The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-17

| lit SlCk IOpi TIC NdS tlON DOpuldt III nervous cases. Dyspeptic ladies and valetudinarian gentlemen who liked a droopy practitioner to sympathize with them and tell them how similarly he had been afflicted, had been known ab- | solutely to loathe pr. Calmont. But there were few of these in the neighborhood of KirktoWn, and the l Doaktor" was personally of an extra ordinary popularity. Literally lie en- | ioyed it--that is the word He knew 1 himself to be popular and on the strength of 1t he bullied the neighbor- | hood-genially, even jovially he bull | lied it. But still he pulled it. Care | less miners, fighty wives, silly girls, l possibly prodigal young men were 1 threatened with the Doaktor." And l they became good" on the spot His wife seemd hardly the helpmeet
 for him, that Is, to judge by the law 1 of probabilities. Mrs. Calmont was a languid woman, tall and dark, rather l silent of a quite invincible good l humor, careless of things domestic, and 1 her numerous family had apparently fa- tigued her. It, the Healthy Family, had been brought up, dragged up, kicked up. in the midst of the most
 inexpressible hugger- -mugger. The Healthy Family lived in an elas- l tic house. It possessed unnumbered | l two or three of these appeared in the 1 evening with the obvious intention of 1 staying the night. Nor was there ever 1 the least difficulty. Shakedowns ap- peared and disappeared as if by magic. i The peculiarities and capacities of ev- cry sofa in the house were known those which needed chairs in rows to keep you from rolling off them, and
 the others which, with the family pho to nh a p1bum under leg did
 well when merely turned face to the wall.
 Special corners of the dining room and drawing room where the boards were notably soft had also their de-
 voices. Four boys and three girls
 who considered themselves more or less
 grown up, composed the sum total of the Healthy Family of Kirktown. They came into this story over the
 wall of the doctors orchard. An empty cube sugar box did for 0 spring board
 and both girls and boys prided them
 selves on the flying leap with which they were wont to enter the garden
 of Glebe End Cottage. Neither Vida nor the litle music mistress were at all
 surprised to see them. They were
 often thus interrupted only Miss Nunsby who held greatly her talks
 with Vida Bryan very near her heart,
 somewhat resented the frequency of
 the infiction.
 Halo Calmucksr'. said Vida.
 'Hallo yourself and see how you like it!" cried the~Twin Infant Phenomena
 Willie and Wilhelmina Calmont going
 off as quick as a rip rap cracker.
 They were still at school, but the fact
 was considered to be under the rose. It was not polite to allude to it.
 We have come to see youv' said Jean
 and Jessica, the two elder girls, fan ming themselves with rhubard leaves q luxury the whole family had thought fully provided itself with en route. Good" said Aaron and Herbert (commonly called Hur), the two elder boys, both home from college, "have
 some, girls No end useful and orna- mental! Suck one end and fan your self with the other"
 But the third son, Phil Calmont, though he had taken the flying leap
 into the garden with the others, hung
 back a little, scarcely raising his eyes from the rose graftings to look at
 Vida and her friend, the little music mistress.
 The rest roasted like crows any
 where about, the Twins occupying the corner of wall where they made room for Vida beween them. She had given
 up her place on the summer seat to
 Jean and Jessica. who having wedged
 little Miss Nunsby tightly between them,
 now propitiated her by offering her the contents of their skirt pockets" The girls of the Healthy Family all carried
 skirt -pockets"--that is, pockets tied
 round tho waist under the outer skirt, and filled with various treasures. "Grandmother did" they said in ex-
 cuse, and she was q minister's wife
 for forty years, and died without
 shadow on her character. Why shouldn't we?"
 When the Healthy Family girls ran they did not hold up their dresses. Of that there was no need. If a dress im-
 peded the wearer in a race, or heel caught in a flounce, Jessica instantly produced pair of scissors and short ened the offended to convenient pro-
 portions, while Jean "basted" the new hem, the needle following hard in the wake of the clipping blades. It was the work of a minute Then they ran on again, holding their skirt-pockets. These were heavy, and quite naturally so. Jeans contained household necessi ties. "hussives," and balls of twine-
 Jessica's scissors, in wooden nests, and all the apparatus of first aid for the wounded (Jessica was her fathers fla vorite and even lent a hand at minor opera ations). Wilhelmina, or the She Twin, possessed skirt pocket" too, but it contained nothing save a few very Way-worn sweets. hoary chooo- lates, and stones to catapult Jack with. Jack was a fox-terrier who went rab biting, refusing to come to heed when so commanded.
 "Now, Infants" said Vida, laying a hand on a shoulder of each of the Twins, do keep your feet still. If you want to stay where you are don't dam age my ivy plants
 q say" cried Willie, the "He-Twin," "Vic Morris has got girl"
 q wish Master William Calmont," retorted his sister, that you would speak the Kings English. You mean, l presume, that MT. Ludovic Morris has engaged himself to be married"
 q mean nothing of the sort, and you know it." sneered her brother, trying to snatch a somewhat fresher rhubarb- stock out of her hand. "I mean Vic has
 got a girl and is going walks with
 her. I saw him. All our girls here are mad about it"
 With one voice his sisters denounced to the company the absolute uncondi- tional falsehood of Little Willie's state ment
 MT. Morris" observed Wilhelmina, serenely, 'has a sister, who has doubt less come to visit him. She stays with friends over at Garvie, and walks here through the Gormach wood. It's wonder you've not seen her. Vidar'
 "Sister--rubbish" cried the He-Twin, sh rilly, dominating the conversation, II know sisters--I ought to, I've got three. haven't I? Little Willie doesn't look at sisters that way-no, nor put ties fresh and fresh every evening