
Yes" said Mr.. Parker. He is =
gentleman"
Half an hour later the door closed
softly. and j. Spencer Parker came
down the front steps OF 1916, at first
smiling, and then sadly, walking with
slow, unsteady step. As he passed
by the little corner grocery store, he
paused and smote himself pathetically
on the breast.
Liar" he said, groaning. Liar!
And yeti had to be done. God
forgive me-"
Anyone who had happened TO see
Mr.. Parker's friend. Mr.. Jeremy Wat
kins, on the next day, when he came
with his trunks TO 1916. might have
been excused for cherishing the sus
picion that he was not exactly Beau
Brummel or a Lord Chesterfield. He
cursed the baggage man for letting
his trunk fall roughly to the ground
and quarreled with him over his fee;
and. to further give vent to his feel
hn atr tn hn
the bell knob vicious jerk There
was not a look on his face or ges'
ture of his body that did not reveal
him a coarse, ill-mannered young man,
properly of the stable, rather than
the house. His square, rough face,
with its loose mouth and broad nose,
his burly shoulders and big hands,
and his clothing, lnvioate with re-
spect to any previous contact with the
whisk broom, bespoke a vulgarity of
person that he did not attempt to con.
ceal. II seemed almost impossible
that he should be friend or acquaint'
ance of such person as j, Spencer
Parker
Mrs. Simpson, radiant, sweet and
fresh, appeared at the door, and gazed
at him for a moment. Then, seeing
his trunks, she extended her hand
and said:
Mr.. Watkins, ! suppose
Yes" J. Watkins was on the point
OF asking her who in HI she thought
he was. with two trunks right there
before her eyes but something in her
ladylike manner evidently different
from what he had been accustomed to.
checked him.
Il am so glad TO see YOU" she
went on. so glad TO know that we
are to have you here. We are almost
like a family here, and SO you can
imagine how much was pleased TO
learn that our new lodger was a cul.
tlvated gentleman
Watkins flushed angrily, supposing
that she was making sport OF him.
but one glance at her frank. ingenious
face convinced him OF her sincerity.
Some one must have been here"
he stammered. uncomfortably, telling
you about me-"
Yes" replied Mrs. Simpson. Mr..
Parker was here yesterday. He thinks
highly OF YOU"
Again. the surging suspicion that
Mrs. simpson was mockinE him--snd
. q a...,. M