The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-22

of the strange and wonderful happenings
 of the day but listened with ears that
 heard not and jealous eyes that saw only
 that something in which I did not figure
 had brought him happiness. It was worm
 wood and gall and somehow by truant
 mind kept straying back to the day we took that memorable walk and I told him
 the happy secret of Her. Now. at last, l
 understood, for was I not tasting the
 same bitter cup had held to his childish lips?
 The third day he was at the head of his
 class in spelling, and I saw how the pride
 to excel was lighting the altar fires of ambition. This measuring of his powers
 with other of his years was a new and
 wonderful game to him, and he entered
 into it with all the might of his ardent lt-
 tie soul. And then the next day he calmy
 announced that he was footl I marveled.
 T just went" he said with naive frank
 ness "Maidie was there. She can't spell
 a single word an never gets to turn any
 body down. So just missed an missed
 until got next to her, an then I missed again, but whispered to her how to spell
 the word, an she went above mo. She
 was awful proud of it.
 Oh childhood, how strange thy code of honori But in that brief explanation learned volumes. Did he realize, I won | der, that 1t was the eternal woman call | that was his undoing; that the face of a woman-child had drawn him from his
 cherished place of honor to ignominy? | Did he know 1t was the light in her eyes l that blinded him to the disgrace of 1t? Many a better than he has perished thus, l and as I looked at my sturdy man-child , my feelings were beyond expression. l "Fatheri"
 | knew it was something of supreme
 importance, or he would not have inter ] rupted just when the fairies were en-
 lowing the beautiful princess with all
 the graces no mortal could be guilty of
 and live. I closed the book on my fore finger and waited
 "Nhat do men say when they ask people
 to marry them?"
 l The blow left mo limp and breathless. | I understood now why sleep would not | come to his wakeful eyes and why he had 1 tossed until I thought to soothe him with l fairy lore Fairies, forsooth, when,
 though so small in stature, he had grown
 so far above theml How little-how inf
 nitely little I knew
 | what do you say, fatherg' he persist l ed '.Pd rather say whatever you do." | "Who are you going to say this tor" l questioned, forgetting my grammar in my l oonsternation.
 'sWhy, MaidieP'
 His eyes met mine in frank surprise. as | though he were astonished could have thought it anyone eles.
 she's head of the class now, an I'm next. I've told her every single word. an she's very fond of me- The others have made a song about Maidie being mad an ! they're glad. an they know what'll please ! her. a bottle of wine to make her shine an me to squeeze her. She didn't like 1t at first but when she found how pleased ! I was she changed her mind. Don't you admire it?'
 "Very much" I said. dazedly. 'Tts | @ beautiful song
 i've been wanting to ask her to marry me for three days''-and he had known her fiyel--'but I shouldn't know just l 'zactly what to say. You tell me- father. "It's a problem every man must work out for himself my son." I said. "I think If I were you I would just tell her loved her with all the might of i my heart ana Dra1n ana llie, anu lH"t I wanted her above anything else in the world. I'd say it simply and bravely and honestly, so she couldn't l make a mistake, and I'd make her feel
 that the strength of my love and the warmth of my arms were worth all the sweetness and youth and womanli- l ness she could give me in return. I'd ' shut her in so completely with my love
 that she'd never want anything beyond iit and I'd bring it to her so fresh and :, fragrant every day that she would 1 never grow tired of it."
 And I fell to dreaming sweet day l dreams wherein a woman's charming l face answered my heart-cry and blessed ms. His little puzzled voice 1 recalled me.
 q don't b'iieve I could member all