The Somerset reporter., 1908-02-06
Binoculars
...Of Love.
BY Benjamin Franklin Napheys.



zion. To her you're a fossil"
IF | were you I'd kick him for say
Ing that" said Galley. Go ahead.
Albeit. old man: you're far enough
away from the village so that your un-
bending from dignity will never be
seen"
oh. III do worse than that to him
some time" returned young DR.. Alb
bett. glaring with comic malevolence at
Callander III wait until he is In
jured In some of his schooboy esca-
pades and then I'll operate on him.
Don't you feel the approach Of another
foolish attack. Georgie?"
The three young men sat in the shade
of Il huge mass of rock that marked
the end Of n long, Irregular ridge OF
hills which jutted out from the main
range to the west. At the mouth Of
a tiny canyon just visible from the
rocks cluster of summer cottages
showed white against the brown and
gray OF their surroundings.
George Callander grunted, stretched
his hulking body and took out a pair
'of fieldglasses from case at his side.
mo. Folsom" he replied at length;
~ don't feel unusually foolish at pres
ent. But this grand air and this sun
shine and-well, life In general great
ly appeals to me today. and so there's
no telling when | shall find 1t neces-
sary to break out again. BY Jove,"
he went on. pointing the glasses at
the faraway cottages, there's my dear
wife and the dear wife OF our friend
Hiram here, and-yes. the dear sister
Of my dear wife aforementioned all
laden with baskets and making for
Flagstaff hill"
Dear. dear" said Hiram Galley;
ANYBODY else In the party?"
"Nno, none that can make out
Hold on, though; yes, there Is. They're
passing Evergreen inn now, and that
discredtable simian Ramage has join
ed them believe, Albeit, that's
what you called him, wasn't ita dis
creditabe smian?'
"Callander." demanded Albeit stern
ly. does Miss Alice know that you
two ungninly wretches entlced me
away with you this morning without
letting me know that she and other
ladies We're bent upon picnic today"
Miss Aice?" queried Callander
"Oh, you mean little Allie. my wife's
sister. Now that | think of II. Fol-
som, | believe she did say something
about asking you to have lunch with
them on Flagstaff hill today She ask
ed II thought You would care to
leave your bug hunting and whether
you would make one of so informal
party. believe | told her
He broke off and leveled his glass at
the distant hills.
well. we'll" cried Albeit impatient
ly, what reply did you make? Some
thing absurd, suppose. Give me those
glasses"
Callander adroitly moved out of
reach of Ahbctt's arm and continued:
II forgot Just what | did say, but it
must have been something worthy of
so ungainly n wretch. They're up on
the hill now, Folsom, and Ramage has
rylng her basket"
That's Il bad sign" Galley put in.
That's the way began on the day
asked Ella to be my wife, You re-
member that picnic, GeorgieP
Certainly Picnlcs are fatal affairs
on Flagstaff hill today he'd he the
happy man instead of Ramage BY
Jove! He and Allie have strolled away
from the rest and are picking wild
flowers"
Albeit groaned.
"And thought you were my
friends-my boyhood friends. Here,
give me those glasses, say"
Again Calander eluded his grasp
and lightly sprang across tree trunk
which spanned the creek that ratified
down from the range OF hills and into
the plain. Once safely across. he pull
ed away the log and set it floating
downstream.
I'VE are your friends, Folsom" he
declared from the opposite bank.
Haven't we patiently listened to your
rawlings about Allie for the past six
mouths? Didn't we bring you out
with us today on purpose to talk about
herr"
And you" cried the young doctor,
turning to Galley, Il suppose you're
In this attempt 10 keep me away from
Mlss-from the picnicY
Don't speak SO harshly, Folsom"
Galley returned. Lets go leave
George aud hunt fossils or something"
I've notion to hunt you" Albeit
answered and he stepped toward
Gatley
"Oh, don't doctor; don't doctorw
Galley screamed IN high falsetto as
he sprang down the hill, with Albeit
at his heels
At the creek bank Galley paused TO
look back, and. seeing the doctor still
coming, he eaped into the stream and
6oundered across IT.
Albeit stopped at the bank and be
gan to throw stones a his tormentors.
They moved out Of range of the mis-
slles and walked downstream until
the settlement OF cottages came into
view from behind the rocks where
they had been sitting on the other
side OF the creek.
Albeit followed them downstream
on his side and bnwled out half angry
epithets at them Callander after a
prolonged look through the glasses at