Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-09-30

tive natures pdleu Wnen lHlpaleu ny
her stare. Those with mild sins on
their consciences made energetic de-
tours to avoid her,
"The only human being who APP
peared even to tolerate her society
was Eddie Hartley, who was so sunny
of temperament that he would have
beamed upon his executioner or smiled
winningly upon his deadliest enemy.
That was why, although he was past
rs and six feet tall, every one called
him Eddie instead of Edward.
when he started in after his ar
rival to recuperate from typhoid
fever he sat cheerfully and played
checkers with Miss Park or held her
everlasting skeins of yarn or even
chatted with her; but when he began
to show color in his face and get
about little Alicia Phelps and her
mother had made their appearance.
Presently it happened that Alicia and
Eddie Hartley were always either
on the point of starting off somewhere
together or were just returning or
important to communicate to one an
other and had to flock by themselves
to say it.
THE rest of us smiled amusedly at
the incipient romance. Because we did
not notice her, anyhow, we neglected
to observe that Miss Park was not
among those who smiled. Besides,
she had never been known to smile.
'The third time Miss Park saw Ed
die and Alicia sitting side by side in
the secluded Japanese cornci as the
GROWING touch. Eddie bubbled over
when he rehearsed the scene to us
later. (
"She said she had my interests at
heart he quoted his eyes resting
mirthfully on Alicia, and she could
not bear to see me wasting time on
a girl 50 frivolous and unmindfQl of
the higher interests of life that she
had to change her gown four times
day! That for you, Miss Alicia Also
she intimated that you were a danger
Gus young person seeking to beguile
mel!
"Thereupon all of us set about aid
ing and abetting the comradeship Of
Eddie Hartley and Alicia. 1t was
enough that it irritated Miss Park, so
every one lent an enthusiastic hand.
Daily her opinion of Alicia dropped
lower; from stern glances she passed
to audible shifts at her sight. When
,hn l.;
forthwith repeated it-that that de-
signing girl was trying to rope in
Eddie for his money it seemed more
serious.
Hateful old creature stormed
Alicia, with a stamp of her small
brown shoe What possesses her,
anyhow; l never did anything disa-
greeable to her--why won't she let me
alone?'
Miss Park almost wept over Eddie's
approaching doom when she could get
any one to listen. She said he was
such fine, noble young man that it
was a shame he should be sacrificed
Her checkerboard was put away and
her purple and pink knitting grew er
ratio in spots.
Eddie Hartley bore her frequent
lectures with sweet tolerance, prompt
ly rehearsing them to Alicia as soon
as he could escape. They alternately
chuckled and ragged over what Miss
Park said and kept on their glad young
way.
Of fI,ot IL oh
be ashamed of herself and that she
was an uncharitable. sour, horrid old
woman with a grudge against all
things young and happy and that she
was so disagreeable by nature she
could not help it.
When just before Alicia and her
mother went back east the news got
out that she and Eddie Hartley really
were engaged, our natural polite and
sympathetic joy was intensified to
rapture as we reflected how Infatuated
IL would make Miss Park. In the gen
eral opinion it was direct judgment
upon her and served her right for
being so meddlesome.
THAT was why / was startled into
speechlessness that evening when /
stumbled on someone crying in a dark
corner of the hotel veranda under
meath the Cherokee rose vine and dis
covered it was Miss Park.
81 can't help it, she quavered. He
was so nice to me--and now suppose
he'll never have time to play checkers
with me again.
when you come to think Of II, II
you were cranky. elderly woman
that only one person in the world had
ever been nice to, It might have af-
fected you in the same way when he
abandoned you and took to trailing
after giddy young girl who had
plenty Of other admirers. That was
the explanation Of her lectures and
sniffs She had been jealous all the
tinol
Somehow, I felt sorry for Miss
parlrlD---Chicaeo daily News.