Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-05-05

"Oh, sis!' cried the boy. I'm going
TO tell mamma ON YOU
Clifford caught him half way up the
staircase and brought him back.
How would you like to go to camp
with me. Harold, and see the sol
diers?" asked the officer.
"Bully! Shall we go now"
Fright away"
Seizing the boys hand, the captain
! drew him to the front door.
Keep him as long as you can,"
whispered Dora.
"May | drown himY' asked the cap
tain In return.
The case was too serious for even
smile from Dora, but she wished that
| the boy might be temporarily rendered
| inanimate.
Clifford had Harold with him half
day when it occurred to him to take
him back to his aunt. \ telephone to
| Dora secured the address and her ac-
| quiescence.
Dora made one grave mistake. She
failed to inform the oculist of the all
important secret. Mrs. Wilkinson told
him that she would like to surprise
her son and daughter by having the
! operation performed without their
knowledge and appear to them en-
| dowed with her natural eyesight He
| fell i'll with her plan and assisted her
! to arrange matters to that end. Mrs.
Wilkinson suggested that her supposed
son and her daughter should visit
Dora's grandmother, who had heard of
| the young soldiers return and was
| anxious to see him. Dora. realizing
that she could explain matters to her
grandmother. accepted the invitation
for herself and Clifford. The visit WAS
made and the grandmother let into the
secret.
AS soon as the pair had gone on the
visit Mrs. Wilkinson telephoned her oc-
ulist, who sent nurse and u carriage
for her. She was driven to his office
and an operation successfully perform
ed. The patients eyes were bound up.
and she was told not to take the band.
age off till the next afternoon. Then
she was sent back home in care of the
nurse. who was to remain with her till
the bandage was removed.
The next afternoon the surprise that
had been planned by Mrs. Wilkinson
was to take place. The couple that
had gone on the visit were to return
at O'clock and Mrs. Wilkinson was
to take off the bandage upon their ar
rival. A few minutes before it was
removed and when a carriage rolled
up TO the sidewalk Mrs. Wilkinson was
near the front door ready to spring
into her sons arms when he entered.
Suddenly the door was thrown open
and the young officer and Dora enter
ed Mrs. Wilkinson was about to
spring into Clifford's arms when she
saw that he was not her son. She
drew back.
"Why. motherw exclaimed Dora.
turning white.
who is this gentleman? expected
to see Elmer. l have submitted to an
operation and can see quite well.
wished to surprise my boy"
Clifford saw that the time had come
for him to rise to the occasion.
Madam" he said, II am your sons
friend. | am more than that. am,
trust. to take your sons place. to
love you and cherish you as your own
boy would do were he here with us
But he is not here. He died for his
country and asked me on his deathbed
to tell you that his last thoughts We're
of the one he loved best in all the
world-his mother"
1t was sad ending to the poor VIC
mans surprise. The blow, II not sof
tened at the time, was rendered In the
end more endurable by devotion on
the part Of the young soldier to his
friends and his wifes mother that last
ed until that mother was called to join
her own son.
The Crush.
1t was at an afternoon tea, with the
usual musical accompaniment. The
mans man had been literally dragged
there, an unwilling victim, by zeal
Gus friend who liked afternoon teas
with a musical accompaniment Need
less to say, the Jealous friend was
ladies' man. sr. '-'" co. y H'
The mans man was very unhappy.
He had sulked and had positively re-
rused to be introduced to the bevy of
charming girls presiding at the tea
tables, much to the chagrin Of the Ia
dies man, who naturally couldn't un-
derstand the attitude of the mans
man. 1t was inexorable, from his point
Of view. But ray of hope glfm-
mered in his breast when the mans
man rushed up to him, exclaiming:
II say, old fellow, introduce me to
the fat lady sitting over In the corner.
will your"
The eyes of the ladies' man glis-
tened
with the greatest of pleasure" he
cried Have you got crush on herr?
NO" replied the mans man savage
ly. Il should say it was quite the
other way. She's sitting on my hatw-
Philadelphia Ledger.