The Washington herald., 1907-04-06

No answer.
/ Uncle john
"Um-hm" lie did not put down his
paper, but you knew he was listening
DO you s'pose any spring beauties
ihave blossomed yet. Uncle John?"
! Slowly he lifted his eyes and turned his
/ head 10 the window. A ray of warm
tspring sunshine slanted across the bare
/ branches Of the old elm. already the lawn
was tinted here and there with green.
You waited expectantly-your hand on
Guys great black head.
Too early. and Uncle John disap-
lpeared again behind the folds of his pa
/ per. At no time was Uncle Johns con-
Iversation likely 10 be adorned with any
unnecessary words.
/ You sighed and stood looking out of
the window. a wistful. disappointed little
/ girl looking-while the huge Newfound-
( land dog beside you pushed his cold nose
against your hand, and licked your fingers
with his great. rough tongue, booking
while the budding maple boughs beck
oned and the million tiny little voices of
spring called TO YOU, and lovely little
path bordered with sweet flower faces
uufolded itself inyitingly before your
minds eye.
You could stand It no longer. With
HAPPY little cry YOU ran out OF doors and
raced with Guy along the path. Breath
/ less and rosy, YOU halted 10 unlatch the
gate. Out of the corner OF your eye YOU
saw the front door open, but you pre-
tended not to notice, not even when Uncle
Johns warning voice foated 70 you down
the pathway:
! "YOuU get your feet wet,
/ on you went; the spring echoes in your
ears-the spring sunshine in your eyes-to
find your way suddenly blocked by "a
/ figure in front Wonderingly, you took
I your eyes from the glory of a newly
Ileaved maple to see why the figure so OBJ
/ stinatelv stood in one place. A familiar
I face laughed down at you.
"Oh. Cousin Grace" you cried de-
I lightedly
/ Cousin Grace did not stay with Uncle
IJohn and Aunt Martha as you did; she
lived with her father and mother in a
house quite at the other end of the town.
Nor was she little girl like you bat
beautiful young lady with bright. sun
shiny hair and wonderful blue eyes. and
when she smiled-the sleeping beauty
you thought. and Cinderella, and the
beautiful princess in the tower, must ali
/ have looked Ike Cousin Grace.
! Where are you going% she asked; and
you ioyfully explained. II she would
come with you. she, too. might pick
spring beauties" YOU suggested. And,
Ialthough she laughmgly shook her head
1 over the flowers. she, too. must have
heard the spring voices, for she turned
and followed you along a path that wan
dered away from the road through clumps
/ of young naples and silver birches.
This is fine" you cried, racing Guy 10
Ian alder bush, then scampering back
again. A memory of past frolics envel-
oped YOU II only Mr.. Ned were here,
| you unused regretfully.
/ Cousin Grace said nothing, but the
pretty smile faded suddenly from her
/ lips. You regarded her IN establishment
Could it be possible that she did not want
him, too? Why she and you and Mr..
/ Ned had always had the greatest fun.
Silently reproachful, you raised your
eyes 10 her face, and two tears rolled
slowly down your cheeks,
/ Il wish you wouldn't look at me like
that she said almost sharply.
! But IT is your fault-Auut Martha said
/ so. She said she guessed you were sorry
enough now Mr.. Ned has gone to New
York that you flirted sO-so-so lyon drew
/ a long breath)-so outrageously," you fin
ished, with conscious pride.
/ Nonsense said Cousin Grace, and
/ you saw that her eyes We're very bright
and her cheeks seemed uncommonly pink.
/ Nonsense. Aunt Ma @ha should remem-
Der
/ She never finished for with a short
/ bark Guy made for the little stream, his
/ tail waving frantically as he disappeared
behind the rows of alders skirting the
bank; one look. and with a glad cry you
followed him-skpping from stone TO
stone in shOrt-skirted freedom.
/ On a rock in the middle Of the stream,
tall. broad-shouldered. his clothing wet.
/ his heavy boots streaked with mud, stood
Mr. Ned. his pipe in his mouth, peacefully
| fishing.
Hello. little dame, How do. Guy. old
/ boy he called gayly. and then he
dropped his line and landing net abruptly,
and, cap i'm hand. leaped quickly across /
1 the stepping stones and held out his hand
/ to Cousin Grace. He had run up from
/ New York for a couple Of days trout fish
/ ing. he said, and was so glad to see his
old friends, and then they sat on the
rocks and talked of such tiresome things
as game laws and trout fishing and the
/ greenness of the willows. while YOU broke
/ of alder twigs and threw them in the
/ stream for Guy to catch.
! Suddenly Cousin Grace looked straight
/ up into Mr.. Neds eyes.
Il hear you are very happy in New
York"
Yes. said Mr.. Ned.
! "Cherchez la femme?" she questioned.
Il see you have found me out" said
/ Mr. Ned
Then there is somebody"
! Yes"
And YOU really are to be maTried?'
IN the fall, replied Mr. Ned promptly
"Ned'-Cousin Grace put out her hand
wistfully, her lips trembling hope you
viii be happy"
Thank YOU I expect to be, said Mr.
/ Ned. We shall have a cottage in pretty
suburban town-nothing very elaborate,
/ just comfortable, horny little place with
/ porches and little ground. And we shall
not be extravagant in the furnishing
our books and pictures. a couple Of good
/ rugs, and a few pieces of old mahogany
/ he ended, smiling dreamily UP stream
/ ut is ate-ytoasin Grace spoke coidly-I
and If We are TO find spring beauties
we must go on. She rose as she spoke
and gave him her hand.
] So Won went on. alfhnffvb the BRIGHT