Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-09-25

| b III III
81 hare been born ao1iu-otcoIssued 10 a
nee life"
roads were awful and ankle deep I'm
mud so sticky that thought I'd have
10 leave my rubbers i'm f. Don't for
get, too. that's All uphill coming back. o.
"Oh. / never enjoyed a walk So go
my life" declared Emma 1T was
magnificent, I couldn't have slept. I
couldn't have stayed i'm bed. If I hadn't
taken g."
But Mrs. Harris refused TO be mol
lifted.
and I won't be able TO sleep be-
cause you've made me SO nervous"
she complained
Emma went Co her. put her arm
about her and kissed her.
Don't bc crosa mother" she plead
cd You know this IS my first snlr
OF real country for century. and
have never been ln the Catskius be
fore and therefore never SO near heav-
7
childish JOY as ] used 90 Doe when IA
/ Their took Us on those trips which now
seem like a dream, they were SO long
ago"
III your father hadn't been SO easy
we'd be owning a handsome cottage
at one OF the fashionable places in the
Adirondacks instead Of hiring a mean
little bungalow here" lamentcd Mrs.
Harris "No fashionable people ever
come here. and one has 20 be SO partlc-
ular. But what Is one 90 dof one
can't remain IN New York in the dog
days.
For me- Tm sick and tired OF the
mountains" announced Beth. ia like
20 20 o. Newport. where we'd stand a
chance OF meeting somebody and
where anyhow we'd be able TO see real
society people"
Bother society," said Emma hap
PLY.
Both her mother and Beth looked
shocked
Emma, how can you say such a
thlngy" reproved Mrs. Harris. envel-
oping herself in an air OF loftiness.
Il hope you have not allowed your
self TO be influenced 10y the anarchistic
vaporings OF your-of that unspeakable
person whose name IS not 20 be men
toned"
1--WE read somewhere that fine soci-
ETY. is only self protection against the
vulgaritles OF the street and the tav-
ern,' chirped Beth primly.
"That all depends on how you define
fine society Beth" said Emma.
Il mean the society OF wealth, the
-Four Hundred. OF course. pray every
night that / may marry a duke OF a
count"
Beth has such elevated ideasr' com
mented her mother admiringly.
such petitions" observed Emma,
becoming grave, never reach the
, mercy seat II is said that at mid
night every New Years eve, when the
bells OF the churches ring out the
dying year, there issue from the bel
fries streams OF vapory spirits with
distracted. terrified faces, their hands
clasped TO their ears. They are the
prayers that never rose any higher,
prayers OF wOrshipers In the churches
y
they are accustomed TO do every sun
day, without realization OF the signih-
canoe OF the words they utter; prayers
muttered by those whose thoughts
were on other things; prayers OF the
hypOcrite prayers OF the humbug;
=, supplications TO the most high for the
s prepOsterous and the impossible; pray
ers Of those who do not practice what
. they preach; prayers OF those who do
those things which they ought not 10
do and leave undOne those things
which they ought to do and thiuss
their weekly glib confession or it and
their Obolus in the collection plate alb
solve them with the Jangling and
changing Of the bells they are borne by
the winds over mountain and sea and
are lost forever In the eternal void
between the worlds. All such prayers
wherever uttered must share this
fate"
BY this time Mrs. Harris was agape
too astonished to utter a word.
( Gracious, Emma gasped Beth
''You talk Ike a book. 1 don't know
what's come over you"
1T Is my new birth. told you Il
! was as though ! had been born again
/ hope you win marry a duke or q
count If you want to, Beth AS a rule
believe they are real men, every
whit as worthy as good men who dom
bear this distinction OF title. Still, thu
field is necessarily restricted, and yoV
mustn't forget that there are othei
noble men as distinguished from no
4 blemen-men OF sterling valae, VIII
ring true under every test"
''Like-like Jimsy," ventured Beti
with a dubious air, casting about aDs