The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-05

inscrutabe stare that had gone straight
through the young man. opposite if he
had been a newlytscrubbed pane ofsglass. He wrig-
gled a little a1comfortaby theslids raised
and the was Joined by a tiny, Pickering smile
He felt-he knew-that all his past sins
parade, merciessy dragged forth into light of
day for minute inspection, and alas condemnation
So he squared hiss shoulders and smiled back a
little sheepishly, but hopefully
Honestly, am tin love this time" he said
''You always are--for month";
'Shes awfully pretty he ventured
''She always is-wef stwo months
"And adorable"
'Er-tw0 and haafS'
you'll like her. he declared.
81 always do. Thatsswhy Isfeel so bad about it
when her month IS up.
You don't stop to considers that get the nit
ten"
Naturally, when you ask for it..
you're awfully hard on me-
mot as hard as you are, on them
Wont you grants thatka fellow must cut his
seeth?"
And you>thataI never. for
nent, serious
Really"
'~They understandsthat."
when the monthSis up?"'
He started afresh. Eyes. of Heavens own blue
-" he raved.
clips like red. red rose,r she laughed.
Hair where sunbeams. 4er-er-er-" he
doundered hopelessly.
"Try again. It's usually. sun-kissed hair of rud-
dy gold"
That's it,
when did you meet this 1ast$adorable one?" she
asked.
1--WE known her all my life
"Oh! Boy and girl sweetheartsa and all that sort
Of thing?"
He shook his head doubtfully.
'she slapped your face and you gave her horse
hair rng?"
Il wish I had thought horse-hair ring he
unused. And she newer slapped my, face. She
always nice little girl
Went to Sunday-school together, and perhaps
you rescued her dollie from watery. grave?" the
Chaperon
81 never saw her dollie," he denied.
The Chaperon puckered herpretty brows thought
hard for a moment, then gavelit up.
What did happen?"
"Oh, nothing. She lived ina big house with a
big yard around it and,I lived next door in another
big house with another big yard around tt"
And nothing happened?"
He couldn't think of anything.
Something must have she insisted.
well she used to swing in the hammock
times and I'd climb tree in yard to her.
he explained. And once she came with her Ma
to and her apple"
Ibid you kiss her? Did you pull her curls?" she
persisted
He couldn't remember.
"oh. surely you didn't just let her swing in the
hammock?"
Once" he explained, "once tied tin-can to
dogs tall
And she said naughty, naughty?'"
mo- he smiled. She said, Shoot And you
should have that dog rum"
The Chaperon considered the matter seriously.
II like her." she declared.
'I knew you would
$50 won't help you little bt!'
"Oh, come now" he protested This is real
Can't eat, can't sleep. Get restless and ex-
cited nothing-you know. Think about her
all the time. In fact. I'm done for this time
Awful
eff 1 stay in town she stays down country. If
Z 60 down country she comes to town"
"wise girl! She knows your reputation
'Now that's not it. She's just out of the
sery-ingenuous, innocent, and all that sort of
thing She simply looks by me. over me. beyond
me! I'm not the map for her.
"Ah see. The Chaperonf smiled and looked
distractingy wise.
II knew you'd see" he said Now what do you
yee?"
"Why, you're done for
He tried to figure it out.
''If she fell into your arms her time would be
up in a month" explained the Chaperon
'.No it's honestly this time"
''For the last time" she warned him.
Honestly he promised.
The hand nestled for a moment in his broad
palm
WELL here's hoping" she said
He kissed the hand and released it to its owner
You're an ANGEL" he declared.
The Chaperon excitedly waved her handkerchief
at the rapidly approaching automobile while her
husband helped by violently chewing his cigar
They the front steps of rambling little
snuggery thrust away in clump OF trees with
grassy stretch reaching In every direction. On
side it bumped into bed of rocks which led
TO sandy beach; the other 1t two
tennis courts and the first hole of golf course,
then traied off into another and larger clump of
trees. bringing Up at a little with real fish
in it.
The whole place fairly breathed romance It
was the Chaperon's last hope in desperate cases