Morris tribune., 1910-12-09
S T o r I z S
''' = {a90 o
The Changing Hours.
By GRACE MacGOWAN COOKE and
CAROLINE WOOD MORRISON.

Mazda was searching In her pocket
and did not give this quite so much
attention as it seemed to him to de-
serve. "See here" she announced,
pulling out two bits of pasteboard
''these are dance programs. III keep
this one with the pink pencil and give
you the one with the little blue pencil
to it. You must carry it with you and
write down exactly what's in your
mind about me every time the clock
strikes"
Suppose l don't happen to hear it
striker" demanded the boy, who was
too honest to realize that he might crib
sentimentalities as other fellows crib
bed exams.
"Oh, well, you always know what
time it is, don't you?" Mazda tossed her
pretty head and made eyes at him In
the light of the late moon which had
risen.
Il reckon l do," agreed Donald, re-
moving his cap to scratch a worried
head. what sort of stuff do you
want me to write, anyhow?
what sort of stuff do you think
about me-anyhow?" mimicked Mazda.
looking adorably mischievous.
"Why, that you're the cutest, pret-
test, sweetest girl in town." assever-
ated Don stanchly.
''Smarty" The big eyes were swift
ly yelled and there was a great show
ing of dimples as the girl laughed at
him. 81 suppose you can write that
down-if you can't make up anything
more sensible"
"Wil 1t do if just write that twelve
ttmes?" asked literal Don doubtfully.
Would it do! Mazda thought with
gleeful anticipation Of having such a
card with Donald Harvey's name on
it to show to her ten dearest friends
"If you can't do any better" she
pouted.
well" sighed the youthful swain,
II reckon l can do it. But I'd a heap
rather say it to you"
That was to have led up to the good
night kiss. as both of them well knew;
but now came a thin, sweet voice from
an upper window:
'Maida-Maida! Is that you out
there? Who's with you" A shutter
moved
Eyes, mamma" responded Mazda in
a dutiful little girl voice which Don
hardly recognized IT'S only Donald
Harvey. We walked up from choir
practice together"
It's late, children" and Don thought
he saw a head behind the shutter. II
left light in the hall, Mazda. Don't
fail to put the cat out, dear, so she can
get to her kittens"
Eyes, mamma" The eager young
voice grew fainter as Mazda turned
disappointed eyes to where her re-
Gently captured prize was disappearing
in the darkness.
His father wakened him at $50 to
split that kindling he had forgotten
the night before This made him
late about milking the cow. He was
at it when the clock struck 7, but
well, there are no clocks In stables
and the dainty little gilt edged card
with its dangling blue pencil remain
ed sunk in oblivion and in the hip
pocket of his trousers past that fated
hour. There was a grudged fifteen
minutes for breakfast, a hasty per-
formance of the remaining chores, then
Don's real day began with a dive In
the river. It was vacation time and
all the fellows were out. Oh. that
cutting through the air with a 1.-THE.
sharp boned body-the plunge in the
clear waters. soft as velvet and thrill
ing with liquid electricity! There was
Babel by the riverside, so many shrill
young voices in rapid vibration.
Jaw. 'fraid cat, dive"
Juniper. See Sam go over!'
Hurry up. jim"
Jaw, don't be so smart-I'm aeon
imp
"Whoop-look at Slimmy! Hey, Slim,
quit threatenin, quit your fudgin', an
dive-dive-dive!'
Don tingled with enjoyment. Did
clock strike? Was there a clock In
the world? If there was could boy
take a program and blue pencil out of
a pocket when he had no pocket on?
They bantered one another to go
farther and farther out on the RATS.
crying. Its bully to dive where it's
real deepT until Donald distanced
them all. With a splendid leap he
cleared the far end of the last raft and
cleft the swifter waters. There came
a crashing blow on his head. His nos
trils smarted and filed; his muscles
slackened-lost their cunning. Like a
weed awash he was being sucked
down. But he understood what had
CHANGED: he had risen beneath the raft.
his head colliding with the old sodden
logs. With quick presence Of mind