Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-19

tSnlOH N0S @
lawyer in the thriving little city OF
independence, 80 years of age, and
was, as the ladies of Independence
having marriageable daughters were
wont to say confirmed uacneior.
Annough not handsome man. Fen
ton trankun was OF very pleasing
appearance. he was VI Aie"iui
uelgnt, broad snouluered, WlIn me
gray eyes ana 1ealdres tnat dehoteu
much strength OIL character.
AS ne walked DrlskIy onM ara ne was
conscious o. the grandeur OIL the wan
ing summer aay ana watched with
pleasure the bros as tney chlrped ana
lnIted on the walks, now poldly await
ing ms arrival, ana tnen hylng TO the
nearby trees and fences TO survey MN
as ne passed.
ON turning into First street he no
ticed two figures some distance aneau
OF nm on the sidewalk, ana on looklhs
Closer he recogn. zed them as woman
anu chllu, the same two he hau Often
seen in passing TO and from his Oh
flee. IT,,
Although he had never before given
them more tnan glance IN passing
today, as he approached, he shgntly
slackened ms pace, attracted Dy lhe
charming picture the TWO presented.
me woman, Standing ouls.ue the gate
of the little cottage, was tossing
large red rubber BAN to the cnlid, VINO
sat on a box at the edge of the Sue
walk.
helen Southerly was extremely pret-
ty, with large masses OF golden mar
cooled nigh on her snapely heau, anu
as sne stood with smlllng faCe anu
outstretcned hanuS waiting TO leceNe
the ball, the lawyer was struck Dy
the tact that she looked extremely
youthful and girlish for Motherhood
if a mother she was.
Unconscious of his approach, they
tossed the ball. First the little cnap
would catch it with a shrill cry OF de-
light and the woman would receive IL
back with a ripping little laugh.
lie drew within few feet of them,
still unnoticed, but as the woman once
again threw the ball, the child looked
up suddenly and the ball went pouIlu-
ing into the middle of the street.
Telling the boy to keep his seat on
the box, the lawyer went to the rescue
of the red rubber ball.
Now, Fenton Franklin, during the
course of his rather eventful life. had
never seen a rubber ball of that par
ticular kind, and although as a boy
he had often played ball, particularly
when he should have been at school,
during the later years OF his lie Dalls
to him had been an unknown quantity,
but as he handed it back to the chlld
he declared very sagely, as If he was
a celebrated authority on balls in gen
eral and red rubber ones in particular,
that it was the most wonderful ball he
had ever seen.
Upon lnquiring, he learned that the
child's name was Harold, and on be-
ing informed that he, Harold, would
be five years of age in the following
February, declared with much warmth
that he was the largest and brightest
boy for his years he had ever met, TO
which his mother smilingly agreed.
After making a few desultory re-
marks on the beauties of the day, he
patted Harold on the head and re-
sumed his journey home, which he
noted with much satisfaction was just
one block distant.
Now, whether it was altogether CO.
incidence that, as he loitered mo-
ment at his front gate to watch the
resumed ball game, he should take out
his watch and observe the time to be
4:45 we cannot conscentiously afflrm'
but if the gossip of the cook and the
dining room maid that night as the
dishes were being washed was to be
credited, the master had won big
case in court or had fallen into some
other piece of good fortune, so pleased
and smiling was he all evening.
The next day also had its coincident.
for at exactly 4:45 in the afternoon
Franklin was observed to be engaged
in a very animated conversation Wltn
Helen and her little boy AS time
passed this casual mountaineering
developed into friendlier relations and
n Council iptroductiOn nv mutual