The San Francisco call., 1908-05-31

pensive ones, even though they were
reduced on account of a bit of scratch
damage on one instep) and white
shirt
The clerk-to whom the $40 had
been proffered whenever anything was
decided upon-said
He doesn't need gloves
They had all three been adding in
their heads and the announcement re-
lieved an invisible strain in the at
mospherc.
No. / don't think so, either" his
mother said, briskly.
Then the clerk asked if they would
have the things sent. and as they pre-
ferred to carry them he took the $50
and went, to return later with a few
pence change.
They went home, and after supper
he tried on the whole festive array.
so that his mother could see what
wanted doing" A good deal wanted
doing. and she undertook it with un-
limited love and limited skill
On the great evening they both
spent over an hour dressing him. His
mother parted his hair 16 times before
it suited her; she washed his face with
soap herself; she tied his cravat Her
lips trembled from time to time, her
heart was so full of love and hope
Mother fancies fly quickly upward: as
she knelt to tie his shoestrings. beyond
any chance of slip her mind was busy
wondering what great joy would be-
fall him this night.
He looked very droll as he stood up
to go (any one who is altogethe. COW
cred with genuine bargains is apt to
do sol. but his face was shining glad.
He kissed her and went out ane
walked slowly up the hill. 1t was a
clear, frosty night-very much the
same sort as that which he was to
choose for his next visit to her home
20 years later. His mind was as full
of pictures as his mothers, but they
were yaguer and of more simple out
line Arrived at the house he went up
the walk for the first time in his life
-he had been used to leave her at the
gate always-and mounted the steps.
The door was glass from top to bot
tom and a colored man was looking
out The man opened the door before
he even started to ring and he went in.
The hall was the same as 20 years
henceforth. The carved seat under the
stair the same, too.
Upstairs, please said the colorcd
man. and he went up stairs
He was troublousIy oppressed it
was his first glimpse of another world
and how that other world is housed.
1t was from this sort of rooms that
she went fOTtil TO SitdE--W1II MIN. II
was in this sort of a place that she
was accustomed to play and cat and
sleep. He felt dizzy at the hugeness
of the difference.
a maid said:
Here, please"
And he went in there"
An elegantly attired gentleman stood
before the mirror and one boy was
taking his pumps out OF his overcoat
hA-- sff crcf al nd
stared abominably. The elegant gem
tleman was the violin half OF the
music for the dancing, and when he
was through admiring himself In the
mirror he went down to earn his half
of $50.
Hc put his old cap and his coat. with
the patched lining, very carefully upon
the foot of the lace covered bed. lie
never had imagined a lace bed cover.
ano thought how beautiful IL looked
over the blue underneath Three boys
came bouncing in together just then,
and one was a boy who coastcd.
Hello cried that boy, with tho
most genuine surprise.
Hello the other replied, choking
back something that was a little re-
sentful at the others amazcmcnf
The boy said no more. HE hesitatcd
in the door for a minute and then de-
cided to go down. He went down. She
was standing in the doorway OF the
reception room, peeping out to see who
was coming next. She smiled upon him
and blushed as pink as her dainty
frock and held out her tiny gloved
hand He shook hands with her; he
was dumb and deepest red; her mother
spoke to him and smiled, too--not very
cordially. Then the three boys came
down together, and some little girls,
too, and the music began, and they all
And more came. And more. And now
his hour OF ordeal dawned. They filled