The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-21

he had perpetrated some witticism she ought to have seen. Taking hasty LnenIai review of their talk she de- clueo ne had not, and went on: she" oo Aho"
 Perhaps it is.'' he acquiesced. But what pity Fra Angelica and Rafael couidn,t have seen her! Then we co9io o9 nave mad all those cherubs and ieu-diu-goId angels of theirs depicted with thin gray hair parted in the mid ole. ana with gray switches and half inch eyeglasses"
 sociatine with that Conover man. pouted Lefty. 'Tt's-it's indelicate to speak of switches. And it hurts my feelings cruelty to have you abuse the people I love!''
 The tears. always comfortably near the surface. trembled in Letty's voice ana eyes. Caine. in a fever of re- morse. begged forgiveness and tried to put his arm about her. But she drew away with little hunch of the
 You've spoiled my evening"" she Walied- First you introduced that miserable man to me and made him rrlghten me, and now you make fun of-''
 Footsteps crossing the hall brought her tale of wrong to an abrupt halt She sat up and furtively mopped her eyes. Tears were so common and so easy a relief to her that normally they left scant mark of their presence. Caine rose and faced the door: the distressed lover merging as by magic into the bored. suave man of the world
 Reuben Standish's widowed sister-in- law gl1ded into the room. diffusing an anra of mild beneficence that struck Ce1ne's nerves to the raw. Her near sighted eyes turned as in lofty bene- diction upon the lovers: her thick glasses diffusing and maxnffying the glance until it seemed to embrace all the visible world.
 Mir. Standish, on the death of her husband. came to keep house for her W1dower- -brother-in-law She had brought with her her orphaned grand nephew. Give. (only son of Letty's elder brother. long deadD. whose up- claim to sanctity and her scriptural thorn in the flesh,
 'Clive has been so bad again this evening"" she said with a sigh. after a these crosses are sent to us. But some- times l am nearly tempted to wonder why. I actually caught him lacking his grandfather's slippers to the floor. chiffonier. in MT. Standish's room. l locked him in the nursery for an hour while I prayed to see my duty clear. And when I went to him. strengthened fault. what do you think I found him doing? The hardened boy was actual ly drawing caricature. depicting his grandfather trying to walk in the tacked-down slippers. He had not even the grace to hide it when he saw me coming. There was nothing left for. me to do but to whip him. So have sent him out to cut a small stick
 Poor little chap!" muttered Caine stifling a smile. He was found of the boy. who in turn idolized him.
 Perhaps" went on Amzi. aloud 'If instead of whipping him. you could let me talk to him and explain"
 Aunt Lydiaw piped a voice from the doorway A little Eton-suited boy with a mop of yellow hair and sorrow ful dark eyes. hesitated on the thres- hold.
 "Oh, here you are," added the child, coming into the room and walking g straight up to Mrs. Standish. 'T-"
 Where is the stick?'' asked Neme- sis. her glasses ref1ecting less sanctity than was their custom. as they sought clasped behind him.
 I'm sorry" replied the boy. apolo- find a stick. But" with a propitiatory ward. Here are two stones you can throw at me. instead, if you like.''
 Gaines laughter exploded: brsalzing in with scandalous intrusion upon the
 MT. Caine,". said Mrs. Standish, her coldly righteous rebuke rising above Letty's milder reproval. 'T think. per haps, for discipline's sake. it might be well for you to end your call before you do anything more to make this wicked boy regard his fault as a mat ter for levity.'
 Caine glanced in humorous appeal to- ward Lefty. But his fancee. as usual in matters of family crisis. only stared back in piteous fear.
 'tMr. Caine,'' called Give. as the visitor completed somewhat frigid adieux and moved toward the door. "I am very sorry 1 got you into trouble. I'm afraid Aunt Lydia don't quite un- derstand us men,