The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1908-10-08


The only human being who ap'
peared even TO tolerate her society
was Eddie Hartley, who was so sunny
OF temperament that he would have
beamed upon his executioner OF smiled
winningly upon his deadIlest 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
about a little Alicia Phelps and her
mother had made their appearance.
Presently 1t happened that Alicia and
Eddie Hartley we're always either
on the point of starting of somewhere
together or were just returning or
else they had something desperately
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 die
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 corner was the
browning touch. Eddie dubbed over
when he rehearsed the scene to us
later.
She said she had my interests al
heart he quoted, his eyes resting
mirthfully on Alicia, and she could
rot bear to see me wasting time on
girl so frivolous and unmindful OF
the higher interests of life that she
had to change her gown four times a
dayi That for you. Miss Alicial Also
she animated 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
she vowed to some kind friend-who
forthwith repeated it--that that de-
signing girl was trying to rope in
Eddie for his money It seemed more
serious.
Hateful old creaturel' 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
Alonsr
Miss Park almost wept over Eddie's
approaching doom when she could get
any one to listen. She said he was
such a 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 rehearslng 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.
"All OF us said that Miss Park should
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 II.
when just before Alicia and her
mother went back east the news got
out that she and Eddie Hartley really
we're engaged, our natural polite and
sympathetic Joy was intensified to
rapture as we reflected how infuriated
Il would make Miss Park. In the gen.
eral opinion IL was a 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 darb
corner of the hotel veranda under
meath the Cherokee rose vine and dis
covered IL was Miss Park.
81 can't help IL, she quayered. 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 It. 4
you we're cranky, elderly woman
that only one person in the world hat
ever been nice TO, II might have al
fected you in the same way when he
abandoned you and took to trailing
after glddy young girl who had
plenty of other admirers. That was
the explanation Of her lectures anc
shifts She had been jealous all the
time
Somehow. / felt sorry for Miss
Park Chicago Daily News.