Willmar tribune., 1909-07-28

AAu0S CA\NAAOW tNA6O Nu<AS l. uU uOI WllAe
out excuse. 1t Is but the common
tribute to a beautiful woman's charm
that she has every right to expect"
"Yes,'' she replied coldly: I'VE will
regard it simply us that--the tribute of
an idler to the charms Of mere So
ciety beauty There was irony in
her cool. even tones. while her eyes
were looking straight into the dim
ness Of the room.
The weeks wore on. and the Walkers
removed to their summer home.
whittier Chester received a pressing
invitation to spend the Fourth Of July.
so pressing. in fact. as to amount to a
command.
Little Tom wants to see his 'Nunck.
en- Chester" had been the concluding
words.
Not versed in the ways Of very small
boys. Trowbridge provided himself
with supply of crackers and fire.
works for the two-and-a-half-year-old
| scion Of the Walker family not at all
commensurate with that young gentle
mans years.
He was entirely unprepared for the
sight of Miss Ccllingwood on the
Walkers broad piazza.
! "'Ere's Nuncken Chester! came in
sweet. ,jubilant tones. and a little 6y-
ing figure with flushed cheeks and
tumbled hair precipitated itself in
Trowbridge's arms.
"IIello, little man." and Chester lift
ed him up on his shoulder Raising
his hat with his free hand, he made
his way thus incumbered up the steps.
the childish prattle relieving the sltu-
alton of acute embarrassment.
"You have a rival in Toms affec-
tions." said Mrs. Walker to Miss Col
lingwood.
After dinner they sat on the piazza.
little Tom being allowed to sit up
later than his usual hour in honor of
Chestcr's arrival. The two gentlemen
sat smoking and chatting where the
smoke of their cigars would not reach
the ladies. Tom was running up and
down the path in front of the house
in all the exuberance of his few years.
A boy appeared with IA box the con
tents of which greatly excited the
childs interest.
"Put the box down on the steps," di-
rected Chester. giving the boy coin.
"Whats got in de box?' demanded
little Tom, his face alight with inter.
est.
you'll see tomorrow" answered
Trowbridge and then continued his
conversation with the child's father.
Little Tom. finding his quest for in.
formation ignored and objecting to the
delay arbitrarily imposed. promptly
climbed the steps and entered into m
investigation on his own account. He
removed the wrapping paper and with
his small. Dinbie fingers succeeded in
, pushing back the sliding cover, disclos.
ing to his ravished view various pack
ages Of different colors and sizes
These invited closer inspection. and he
proceeded to take them out of the box
and deposit them on the step beside
him. Suddenly he came to something
which seemed to afford him great sat
isfaction and which he evidently
thought he recognized for he breathed
ecstatically. big cigar" He put the
large firecracker to his lips and began
''mokin' like fader." In the fast gath
ering twilight little Toms motions
passed unobserved.
He glanced about him in proud con
sciousness of his manly attitude. when
his eyes were arrested by the sight OF
smoke issuing from his fathers lips
He puffed and exhaled like fader'
but without like results. A match was
all that WAS needed. and this coveted
article he discovered under Trow
bridges chair, where it had been in.
advertently dropped.
\ moment sufticed for the match tC
find it's way into the chubby fingers OF
the baby boy, who scratched it and ap
piled the fame to the fuse of the
cracker, which Immediately ignited.
There was rush of skirts. and Cary
CollingwOod, who had heard the
scratching of the match, dashed the
cracker out Of the child's hands anG
picked him up in her arms. In hel
haste she had not noticed the direction
of the burning cracker. which fell into
the box Of explosives. There was ;
cracking and sputtering. and the fly
ing sparks flew to the crackers on the
step and caught the soft. fluffy skirts
Of the young woman, the draft made
by her flying feet quickly tanning tht
| rlro int ic,1- 40 %ho%
upward toward her face. Finding her
! self afire. she dropped the child on thu
; grass and quickly retreated. to fine
: herself in Chester's arms. He bega1
beating out the flames with his hands
: Walker coming quickly to his aid, tax
ing of his coat as he ran. The fame!
t were soon extinguished, but Miss Col
. lingwoOd lay unconscious in Chester!
arms. Together they carried her int
. the house and laid her on the loung,
4 in the library. Mrs. Walker had al
:, ready telephoned for a doctor, but b,
q the time he arrived the young lady hat
G regained consciousness. She was car
e ried to her room and put to bed. whil'
n Chester restlessly paced the piazza
!. lmpatiently awaiting the doctors re
0 appearance to learn the worst regard
f ing the injured girl.
t When he finally appeared Trowbridg g
eagerly questioned him concerning TIN
|. extent of Miss Collingwood's injurie
0 and was much reassured by the doc
}. tors report that they were not seriou
and that she would be about in few