United labor bulletin., 1910-12-08

The saccharine quality of the con-
versation and the romantic type Of
Percivals beauty could not quite
blind her to the consciousness OF the
clergyman's troubled face as he sat
at the writing table in the library
just beyond. nor that her aunt
glanced in the parlor disapprovingly
as she rustled by to join the lonely
figure.
Margaret" began her aunt one
night after one of Percivals calls.
do not get 1t into your head that
Harriston is any more than a
colossal blum. He doesn't care for a
thing on earth or in heaven beyond
his own pretty self"
''Oh. Aunt Jean. II that be true,
why should he come here?"
He comes here for the reason he
frequents teas and other silly, man
less functions. for the sake of the
incense you and other women, who
should have more sense. pour out so
literally before the shrine of his self
love-"
You are unjust to him, auntie
He really cares for big things in life.
He tells me often of his longing to
perform great deeds for the good Of.
mankind.
"Humph." grunted none too
patient Aunt Jean. "if he could be
induced TO get on the pedestal built
on his love Of self for a minute and
use little old-fashioned common
sense. It would be much more to the
point than all this dreamy moon
shine"
You are unjust to Percival. Aunt
JEAN" repeated Margaret.
"Percival. Percival: we'll. what can
one expect any way from a man with
a name like that"
Please don't. auntie."
Very well. I'll say no more. but
my chief consolation is that in your
heart you care no more for him than
I do. You are fascinated by his ro-
mantle looks and high-flown speech.
l pray earnestly, dear child. that you
do not throw away beyond recall the
substance for the shadow
And Aunt Jean left Margaret to her
own not very happy reflections.
On Saturday afternoon not long
after this conversation Margaret went
for a stroll in the park with Mr.. Har-
riston. 1t was an ideal red gold and
green autumn day. Every grass plot
in the park was filled with gay.
laughing children. but finally Mar
garet and Percival discovered and
took possession Of n bench in path
way deserted but for an infant sleep
ing peacefully In a baby carriage op-
posite.
Percival. his languishing brown
eyes looking unutterable things. be
gan to hold forth in the language
that seemed to go SO well with his
type of manhood. while Margaret sat
listening entranced.
81 assure you. Miss Starfield knight
errantry is not dead" he went on
grandiloquently: the things one can
do in these modern days are as great.
as noble. as chivalrous and are of
larger import than most OF the deeds
done by knights of old. And when
the chance comes to me to prove this.
/ promise you, shall be ready"
"Oh, II Aunt Jane and some others
could only hear him now. they could
not fail to be convinced Of his
splendid manhood" whispered Mar
garet to her own soul.
I'm the meantime" resumed Per
cival. Il"
Before he could say more terri.
fed scream rent the afr.
The baby carriage opposite had
started down the sloping pathway
and was perilously careening from
side to side. The infant was yelling
Justify
stop that carriage! oh. run.
rum" cried Margaret to Percival.
Suddenly she caught sight Of the
cleaning lake In the distance. The
baby c-rriage was rushing toward It.
She rushed forward and reached the
handle bars just as the clergyman.
coming from side path. stepped in
front of the carriage.
Over the squirming and indignant
infant their eyes met. And for the
first time Margaret saw clearly and
truly. There was for them in that
brief moment in all the world only
one man and one girl. music and
laughter. springtime and love.