The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-02
Chapter r.-continued.

Z. SoW YSGE 4sA.SOuIh0uSu
Fond OF play, Mr.. Crunden; very
fond Of q game Of play said Miss
Blackburn. "But va must not COM
plain ~
Stick 70 IL Lizzie.'s said papa i'm
pressively. stick to IT. my dear"
Lizzie at this period was already deep
in the mysteries OF the French Ian
guage-an acquisition held in rever-
morsels OF French after supper Mrs.
Price lifted her hands admiringly; and
mamma nodded and smiled, and con-
tlnued to do so until the conversa-
ton flowed on again in English.
Mamma seemed little shy of French
never wished to express a critical
opinion. But Mr.. Crunden, one night,
possessing himself OF the lesson book,
silently and resolutely tackled the mat
ter and did not rest before he had
committed some French to memory.
Henceforth, when he passed through
the room where sat pupil and teacher.
he would accost them facetiously:
"wen, Lizzie. my dear! oo-ay lar
ou,zzineer? Oo-ay Ter Shah? oo-ay
mong shah-nore?"
His accent was lamentable. but he
was understood both by Miss black
burn and by Lizzie to be asking for
news OF the cook and the cat.
stick to It," and he would laugh
heartily. "stiek to It, my little fairy:
Among us we mean to make a lazy OF
you-same as all the young misses IN
Hill Rise
ue laughed thus with Lizzie about
French. but it seemed that he had no
laughter nowadays for other people and
other things. Why was papa turning
moody and gloomy, and yet more stern
II troubled her to think that father
was troubled. 1t irked her, who was
SO happy, to feel by instinct unhappy
thought In those she loved.
One day there came to her sudcen
most dreadful fear: that papa must be
about to become what they called
bankrupt. This. as already she had
uathered was an eniEmattcal but
calamitous state into which builders
were apt TO fall. The bankrupt con-
d.tion was, 1t appeared. to the best OF
builders what measles are to the pest
OF children--a thing not to BIO avoided
by personal effort: thing for which
you could not properly be blamed. NO
such annoyance, however. threatened
Mr.. Crunden Mamma and Mrs. Price
at once treasured her. Papa had never
been more prosperous than at present.
Middle-aged. beaming. Woodworking
Mrs. Price was cousin OF the house.
as we'll as It's "quizzineer." and no
secrets were hid from her. She was a
valiant modest creature. who was
servant always until you reminded
her that she was member OF the
family. She never presumed: she went
on cooking for you. waiting on you.
asking no questions. but II in mo-
ment you craved confidential chat
with a relative-well there she was,
n - nj the cfn 81
passage and enter the room as sym
pathetic cousin. No arrangement could
be more convenient or comfortable.
Certainly not" said Mrs. Price. re-
assuring Lizzie. your father is as
safe as the Bank OF England"
What worried papa was merely Dick,
and public affairs. He was anSiously
planning the career of his natural sue
cessor. r. Crunden. Jr.: and he was
much occupied and harassed by his
duty to watch over the future welfare
Of the town of Mcdford.
your father said loyal Mrs, Price,
lis the wisest. long-headedest man on
the Council. and they don't listen to
what he says as they ought
He was Councillor Crunden-lf you
gave him his full title. FANCY
With a solid stake In NIedford. he
had wished for seat on the Town
Council. had thought he could be
useful at the municipal board, and
had offered himself as an independent
candidate to the burgesses Of the lower
Hill Ward. Now he had obtained his
wish: a Councillors chair was his to
sit in. and he found himself quite use
less.
No one would listen to him; he was
constantly in opposition. Sometimes
--as on this question OF the new Town
Iiall-he was quite alone; compact
minority composed OF crunden.
The town felt that the time had
come when 1t really must build itself
n grand municipal palace. Since Nrr.
Crunden was builder. one might sup
pose that his only anxiety would be
to secure this building job and build
the Town Hall himself. But not bit
OF It. He decried the scheme, strenu-
ously maintained that no building was
necessary; these dingy old tumble
down rooms at the corner of Market
Street were admirably fitted and alto
OF the town fathers; 1t was folly, vain-
glory. unworthy nonsense to burden
the rates with large and avoidable out
Hay. Such narrow views were highly
defensive, to the dignity OF his col
leagues. and, oddly enough, proved I'M
popular with the rate-payers.
~ call that" said a rude and irate
councillor in council assembled II call
that talking like hedgehog. Any hole
may be good enough for some people
but it isn't good enough for U.S."
This rude speech summed up public
opinion. and was widely applauded
Mr.. Crunden,s walking home from the
yard, soon had occasion to chase, or
pretend to chase, a vulgar urchin who
had Knocked him and called hin
."nEdge-'og crunden." II he offered
himself. to the lower Hill-ward for re-
election he would no doupt y eheav1iy
defeated. Indeed, 1t was possible ina Ia
hurgesses might request him TO reslg ~.
because he no longer represented theil
opinion correctly ~.
Mr.. crunden, walking 81. w through garba an
had bitter thoughts just now. ~ =
manner hardened; but he was, as n
had always been sxtsaor tnmaray t IT,
\ pentrv 81 the place. This deferenc'
. Was charaeteristlc; he was g plan