The Washington herald., 1907-12-23

crowd. But don't say a word TO a soul
Boys shouldn't know anything. You un-
derstand, Of course. but they wouldn't.
What do ALI and Tim know-about things
like this-secrets?
The small girl regarded the shilling IN
the palm OF her hand with some dls-
favor.
If it's meant for the whole lot" she
suggested. 1.-The big boxes cost half a
CROWN
Vic snorted with laughter and found
her half a crown, which he spun for her
to catch. Violet caught it aGroitly. One
has not three elder brothers for nothing
Now give me back the shillingw he
said
"Il put It in my missionary boxi" said
Violet; father says that II we mean to
do good 10 those in far countries, It is
the same thing as doing it, Cos we can't
always tell how il will turn out SO
shall mean well AWFUL hard"
Evidently Violet's missionary box was
paved with good intentions.
Mind. he said, giving up the shilling
10 its fate, mot a word - a SOUL"
''Not till you are married 20 Janet-and
am to be best bridesmaid. You've got
20 give me gold brooch and 4 bangle,
though"
"Yes-yes-" said the reckless Vic.
only be off now"
"Oh, / know" said Violet. tartly. so
as you and Janet can begin kissing againi
HUH don't think much Of lIissin'-tried
1t once with Willie Calmont-but rasp-
berry toffee's ten times better any day"
Thus with the willing assistance Of Sis
ter Violet did Vic Morris and Janet OF
the Valley Manse become engaged.
So much Of the story as is presently
available can be read in a letter written
some three months after 20 Vic by his
wife. Their friends had with one voice.
pleaded with them-suEgeste TO them,
even reprOached them for their undue and
indecorous haste in getting married. Miss
ThOmasina Marylees, who had only been
engaged eighteen years TO bank clerk,
was specially severe in her comments.
But the Rev Benjamin Irongray talked
with Vic. urging him on no account 10
go out to Spain for his business affairs
without making sure OF the girl who
loved him. Mr.. Irongray spoke also TO
Mr.. Fowler, his brother minister.
Vic was now the manager of the In
cubus Coal and Iron Company. hereafter
to be known as The Kirktown Com
panies, Ltd" He would not be absent
very long. he thought. ti1ts time, but he
would be rushing about all the time, and
Spain OF the mine and wayside inn was
no place for a woman. The Caravan
serai' was being rebuilt for them. and
meantime Mrs. Vic Morris was staying on
with her father at the Valley Manse. This
was her letter-which shows in form and
substance the SOLDERING influence Of holy
matrimOny.
Free Valley Manse. Kirktown. Scot
land tNO date).-My dear Husband: How
funny that looks, I have 70 pinch myself
and turn the ring twice round on my
finger to be sure-alsO l have to look at
your picture on the wall. When you are
here. ! call it Lhe Great Stone Image, but
when you are away get quite 70 love IL!
Father is now getting quite accus-
toned 70 finding his wearing apparel
mostly by the simple process Of tossing
the contents OF his chest OF drawers IN
the floor and stirring them with the fer
rula OF an umbrella
But Violet is really making remarl<a.
bic progress in housekeeping. She can pu,
fathers worst mess back into place again
in ten minutes. Il always took me TWEEN.
y. She will be a good little Bridget
when she stops nursing her dolly. But.
after all, we shall only be over the way
though I would rather be in a smaller
house than the CaravanseraL Stul. II is
good TO be out of the gossip Of Kirk
town.
Il went and called on the Phil Car
months yesterday. You never saw any
thing so funny in your life. The man
ayers house where they live is low. and
has verandas all around. Phil has made
wind screens and they live mostly out Of
doors-receive out Of doors-for all I !
know. sleep out of doors. Vida is prettier /
than twenty pictures. I think you must
have been blind, dear old bat. ever to /
have thought OF me when such a glorious /
creature walked the face Of the earth. /
SO there. Mr.. Vic Managing Director to !
lgnoramus & Co. Unlimited,
But the fun. Well. it was funny enough /
to make you cTy-me at least. Hammocks. /
tables. dishes, fOod-all playing skip-jack /
whenever gust overturned one OF PhiTs /
patent screens! Phil ran and Vida ran. l
the two maids ran, and I ran. in order /
TO catch everything before It went whirl- |
ing over the cliff. And they have a code |
of signals on a poIe-fags and pocket 1
fit TO make a hedgehog /
laugh. In fact, l think we are the only /
sensible people in the world I know
you think so! You could sit right down /
and prove II, too. dear wiseacre Of my
heart, But I shouldn't love you II YOU I
were the least bit different. For right |
well do ] know that though you can run /
a thousand men, and make them glad to I
fetch and carry, you can't run your 1
small petticoated Janet And that is why 4
you love her,
And yet-and yet, your Janet would /
fetch and carry for you to the worlds I
end and back again. And that is why /
she loves you.
"Oh. yes; and Phil Calmont has made |
a little pully-houly railway which you /
load with stones at the top Of the Heugh. /
and the weight of them pulls the person /
up from below Mr. Romer lives with 1
them up in the managers house Vida 1
is so kind TO him But 1 think he prefers /
MIN better or some /
thing. He fuses almost like his old self |
II Phil is five minutes late for a meal. /
think 1t is so sweet of them. don't you
now when Mr. ROmer IS 50 poor? But /
then, Of course, they would, Dick and l
Billy stand shift at the lighthouse. and
would not let any one else touch the /
handle Of a door-that is, II they could /
help 1t. The Northern Lights people /
whoever they may be- sent them an as
sistant But he only remained week.
saying that for all the wages in Trim
ty House, he would not stay there to be
ordered about by a couple Of disagreeable.
pernikkety old menr
From his point of view, 1 should not
wonder if there was something in what
he said. You viii be glad TO know that
they have got Gregson TO look after the
house for them on terms OF mutual equal
ity. He is tired of service he says. and
always liked lookin' through them tele-
he seems TO consider the
whole duty OF lighthousemen. But Vida
says that he keeps everything shipshape.
Young Gregson, the buttons boy Who'll
was with James Kahn, carries oil and
coal. and is trusted with odd jobs down
at the lighthouse. Billy says they NAV