The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-02-16
THE PRICE OF A SMILE.

IL Walk Will you dS IdI dS tu'
school this morning, Annie, as I have
the time TO spare" said Joe.
every well," said Annie; but
her assent was not as cordial as il
might have been. The fact was
something had happened the last
few days, and she didn't know how
Joe would take it; he was apt to be
jealous sometimes on slight provo.
cation, and unreasonable, withal
and he might insist upon her giving
it up, and that would place her in a
very unpleasant predicament; for
she did not want to offend or have a
quarrel with Joe, neither at the same
time did she want to disappoint him
by refusing that little friendly salu-
tation which he seemed to look SO
eagerly for, or avoid him by taking
the longer way to school. 1t was
such little thing to do, and couldn't
do her the slightest harm, and yet it
seemed so much to him-well, she
would have to take the chances of
Joe's being vexed. and of being able
to talk him into common sense. Per-
haps he might not be there this
morning, in which case nothing need
be said and probably Joe would not
have an opportunity to accompany
her again for long time.
"Well, you seem to be doing a
powerful lot of thinking about some
thing" remarked Joe, watching her
preoccupied expression. Don't you
want me to go?"
"Why, of course I do; whatever
put such an idea into your head?"
responded Annie, but she blushed
and looked away.
"Oh, you don't seem to be over
powered with Joy at the prospect, !"
said Joe, bluntly. "Well, if I'm 60
ing with you, you had better run and
get on your bonnet. want to go
around by Clark's road and show you
little house that l have my eye on |;
not because I expect to be able to
get that. but just to give you an idea
of the kind of place would like to
have for home, and see if it takes
your fancy as it has mine. 1t was in
the market short time ago, but it
may have been sold ere now. I'd be
tempted to make a bid for it if the
price was not too high"
"Clark's road there was no help
for it now! Annie had actually been
debating whether or not she had not
better propose to Joe to go by the
longer road, and so avoid any un-
necessary contretemps /; but this sug-
gestion on his part put it out of the
question. There was nothing for it
but to let matters take their course
and trust to its coming out all right.
So she put on her hat and cape and
left the house with her lover on her
way to the little village school, of
which she had recently been put in
charge.
Out in the open air, however, her
spirits seemed to revive, and she chat
ted gayly until Joe remarked:
"Now, just beyond this bend in
the road is the house have in mind.
We will walk past slowly so that you
can get good idea of it. 1t stands
little back from the road, but IS all
the better for that"
Annie looked up, and her heart
gave a little apprehensive thrill.
lust past the turn of the road was
where she would be sure to find him
sitting-at least he had been there
every morning for week. Well, if
he was there she would not disappoint
him of his morning smile aud greet
ing, no matter how Joe might be
pleased to construe it.
"There it is" exclaimed Joe a
moment later. "Hello ! it has ten
ant, though"
The windows are open and I see
smoke coming from the chimney.
Perhaps it is only rented, though. and
may still be in the market. There's
an old fellow sitting by the gate !;
/ suppose he lives there /; or, perhaps,
he is only the caretaker. He is look
ing this way, though, as if he was
expecting somebody"
Once more Annie S cheeks glowed,
but there was no backing out now.
In another moment they were oppo-
site the gate, beside which, on a
broad, fiat stone, a man of about IS
wears of age was sitting. AS Annie
passed him he raised his hat with a
| look of eager expectation there was
no mistaking. She hesitated just a
moment, then, with bright smile
and friendly nod of her head, she
said, "Good morning." although Joe
looked at her in vexed surprise, and,
taking her arm, hurried her on at a
very much quickened pace.
"Who's that old duffer that hasn't
anything better to do but sit at the
gate and firt with women passing
by?" he demanded, with some heat.
"You seem to know him uncommonly
we'll from the way you nodded and
smiled. If he had not been so old
I'd have let him know what I thought
of such impudence."
"Now, Joe, don't be foolish, re-
monstrated Annie, who, once the
Rubicon was passed, felt her courage
rising. "He is simply poor. lonely
old man. with no thought of flirting.
| 1 don't even know his name, but I'm
sure there is no harm in a friendly
nod and smile once day. You don't
know how much good it may dc
him."
"Once a day p echoed Joe, quite
ignoring the other part of the speech.
''It has come to that, has it! and
he cannot have been there more than
a fortnight, for the house was empty
when last passed this way. I'm moi
concerned as to what good it may dc
him; my main thought is what harm
it may do to you. He appears tc
make it special point to be at the
L E. L. IDe