The Washington herald., 1907-11-04

despised. Il is small wonder that his
saturnine hUmOr increased and his tongue
grew more and more caustic.
AS he must always have some one to
( practice upon, he made the little 'slavey'
/ the immediate butt Of his sarcasms- For
/ on this account Rose Nunsby secretly
cherished the girl, affOrding her many
/ privileges and never for a moment sus-
/ peCting that Iseebie Callum cared no whit
+ for her fathers sarcasms. considering him
mentally afflicted, but on the whole inno-
cent, and. indeed. callous 10 human
/ speech Of every sort. so long as there re
NAMED 10 her the inalieuable freedom of
cupboard and pantry
Rose Nuusby had been very lonely be
/ fore Vida came 10 Glebe End Cottage.
/ Her father was making sufficient money
I 20 keep the two of them in comfort. So
/ that il was more for something 70 do
than for necessity that Rose had begun
/ 10 give lessons on me piano and violin
/ 10 the children Of the shopkeepers and
I pit superuteudents about the Kirktown
I of Inchgormach.
/ Just as many perfectly harmless in
seCts initiate wasps and stingiug flies,
| the innocent Rose Nunsby had taken on
something OF her fathers manner. But
| within, her nature was mild as milk. and
/ her heart even as a honcycOmb- She had
, taken Vida 10 II at once. and from the
/ frs: hour had loved her as a sister. She
/ had taught her all she knew. watched
/ over her by day, warned her Of dangers.
/ rejoiced IN her springing beauty. and
! now, at last, she had found in her a
/ companion after her own heart.
/ Every afternoon Vida Bryan went 10
/ 3 Dudley Gardens. where a piano was
/ waiting for her, and also. for the space
/ OF one hour. a very emphatic and stern
/ mistress. After that little Miss Nunsby
/ began % spread a table. The Callum''
was summoned. all jam as 10 her mouth
/ and coaly as 20 her fingers. from her
/ secret afternoon lair. Life % the Callum
/ was one protracted surrepttioUs meal
1 She had always been hungry all her
/ life before. SO since she came 10 3
/ Dudley Gardens II is small wonder that
| the CaIum regarded not the most pol
ished arrows OF Mr.. Nunsbys Wit
! After tea, Miss Nunsby walked back
| TO Glebe End Cottage with her friend
| and pupil. and there she stayed till il
was time e. 90 home for her father s
| dinner hour. which was often q late one.
/ on account OF his never being able 10
get away from the Incubus Offices before
Mr.. Kahn
I dwarfish creature, with a strang. twist
1 10 her neck, a high white brow. and her
/ fathers abundant dark brows. from un-
der which looked out inc0ngrUCusly
| enough. a pair Of the myster Gus gentian-
/ blue eyes. which only the fairies and the
/ good hunchbacks have upon the earth
! As usual, the girls talked books and
/ music, but every now and then they be-
/ came more personal. ccndescending light
/ ly on the topics OF the Kirktown-the pits,
/ the possible strike, Mr. Romer. the
| church choirs, the preaching Qualifca-
| tions Of the several ministers. their per
sonal merits or defects-and Mr.. Kahn.
/ These subjects are arrangedAin order of
! interest as conversational topics-reading
| backward.
| Rose" cried Vida, so suddenly and
| after so long a pause that little Miss
! Nunshy discontinued stroking her friend S
head, I hate him."
so do I, dear" said Rose Nunsby,
promptly. Proper names are mostly su-
periuOuS in the intimate converse OF
women. With delicate voice intonations
| they differentiate their pronouns with Sc
we're classic accuracy.
| In this case both understood that James
| Kahn was the object OF their dislike
Yet his name had not been mentioned.
|
Perhaps this popularity originated in a
natural precaution against eavesdropping.
why. then. dO-some other people like
him?" Vida asked of her friend, the music
mistress.
MY father-becauSe he has got 10. -
| snapped little Miss Nunsby, almost as
| sharply as that gentleman himself
yours because he is so simple that he
knows no better"
Yes" said Vida, with slowly deepening
pucller, which ran across her brow when
she was thinking, ''yes-pOOr old daddy,
he is simple"
What a blessing that we are so wise
| and see so much more clearly" said her
| friend, quantity. L am sure Of il when
ever you make that wrinkle between your
| eyes. Do you know whom you look like
them"
''No-who?' said Vida, innocently.
why. old Mr.. Romer,'' said the little
music teacher. laughing aloud at Vida's
discontinue. You're younger and a gir
-prettier. too. some would think-but its
the identical same froWn- 1 WOndei
everybody doesn't notice it?"
But by this time Vida was learning
| self-command and though the red came
slowly to her cheek and brow, il might
only have been mere annoyance at being
likened TO a man OF an ancient angry
crab-apple countenance like Mr.. JacOt
Romer.
Now just over the cottage wall, in
wide inclosure and with ample house
room. dwelt the Healthy Family" 81
every one called them. and they wer,
their fathers best advertisement. he wa:
the parish doctor. or at least the chiefes
and oldest established of these.
|