The Democratic advocate., 1909-05-21
TIT FOR tat
Rx CLARA 4. aol MES.

ule station, pulling breathlessly from
It's long race, and Ben Hildreth drop
ped off the rear car and looked about
eKpectantly.
-Hildaw he calculated joyfully,
STOPPING to kiss the slender young lady
who approached him with extended
hand
Her naughty withdrawal and very
Indignant look surprised him. and her
critical glance made him painfully
aware Of his forty-three years and his
dusty and very ordinary dress.
Her glance said plainly Mercy, how
odd he is, ana look at his clothesr'
After five years betrothal their
cherished love dream became at once
intangible by reason Of misfit coat
and a plainly shown giriiah contempt
for an accumulation Of years.
But when Ben clasped hands with
Hilda's mother he forgot the bitter
tang Of disappointment. She was un.
changed. Her face wore the same con-
tented look, and the welcome he re-
celved might have been a leaf torn
from the book Of past happenings.
Even the hot biscuit at supper time
had the well remembered relish OF for
mer days. And the thoughtful man.
ner Of saying, Now go and take your
smoke, Ben; / know you are wanting
1T badly" seemed like the picking up
OF the raveled threads from the tan
gled skein of time.
Somewhat OF Hilda's aIoofness wore
OF after the first few whenever
she could forget the humiliation Of be.
ing kissed In public.
'rhe very ideal Any one would
know he was from the westP' she cop-
Guided wrathfully when telling 1t to
her mother.
Mrs. Stevens laughed heartily. "Ane
people so different in the west9 Ihad
supposed that they were merely ener-
getic persons who needed elbow ROOM
"oh, you can laugh, but just look
at bis clothesr'
Yes; clothing does make differ
euce In the flavor OF kiss"
Whether 1t does or not, am not no
ing out there to live with a man old
enough to be my father" was the an
CRY reply.
Tell him so, not me. You knew
where he lived and his age, didn't You.
when you gave him your promIseY"
Il suppose so, but didn't have sense
enough to know what II meant" she
grumbled. and besides, he's so much
older than he was then. Why, it's Ave
yearsv
Yes, he Is five years older, and so
are you. Excuses are so easy to find
IL we seek them"
IL don't care; he isn't one bit as he
used 10 ber'
when people say they don't care
they acknowledge that they are In
fault and know It. think that the
change is In you, Hllda."
As the days went by Hllda's dislike
seemed to increase. She would FIRE.
quently 20 out and let her mother en-
tertain Ben for a whole afternoon
without the courtesy OF an apology.
Ben did not appear TO be annoyed IN
the least. Instead he chatted merrily
with Mrs. Stevens and easily fell into
the old time habit OF calling her Lottie.
Occasionally he would regard Hllda 80
teasingly that she would grow restiye
under his gaze and fly out OF the room,
storming to her mother: 81 hate hImi
] hate him!v
well. why not tell him so and end
the engagement? You are In a happy
frame Of mind for prospective bride. .
To this Hilda made no reply.
The wedding day drew near. Ben
had been out Of town one afternoon.
and, being delayed by business, 1t was
late when he returned.
"Do you know where Hilda isf" he
questioned OF her mother.
why, yes" she replied. "she said
that she was going over TO her cousin
Nettie's."
"oh. she did. did she?" answered
Ben so quizzically that Mrs. Stevens
said nervously. What ls wrongTe
There's nothing wrong" he replied
with light laugh and settled himself
for a smoke. His laugh was too light
to be reassuring. Mrs stevens drum
med on the table restlessly.
'Its all right Lottie," he assured
her, laying his hand over her fingers
to still their restless movement. After
a moment he remarked, How home
like you make every place. Lottie! I
have been thinking Of the hills ali day,
and--it makes me homesick. | wish
you and ] were there" he finished
wistfully.
ut would be nice. I'd like to see the
mountains. When you and Hilda have
been married year or so. I'll visit
you, perhaps" doubling hesitation in
her tone.
He regarded her with wrinkled eyes
for minute. Then he asked with
seeming irrelevance, "Do you know
Charlie Dupont7"
why, yes. Why do you ask thatY''
Just curiosity, suppose" with an
other laugh.
ben, what is the trouble between
you and HildaT in a tone of exagpera-
tion. "She isn't happy, and you are
tormenting. do not believe she win
be at all happy out there. She hates
the west" Mrs. Stevens reconstructed
rather incoherently.
"Shed hate any place with me. I'm
the difficult problem, Lottie." replied
Ben calmly.
"You two are laying up an abun-
dance Of unhappiness for yourselves"
was the grave reply.
Don't you fret over us little chill
dren, Lottie," said he, rubbing his
hand significantly over the very ap.
parent bald SPOT ON the ton NJ his