The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-06

1 the result that both his questions and his replies were sometimes extremely
 startling to strangers.
 T am very much relieved. And now
 you can see how much trouble a we'd i ding really Is and how careful one must be. As I said before, don't do it. When you get married don't be so foolish
 you just elope. It's the cheapest and
 the most comfortable"
 How do you do it" asked Skeezicks with deep interest
 'Oh, there are several ways, but the 1 best one of all is just to take a witness 1 or so, walk over to the nearest minis ter's, and get married without saying anything to anybody about it. Anyb ody
 can do that. The dressmakers and
 milliners and tailors may make me ! desperate enough to elope myself be- l fore next week.
 Skeezicks said nothing He was look ing earnestly into the fern box in the
 window and think 1t all over. Uncle Joe arise
 That Is my solemn advice" he said. with another glance at his watch, "and I am quite sure that you'll take 1t,
 won't you?'
 "Yes sir,'' answered Skeezicks abstract , edly, aroused a moment from his reverie.
 That's right. Never have a wedding. These are my parting words. Always elope. As I tell you, I'd like to do it my | self" And Uncle Joe, pausing to thrust sharply upon Skeezicks a little bag of chocolates held back for a surprise stalked out of the room with a sigh of content. He had made his story-raven- ous nephew forget to demand another tale. VI.
 Skeezicks, forgotten by everybody, sat in the big leather chair for at least a quarter of an hour his body motionless. his eyes staring into the fern box. but his busy imagination seething with large and fantastic plans. At last he clambered dawn from the chair, and, looking around to find himself alone in the room, enjoyed the liberty of stretching and yawning to his hearts content Then, for the first time Investigating the chocolate bag, he strolled out into the hall. Katie, big, red-cheeked Katie, the warmth of whose heart was at least as great as the size of her body, met him at the front door.
 Where you goin,' darlin'?" she asked.
 "I am going home, if you please" he replied. I'm hungry.
 well, bless your heart, said Katie,
 ''you come right back in the kitchen! I've got something for you. When I baked Miss Elizabeth's wedding cake I saved out some dough and some icing, and l made you a little wedding cake of your own"
 "Thank you. said Skeezicks, and fol- lowed her back to the kitchen very will ingly indeed.
 He liked Katie in spite of the fact that she did everything violently, being likely to sweep him suddenly off his feet at any time and kiss him with a fervor amount ing almost to fury. It was a beautiful little cake that she gave him, not much bigger than the two fists of Skeezicks. but the exact shape of a real wedding cake, plastered thickly with icing and decorated with little cardamon candles in three bright and gleaming colors. Oh, It displayed imagination, that cake! It might have been wedding cake for fairies, though If you thought of that so much that you forgot the big love that went into its making you were commit ting a very very grave error. Skeezicks thanked her again, but after that he stood with the cake in his hands, musing out of the kitchen door into the back garden.
 Well, why don't you eat it, honey"' demanded Katie.
 VII.
 .If you don't mind, I'd like to take it home," he replied, turning his serious eyes up to her. His eyes always puzzled Katie and she often found herself wondering what they were thinking about. Sure you can" said Katie. "Of course you'd want to show it to your mamma" 'I'll save a piece of 1t and come over here to eat 1t If you like,' offered Ske- zicks politely, feeling that this reward, at least, was due her hospitality. Katie threw back her head and laughed her big, round laugh.
 You'll do nothing of the kind,' she told him. "You'll sit right down here and eat a piece of ginger bread instead" ''Thank you," replied Skeezicks, with wideawake promptness, and sat expect ontly on the chair which Katie vigorous ly dusted for him.
 He was so quiet while eating his ginger