The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-07-26

| to see the evils or such reckleSsIy indlB
eliminate giving" said Howard.
They had just passed one armed
beggar, who had stepped in front Of
| them with his monotonous whine fol
coins. Howard, after a sharp glance
had said CURLY, stand aside" had
brushed away the extended hand and
taken Beth's arm to guide her past
But with an exclamation Of pity the
! girl had turned back to empty into the
mans hand all the change In her little
gold mesh purse.
MY giving Is not indiscriminate
| That man was maimed-he had only
one ARMAND the other one was trem
bling from palsy or weakness" an
swered Beth, with some heat.
my dear, that mans hand Is trein
bling from drink, and as likely as moi
he has another arm under his 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 carelessly might better be used
for people who really need 1t, 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 her for the afternoon tea Beth
always made by the living room fire,
| When they entered the house the sub.
ject was not continued, though they
both felt dissatisfied. Beth busted her
self at the little table silently. There
was an angry light III her eyes. She
resented Towards interference In such
things, and she told herself that How.
ard 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 up the stairs to his room
Howard settled back into his chair, for
he liked Beths uncle, who was a jolly
old man. But Beth looked unaccounta-
bly, nervous, ratified the tea things and
rang the bell for more hot water. She
Jumped guiltily as an irate voice from
upstairs called, BETH"
eyes, uncle, what IL it?" she called
back, going to the foot of the stairs.
"What have you done with my gray
smoking jacket and those black slip.
pers? / can't find them anywhere. and
I left them right here on the floor.
wish Mary wouldn't have cleaning up
streaks."
Beth darted a queer glance at How.
ard and then ran up the stairs. She
spoke so softly that Howard could moi
hear what she said, but her uncle's
voice was far reaching and the young
man listened shamelessly, for he guess
ed what was the matter. Now he
grinned silently to himself as the one
sided conversation went on.
What the deucew he was fairly
roaring. "That Jacket Is the only one
I've ever had that's any good. And
look like a peeled onion in that purple
thing, and you know It." There was q
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 1t a
point to ask me what can ret along
without. Well, then, give me my old
slippers"
Another silence.
"Do you mean to tell me that you
gave away that pair OF slippers that
I've been breaking In for year and
just got adjusted to my feet7 BY
George! who got thoser'
Silence
"Well. he didn't need them as bad
as | do. He couldn't feed my smoking
jacket to starving baby, and those
slippers will at his sick wife to per
lection. suppose. What else did You
give him2''
Another silence-then a snort.
''ThereI That's enoughi Don't tell
me too much at oncel I'm liable to gel
madl" When he heard Beth's heel
taps on the stairs Howard stroSA.d to
the farthest window and Turned limo
Gently around to speak to Beth rs IL
nothing had happened. Her face was
red and her eyes wet
"Uncle's cross tonight" she said air
lily. "I-he acts as IL he had lost
something" She did not speak again
but began to make fresh tea, and In q
minute or two her uncle appeared in
NAtS Q0NANASs AAG Ad0 14A q RuTRAS GAAn
jacket and purple cap stuck Jauntily
over one ear ON his bald head
Look like the shah's butler, don'i
IT' the elder man said as he carefully
lowered his heavy figure into hla easy
chair and stuck his feet out before
J him. "Your turn viii come. You'll live
to see your best shoes tripping down
the street, and you'll meet your hats
and coats and trousers strolling about
the city until you wont know whether
you're dreaming or whether there are
two of you"
Harvey was a little uneasy He look.
ed at Beth and smiled. and she looked
back eoldly, thinking that she read Il
told you SO" In his face. She disap-
peared when she had given her uncle
his tea and did not come down again
until Howard was gone and dinner
Il