The Washington herald., 1907-05-12


They had just passed a One-armed beg
gar who had stepped in front OF them
with his monotonous whine for coins
Howard. after sharp glance. had said
curtly stand aside" had brushed away
| the extended hand and taken Beth's arm
to guide her past But with an excla-
nation Of pity the girl had turned back
to empty into the mans hand all the
/ change IN her little goid-mesh purge.
MY giving Is not indiscriminate. That
man was maimed-he had only one arm
and the other one was trembling from
palsy or weakness" answered Beth with
! some heat.
4 My dear, that mans hand is trembling
| from dTink-and as likely as not he has
another arm under lis coat You don't
/ realize what frauds these professional
/ beggars are. Can't you see. Beth. that
it's the principle of the thing that is
wrong The money you give so carelesSIy
might better be used for people who really
need it-and you seldom find that kind
begging on the streets"
They had reached Beth's home by this
time, and, as usual. Howard went in
with hsr for the afternoon tea Beth
always made BY the livlng-roOm fire.
/ When they entered the house the sub
/ ject was not continued. though they both
felt dissatisfied. Beth busted herself at
the little table, silently. There was an
angry light IN her eyes-she resented
HOward's interference in such things, and
she told herself that Howard was not
quite what she had thought him.
Howard was about to go when the
front door opened and shut. and Beth's
uncle JOHN. with whom she had lived
since the death Of her parents. came
in and went upstairs TO his room. How
ard settled back into his chair. for he
liked Beth's uncle. who was a Jolly old
man. But Beth looked unaccountably
nervous. ratified the tea things and rang
the bell for more hot water. She jumped
guiltlIy as an irate voice from upstairs
called Beth"
Yes. uncle. what is it?" she called
back, going 10 the foot of the stairs
What have you done with my gray
smoking Jacket and those black slippers ?
I can't find them anywhere. and / left
them right here on the floor. I wish
Mary wouldn't have cleaning up streaks."
Beth carted queer glance at Howard
and then ran up the stairs. She spoke so
softly that Howard could not hear what
she said, but her uncle's voice was far
reaching. and the young man listened
shamelessly. for he guessed what was the
matter. Now he grinned silently 10 him
self. as the one-sided conversation went
on
What the deucer he was fairly roar
ing. That Jacket is the only one I've ever
had that's any good. And I look ike
peeled onion in that purple thing, and
you know II" There was silence. Then
the voice. in somewhat softer tones, went
on.
well, II you can't rest unless you're
giving things away. and my things are
attractive TO you, you just make it
point 10 ask ne what I can get along
without Weil then, give me my old
slippers
Another silence.
DO you mean 10 tell me that you gave
away that pair OF slippers that I've been
breaking In for a year, and just got adj
justed to my feet? By George! Who got
those?"
Silence.
well. he didn't need them as bad as I
do He couldn't feed my smoking jacket
to a starving baby-and those slippers
viii fit his sick wife to perfection, I sup
pose. What else did you give him?'
Another slence-then q snort
There, That's enough Don't tell me
OF nr.F.
When he heard Beth's heel-taDs on the
stairs, Howard strclled 10 the farthest
window and turned innocently around 10
speak 10 Beth as If nothing had happened
Her face was red and her eyes wet
''Uucle's cross tonight, she said airilv
'I-he acts as II he had lost something"
She did not speak again, but began TO
make fresh tea. and in a minute or two
hey uncle aDeared in the doorway. He
had on purple six jacket and purple
cap stuck jauntily over one ear on his
bald head.
Look like the shah's butler. don't To-
the elder man said as he carefully low
cred his heavy figure into bis easy chair
and stuck his feet out before him. Your
turn will come You'H live to see your
best shoes tripping down the street and
you'll meet your hats and coats and
won't know whether you're dreaming or
whether there are two of you"
Harvey was a little uneasy. He looked
at Beth and smiled and she looked back
coldly, thinking that she read Il told you
sO'' in his face. She disappeared when she
had given her uncle his tea and did not
come down again until Howard was gone
and dinner was ready.
The next morning Beth spent in over
hauling all her clothes piling into a great
heap on the floor everything that she did
not like OF was little soiled And on the
top she put the spring suit that Howard
liked so much. 1t was a little dirty
around the edge of the skirt, though that
was not why she added 1t TO the pile.
That's mine at any rate" she said TO
herself as she gathered the garments into
her arms and carried them TO the base
ment. where she bestowed them all upon
the new laundress. That woman left in a
hurry before her days work was done, /
fearing that Beth would change her mind.
Two DAYS later Howard started up to
Beth's in his car to take her out for a
long drive, as arranged with her oyer
the phone What was his amazement, |
therefore, as be drove slowly through |
the downtown streets TO see Beth in her
gray walking suit and toque just disap-
pcaring around a corner. He called to
her. but she did not hear. and the young |
fellow stopped the machine. With set
chin and ughtened lips and hurt eyes |
he drove slowly on up the hill and past !
the house, where Beth, in a blue dress, |
waited in the hall.
When she saw Howard whiz by, never |
once glancing at the house, she was first !
indignant and then angry. And after an |
hour Of deliberation, during which her
wrath increased. she rang for a messenger |
and put into his hands note and a little
sealed packet which contained her ring.
She came down to dlnnar ralo o.,a - |