Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-01-20

IfGl III WDu4u oui9 iit igN--o A-S-rS -
led it to him. later-still, sometimes
ave been rather sorry l didn't
Would better try the spade, Berthe,
or the diamond"
The colonel advised the spade. He
wondered whether he should repeat TO
bis aunt the few SENTENCES which he
had overheard from Mercer and his
comDauion; but belief that old age
worries easily, added to his natural
mans disincllnaion to attack the fenAr
mine nerves, tipped The scales against
frankness. So. instead he began to
talk about Archie. what was he like?
was he fond of athletes? or was he
a boz kish lad? Amt Rebecca reported
that he liked riding and golf; but he
was not very rugged. and since his
fathers death he had seemed listless
to a degree but he is better now"
she added, with trace OF eagerness
quite foreign TO her usual manner.
"Janet Smith has reused him up; and
what do. you suppose she has done?
But really. you arc the cause"
'T?7 oueried the colonel
Just YOU Archie, Janet argued, is
the kind of nature that must have
some one to be devoted TO-"
"And has he taken fancy 10 her?
Or to you?"
Aunt Rebecca's eyes dalled littlS
and her delicate lins were twisted by
q smile which had more wistfulness
than hunlor in 1t. I'm not loyabla
nerson; anyhow, re does not love cas-
ily We are on terms Of the highest
respect, even admiration, but we
haven't cot so far as friendship far
less comradeship. Ianet is different.
But i don't mean Janet: she has grown
absurdly fond Of him; and | think
he's fond Of her; but what she did was
to make him fond Of you You, Gen.
Rupert Winter; why, that boy could
pass an examination on your exploits
and not miss a question. Janet and he
have a scrap book vita every printed
word about you, I 90 believe. And
she has been amazingly shrewd. We
didn't know how to get the youngsteP
back to his sports while he was out
of school, and, in fact, an old woman
like me is rather bewiaered by such
a young C, ature, anyhow; but Janet
rode with i'm; you are a remarkable
rider; I te.red there, because | re-
membersd some anecdotes about you
at West Point"
but, my dear aunt"
Don't Interrupt me, BERTHE, it's a
distinctly American habit. And we
read in the papers that you had
learned that Japanese trick fighting
jul -jitsu-and were wonder"
I'm not, I assure you; that beast Of
a newspaper man"
Never mind, if you are not a won
der. you'll have to be; you can take
lessons in Los Angeles; there are
quantities of Japs there. Why, even
in Chicago, Janet picked up one, and
we imported him, and Archie took
lessons, and practices every day.
There's book in my bag, in the rack
there, very interesting book; Janet
and l have both read it so we could
talk to Archie. You would better skim
it over lite if you really aren't an
expert, enor \ so you can talk jiu-
jitsu, anyhow we can't be destroying
Archie's ide. until he gets better
appetite"
well, upo,' word" breathed the
! colonel. "Dt expect me to be
fake hero? yer took more than
two lessons II life. That reporter
interviewed teacher, who was
killed in the aanese war, by the
way; he went Q the army after my
second lesson He didn't know any
English beyo. q yes and IL you
please;' and / used them both on
the reporter, WTo let his own fancy
go up like bacon. Well, where is
the book?'
He found it easily; and with q
couple Of volumes of another kidney,
owe. which he grinned.
"The Hound of the Baskervilles and
the Leavenworth Casel I've read
them, too" he said; they're great,
And do you still like detective stories?
You would have made a grand sleuth
yourself, Aunt Becky" Again he had
half mind TO speak Of the occurrence
at the station; aGain he checked the
Impulse. Il remember, r he added,
that you used to hold strenuous opin-
ions"
C,,4;ruad NJ. Wal