The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-27

This in response to the look which had come to Betty's face. .
 '.Nothin' sir" said Betty, as she fled down the stairs. the basket pumping against the baiusters. and the roses nodding over her shoulder to the pug . zIed man behind ner.7 In the third. fioor-front a minute later sne faced dismay, consteruution, and q pair of cheeks that yied with the roses them selves.
 But. Betty, can't take--these." cried Miss Priscilla.
 No, ma'am," said Betty.
 You must carry them back"
 Yes, ma'am." Betty did not stir.
 There was a long pause. Miss Pris- Eciila,s eyes were on the roses. She touched the great velvety petals first with her fingers, then with her hot cheeks. Twice she held them out 1 and twice she drew them back for one more sniff of sweetness.
 Betty gave gentle snin.
 Hell feel bad, ma am," she began tentatively. sIe said as how you'd made him tea when he was sick.
 But I'm not sick"
 He said as how he thought you was. You hadn't played lately"
 Miss Priscilla gasped and sat down. She still held the roses.
 Betty backed toward the door.
 He'd be nurt. sure, if you return cd 'em." she said warily. You see there was the tea"
 T know: but--well. of course, he's old and" Miss Priscilla stopped and buried her face in the roses.
 Betty turned her back suddenly.
 T guess you better. keep 'em,' she said in cheery voice. as she passed swiftly into the hall and closed the door.
 ] ,,rr .u, x,--. ,x. w,,,, half feaffully, half delightedly. I've got to-nowi" And she hugged the roses and took furtiye peep at the grapes.
 From the wall seven pairs of eyes looked down reproachfully; Hunters
 did not accept, flowers and fruit from
 unknown men. tg,-. e,,. r,s-st
 T don't care" said Miss Priscilla with sudden spirit T haven't had
 grapes nor roses for--for years Al,
 if it would hurt me to take them from
 that poor old man in the attic"
 The roses lasted four days. and dur
 ing those four days and for many days afterwards. Miss Priscilla played reg.
 ularly every afternoon at twilight. She :. could hardly do otherwise She dared , not risk second silence, and a sec. :! ond oestowal of sympathy in the shape g of grapes and roses
 f It was week after the roses had = faded that Betty came with message h and an oblong piece of pasteboard e There was to be a concert. Mir d Thomas himself was to play in tho
 orchestra, and he had this ticket at hi. r disposal. Could she not use it? The . concert was to be at a hall only (
 block away-easy walking distance, Ii . would be a pleasure to him to see thai v no harm befeil her either going or com. :. ing from the concert. if she would be f so kind as to grant him that privilege P He was stranger, he knew. but Mrs f Sanders, the landlady, would vouch for n him. It was to be a fine ooncert-such q q nity if she should lose It. V Miss Priscilla drew herself to her 7 full height and said 'no'' very decid. :. edly. as behtted Hunter D After Betty had left the room Miss @ Priscilla cried little. It was such a fine concert-such a pity to lose it. Y Even now she could see the lights and ? people, and hear the exhilarating hum :! of an assembling audience. But as for Q acceptinR this ticket. and going and co-'inV with this Stranga n1an--navert I Even with friends the Hunter young l ladies had not been allowed to appear | in public unchaneroned
 } To be sure she was forty, fMiss Priscilla shivered 6 little and picked } up a hand d-glass to look for wFinkles) 3 and the man was fNubtless old enough {. to he her father. Now that she thouRtl ? nf 1t. It was little strange that she had never seen him. Still. preparins g her own meals as she did, 1t was no. 30 remarkable. for she had little op- portunity of mingling with the other lodeers
 Miss Priscilla's eyes were still red when the land1sdv came un. Mrs. Sanders too. thought It vas such a hne -on~ert-sueh pity to lose 1t. She knew MT Thomas well---such a nice troublesome money, too. though not ~'nH--stitI ~ot ~A"r '7 S"'t" nf h's at- tie room. she had always known him. ? in fact She would not hesitate to