The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-08


 stand Behold her then. sailing into the great drawins-room at Norman stand witn Der mind so firmly fixed on tne task DeLore her as to be oblivious of minor considerations. She was 50 fond of stephen. and admired so truly her many beauties and fine qualities that she was secure and without flaw in her purpose. Stephen was in dan ger. and though in her heart of hearts she doubted if she would be able to effect any change. she was determined that at least she should not go into danger with her eyes unopened. The still air of the great room. sweet with treasured lavender and pot pourri seemed to culver. vibrant to the eino- ton of coming battle.
 stephen entered hastily and ran to her. She loved her great-aunt: really and truly loved her in every mood and tense of the word. And indeed 1t would have been strange if she had not. for from the earliest hour which she could recollect, she had received from her nothing but the truest, fond est affection. Moreover she deeply re- spected the old lady. her truth. her resolution. her stern purpose, her kind Illness. her charity, her genuine com mon sense ability. stephen always felt safe with her aunt. In the pres once of others she might now and again have a qualm of doubt: but not with her. There was an abiding calm in her love answering love realized and respected. Her long and intimate Knowledge of Laetitia rsade her aware of her moods. She could read the signs of them. She knew well the meaning of the bonnet which actually seemed to culver as though 1t had a sentience of its own. Sse knew well the cause of her aunt's perturbation; the pain which must be caused to her was per haps the point of most resistance in herself-she having made up her mind to her new experience.
 You look troubled. Auntie! I hope 1t is nothing seriousr'
 Tt is, my deari Very serious! Ev- erything is serious to me which touches you"
 "Me. Auntier' Hypocrisy is a fine art. Morals have nothing to do with 1t, unless they be material for its use. Stephens voice even in her seeming surprise, did not give any doubt: any more than did the wonderment of her widely opened eyes.
 "Yes! yes, Stephen. ohl my dear child, what is this hear about your going to. Petty Sessions with your fa- ther."
 "Oh that! Why, Auntie dear. you must not let that trouble you. It is all right. That Is necessary
 Necessary the old lady's figure grew rigid as she sat up. and her voice was loud and high Necessary for a young lady to go to court house. To hear low people speaking of low crimes To listen to cases of the most shocking kind; cases of low immoral ity; cases of a kind, of nature of a. a--class that you are not supposed to know anything about, Really, stephen! =. . !" She was drawing away her hand in her indignation. But Stephen held 1t tight, as she said very sweetly: ~ That is just 1t, Auntie. I am so ignorant that feel should know more of the lives of those very people," Miss Laetitia interrupted:
 Ignorant! Of course you are ig- noranb That is what you ought to be. Isn't 1t what we have all been devot. Ing ourselves to effect ever since you were born? think 1t would be we'll if the young women of this age would read their Bible more attentively. Read your third chapter of Genesis and re- member what came of eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. That tree in Eden was not the only one of it's kind. my dear. Or if it was. some one took that sword and cut slips from 1t. They grew fast, my dear. the out cominEs from that tree! Roots or seeds, slips, or cuttings. or graftings, 1t is all the same! They manage to get into all our gardens!" She paused; the formulation of her epigram had been of some relief to her. Stephen re- alized this and capped her epigram:
 "I think the Tree of Knowledge must have been an orange tree" The old lady looked up. her interest was aroused.
 "Why?"
 .-. (Confinued Tornorrow1