Middletown transcript., 1908-06-27


believe he knows any more about
it than / do. He sits and looks
wise and let's Ethel talk, and she
is perfectly satisfied. It's easy
enough to fool girl, and he's
equal to the job. | heard him
say, 'Weally. | am not well up on
the subject, Miss Ethel, and I
must hang upon your words until
learn at your feet! | realize
the Importance of the subject
and consider myself fortunate in
nay teacher Isn't he about the
limit?
Ethel doesn't seem to think so.
Jacks tone was lugubrious. AS
for a coat of arms, we have one
of the musty, worm eaten, old
chromos kicking around the at
tic at home,-came over with
| some of Lord Baltimore's gang
down South, but what do I care
| about it? I'm an American, and
I'd rather be junior orator at the
university than anybody's her
aldic grandfather.
Well, flash your Maryland coat
of many eolors on Ethel, and it'll
give you no end of counts With
her, suggested Billy hopefully.
. Not much! said Jack in disgust.
If I can't make Ethel like me, I
won't buy her interest with any
old dead and dug up ancestors.
That would be too much like Filz.
Gerald. He dput up a fake es-
cutcheon to make her think he
was some punkins.
By Jove! Billy looked at him
with aqueer expression, and then
laughed.
| Oh, well, it was a low down
thing to say about another fell
low, wasn't it? | didn't really
mean it; but I always want to
ask him if he'd rather be big
ger fool than he looks or look a
bigger fool than he is, and then
say impossible, no matter which
way he answered, said Jack.
Jack was not seen at the
Cedars in several days thereafter.
Called in to the hot and blister
ing city on a business trip, he
was consoled only by the pre-
sence of William Merwin; for
Billy also-had business in New
York.
| Now, Billy so seldom had
business anywhere except in
football season that his absence
from the Cedars caused some
wonderment amnog his friends,
and when he made his appear
ance there he was the object of
much chatting. FitzGerald es-
pecially remarked upon the in.
advisability of anyone's doing
business in such warm weather,
and looked mildly shocked when
Billy slangily replied, I've been
doing more than business.
| After the women had left the
dinner table that night and the
men sat over their cigars Billy
turned suddenly to FitzGerald
and said.
By the way Fitz, | came across
q funny thing to-day. l was in
the public library looking up the
beginnings of football, and got
the wrong book by mistake. 1t
was some beastly thing on her.
aldry, and as l opened it I saw
your coat of arms. At least, I
suppose it was yours,-Fitz-
Gerald family, Norman conquest,
Count Godfrey, and all that rot.
thought it might interest you;
so l copied it, though how any
man can take an interest in such
buglegs is beyond me.
Aw, thanks awfully! Fitzerald
reached eagerly for the paper and
studied it carefully. Fl 9
didn't know a thing about
heraldry, notwithstanding his
wise talk with Ethel; but he
Was mucn struck with the ap-
pearance of the escuetheon. Billy
had even written down the colors.
A brilliant thought struck him.
Say, Billy, don't say a word
about this, will you? he said. I
want to get up a little surprise
for your sister. 4
All right, Fitz, whatever you
say, drawled Billy. adding under
his breath, She'll be surprised
all right enough!
1t seemed to Ethel as if all the
young men of her acquaintance
were suddenly smitten with
business; for FitzGerald, her
devoted attendant, disappeared
also, pleading a business engage
ment in town. AS she was not
at all fond of being alone in her
glory, she greeted Jack EImsdale