Evening journal., 1907-09-28
OVER THE OPEN FIRE

"Ahl" said Mr.. Luckey, advancing
into the room. "A wood hreP"
"Yes." smiled Miss Dotty. looking
up. isn't it nicel"
"Finel" exclaimed Mr.. Luckey, sit
ting on the edge of a chair Fine"
1T alwavs looks so-so"-began
Miss Dotty.
80 cheerfull" cried Mr.. Luckey.
mo. 1 didn't mean that; but So
so'-
$50 warml" cried Mr.. Luckey.
mo: not warm exactly, but So
so'--
$50 homelilSe?" he asked.
"Yes," she softly answered, making
eyes at him. and she sank on a has
sock by the side Of the fire as though,
in any contemplation of this scene as
a homelike spectacle. she was going
to be in the picture.
Have you an open fireplace in your
room?" she asked. striving to present
to his mind the antithesis of his pres
ent state of momentary happiness.
mo" he mourned; mo such luck"
Poor boyl" she whispered TO the
FIRE Poor boyl"
mo such lucki" he repeated mourn
fully.
Draw up your chair a little nearer" 4"
she kindly said to him. There, now,
isn't that comfortable?"
"Finel" said Mr.. Luckey. "Finel Did
you ever see anything like the way 1t
rained to-day?"
She frowned slightly and was ap-
parentlv about to change the subject.
but thought better of it at the last
moment.
Il hope it won't rain tonight" she
said
$50 do l." said he.
Il always feel so sorry when you
have to leave in the rain"
$50 D. J." said he.
She made eyes at him again. sighed
at the silence more in sorrow than in
anger and all at once looked brisk and
eGraciousi" she cried. II nearly
forgot"
Forgot what?" he asked.
"Tve got a corn-popper and a lot Of
corn. Shall we make some pop
corng"
"Yesl" he cried. THAT would be lots
Of fun"
She ran out into the kitchen and
took the corn pepper from a hook
where's the corn. Sarah?" size ask
ed the cook.
"I tell you that corn won't pop!'
exclaimed the cook. II tor you once
and tell you again; that corn ain'l
the kind to pop"
/ She took the corn nevertheless and
] went back into the parlor.
Now" she said. You put the
corn in the pepper like this, and then
you hold it over the fire. II you'll
move over little in that chair
He moved over silently and she sat
/ down beside him. 1t was one of those
large. comfortable Turkish rockers
with high arms and back, just right
for two. and as she leaned over to poI
the corn the cosey light Of the fir'
played on her-face and showed just
where her dimples were.
She shook the pepper with a vigor'
Gus arm: he moved over to give hel
more elbow room.
ut doesn't pop" she pouted.
IneN watched the corn NdiSAuii9
both leaning forward, with their heads
very close together.
you hold it," she said; bus as h
took the handle she cried "Waitl" ar'
seized the pepper again. unconsciousl,
placing her hand over his. Il though
l saw one pop then" she cried.
mo" he said taking il, Il don't Sc
any"
She took the pepper from him ant
holding it over the fire she fell &
shaking It again. crying:
Pop, Popi Hang you, popl Don
you see I'm waiting for you to pop
Popl popl pop. tell you! neve
saw anything so slow in all my life
What's the matter with you anyway
Don't you know how TO pop? Goo
grief Popl pop Isn't there any POI
in you? Popl pop! pop, / tell you
Pop"
And as she shook the handle, oh
ever so vigorously, a hand was bash
fully placed over hers. an arm wa
.faN -