Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-27

the Hare and Tortoise-the name Of which,
has always pleased me-do you by any
chance happen to enjoy the acquaintance
OF Mr.. Hartley Wiggins?'
Cecilia lifted her head. I saw that she
had been as startled as !. 1t crossed my
mind that denial OF any acquaintance
with Virgins might best serve him in the
circumstances; but I am not, I hope,
without q sense of shame, and l re-
; sponded promptly:
Eyes, / know him we'll. We are old
friends I always see q good deal of him
during the winter. His summers are spent
usually on his ranch in the west. We
dined together two days ago at the Hare
and Tortoise, just before he left for the
west"
You will pardon me if say that it is
wholly to his credit that he has forsworr
the professions and identified himself
with the honorable calling Of the hus-
! bandman.''
We met Mr.: wisgins while travelins
abroad last summer" interposed Cecilia.
meeting my eyes quite frankly.
Met him! Did you say met him. Co
ella? On the contrary We found him
| waiting for us at the dock the morning
we sailed" corrected Miss HOLSTER. land
We never lost him day in three months
Of rapid travel. had never met him be-
fore. but l connot deny that he made
himself exceedingly agreeable. IT, as
suspected, he had deliberately planned to
ITANel OH tHe same STEAMER Will MY I've
nieces, have only praise for his conduct
for in these days. Mr.. Ames. it warns my
heart to find young men showing some
thing Of the old chivalric ardor in their
affairs of the heart"
I'm sure Mr.. Virgins made himself
very agreeable remarked Cecilia, color
lessIy.
"lTor myself retorted Miss Hollister
~ should speak even more strongly. He
repeatedly served US with tact and deli
Ns,A ~r-sxf,
! isfaction his vigorous chastisenient OF OUT
! courier in Cologne, where that person
was found to have treated US in the most
treacherous manner. He had, in fact. ir
collision with an innkeeper. connived al
the loss Of our baggage to delay our de-
cathedral the greatest architectural mon.
strosity In Europe"
''Oh, Aunt Octayia, you didn't really
mean that" And Cecilia laughed for the
/, first time. Her color had risen and he'll
dark eyes lit with pleasure.
Il had formed 30 high IN opinion Of
Mr.. Wtggins.' Miss Cctavia continued
that learned with sincerest regret that
his ancestors were tories and took no
part in the struggle for American indie
perdence. There are times when I seri-
ously question the wisdom OF the colo
nists in breaking with the mother coun-
try: but certainly no man Of character
in that day could have hesitated as to his
proper course"
| Then. as though by intention. Miss Hol-
lister dropped upon the smooth current OF
our talk q sentence that drove the color
from Cecilia's face. At once the girl was
cold again. and felt embarrassed and
uncomfortable that q friend Of mine had
been brought into the conversation to my
befuddlement. The situation was trying.
but in spite of this 1t grew steadily more
interesting.
"Hezekiah and Mr.. Virgins were the
best Of friends" was Miss HOLSTERS re-
mark.
Cecilia's eyes were on her plate: but
her aunt went on In her blithest fashion:
you may not know that Hezekiah is
another niece. Cecilia's sister. She was
named, at my suggestion, for my father,
there being no son in the family. and
trust that so unusual q name in q young
girl does not strike you as indefensible.'
ION the contrary, 1t seems to me wholly
refreshing and delightful. As I recall the
Sunday school of my youth, Hezekiah
was q monarch Of great authority, whose
animosity toward Sennacherib was justi-
fed in the fullest degree. The very name
bristles with spears. and is musical with
the trumpets of Israel. Nothing would
make me happier than to meet the young
lady who bears this illustrious name.''
"As to your knowledge of ancient his
tory. Mr.. Ames." began Miss Hollister,
as she helped herself to tho cheese-
sweets. noted, were not included in the
very ample meal I had enjoyed-'it is
youth. / am not surprised. however, for
I should have expected nothing less Of
son OF the late Gen. .Ames OF Hartford.
As to meeting my niece Hezekiah, l fear
that that is at present impossible. While
Cecilia remains with me, Hezekiah's duty
is to her father. and I must say in all
kindness that Hezekiah's ways, like those
Of Providence and the custom house, are