The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-08-17

could have Grid with vcxatiop; beside
the newcomer she dwindlcd into Insight
6carca.
As for Miss MACEDONIAN, she lowered
conIpIaccntly behind the jawelry counter,
dwarEnk everything before her by com
parison, until Il six-incil silver nail-fle
which had made respectable appear
ance at fifty cents, slrunll to habits for
mer imprcssivencss.
It was some time before Wilkinson
noticed the rev arrival 1t was still
early, and the aisles were almost empty,
SO he came over and dropped int o chair
near her. When re leaned over and
asked her her height the girls around
nudged each other and smiled, and when
the following day he announced to Miss
Arthnrs that he had arranged at the
basement confectionery for soda water
for her department, it was considered
delicate attention 10 the new Gi.;
For six weeks things went on smooth
", Little Jennings across the way took
to wearing more and more impossible
ties, and to calling across to Miss Ar
thurs on every occasion to know how
the wooing vas progressing.
Miss MacGowan stood smilingly sta
tuesque, pretty in a large, overgrown
| way, i'll the ncalest of white sbirt-waists
with a suggestion Of lingerie ribbon
showing through, and Miss Arthurs,
dwarfed behind herown counter began
to wear exaggerated French heels and q
very high pompadour. AS for Wilkin-
son, he spent the evenings, which were
growing warm, on the tiny aerial YER
anda Of his flat. smoking innumcrab'e
cigars, and cursing the fate that had
made him not as other men.
And then the annual picnic occurred.
Wilkinson had rot expected to go, but
the thought of i day alone was unbcar-
able.
hen he fi2aiIy reached The car and
slipped into the first vacant seat, which
happened to b. beside Miss MACEDONIAN,
he vas entirely oblivious to the litter
that, beginning with Jennings, Just be
hind. went through the car. Later lie
watched the dancing cnviously-hc had
never danced, ard worked off some Of his
loneliness and discomfort at the swings,
sending the ovcrworked little cash girls
to Incredible heights, and treating them
afterward with ali the overflow of his
big heart, to lemonade and sandwiches.
Then he wandered off, lonely again, to
the little grove Of naples back of the
dlEeiaG pavilion. He was startled, all
At once, to come across Il very diminu-
tive figure started and tried to conceal a
stockingcd, shoclcss foot But Wilkin-
son sat down clumSiy beside it and put
out = large, gentle hand.
"What's the matter, Miss Arthurs ?"
he asked. "Havc YOU hurt your foot ~
Fer answer Mss Arthurs uncovered a
white shce in her lap and turned
flushed face TO HIM.
II CAN'T walk, that's all, she said,
chokily. I'D like to know how any
body can walk in heels like those! Every
h;t of NV ,,ei,rht is ~, NV foes and I'm
in norr,ct torture. wish I'd STAYED at
home"
."Bnt u1,v---" hcoan the o;art
"u,br ;" she snann,d "irst b~ca,,se
I'm 50 2ittle and INSIGNIFICANT that Ihave
to, that's all. don't know why I'm so
short-r0y Dennlc were all tell | hate
short oeonI- :"
81 don't" said Wilkinson. looking
around hin, hglDIass1v. "Ir fart I-vclI
of course. there's no use saving it. but il
the Lord had ONLY made me like ether
men know what do"
"What ;" asked Miss Artnurs herco1or
coming and going.
Wilkinson STONED and nuIle,1 himself
torctter.
I'd tell a sweet little woman know
that there is lust enough o her. I-great
heavens, :" he said. getting m and tower.
ing ever her cxcitedlv. I've been think
ing about Won 50 much that I've cot
that flat full of little bits of rocking
chairs that woul1n't hold me = minnie
Bioocrl Cood Lord =" and with that he