Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-02-16

who apparently do all their "orK
while leaning against the posts out
side the gate, and by the little hump
backed fruit-seller. who sits under
the huge yellow umbrella, looking Ike
a china image in her green dress and
snowy white cap.
Hal, pulling at his pipe, goes up the
hot. white street, mods to the stable
keepers as they bestow an elaborate
bow upon him, stops to stare at and
pat the two painting dogs in the milk
cart, buys three ripe figs of the old
woman, and then clatters through the
paved hall OF the Krone, and. eiatter-
ing up the brood stairs, saunters into
one of the old rooms on the first floor
of that most respectable hotel.
Sitting by table at the open win
dow is the Reverend Peter Bell, writ
ing a letter with one hand, and beat
ing OF the gnats with the other. Per-
SEPARATION is upon his forehead, for
the gnats are numerous and the bat
tie has ragged long. His sleek hair is
twisted by the heat, and his long
coat of Oxford mixture is dusty; but
he looks up with the old good-tem-
pered smile. and greets the youth
with the old:
well, Hal?''
Well" says Hal, dropping into the
chair nearest the window, and pulling
the curtains into something like a
screen. by Georgel it's like an oven
in here. and"-looking at the rever-
end tutor with merciless candor--
"you look half-baked, sir"
1T is hot, Hail." admits Bell; re
markably so. 1t is true this room
faces the south
And is evidently the favorite and
fashionable resort of every fly in For.
BACH" says Hal, striking out wildly at
a cloud of those insects. What are
YOU doing, sir-besides melting, /
mean?"
I'm writing to your excellent aunt,
my boy" says the Reverend Peter.
= promised her that / would iet her
know"
Whether get into any mischief or
not; thank you, sir. I've been pretty
good up to now--eh?"
Yes" says Bell. with little dry
cough of hesitation.
"Oh, come sir" says Hal, lazily ex.
postulating; Il regard myself as a
pattern of propriety."
"Well--welli" says Bell, leaning for
ward and mopping his forehead. but
wish you would address yourself to
acquiring the language"
"All right, sir" says Hall Il shall
pick 1t up in time. To tell you the
truth, I'm waiting till get cold in
my head-that's the only thing that
will give a foreigner the proper Ger
man accent. I've got some fish. /
wonder whether they would let us
have em for dinner?"
Il dare say" says Bell, peering into
the basket, through his spectacles.
Dear me! they look very ike Eng
lish trout III think should like
to try and catch some myself, eh,
HALF"
He laughs, knowing well that "old
Bell" could no more throw q, : ian
shoot pheasant.
"All right" he says: well have a
try tomorrow"
Then he leans on his elbows en- the
open window sill, and looks down into
the street with more of thoughtfu.
ness ON his face than 1t usually
wears.
Bell meanwhile, returns TO mis- let.
ter, the competition of which is not
greatly facilitated by the low and In.
cessant whistling which Hal carries
on.
Suddenly the whistling ceases, and.
without looking around, he says:
Did You ever see princess, Beu?"
DID eyer-no: oh, yes, once, IN
kensington Gardens" says Bell. mop
ping his forehead and smiling medi.
| tatively.
y forget which princess it was. but
she was very fair and stout, and
looked in pleasing manner
oh" puts in Hal, f don't mean
that sort of thing. Anybody can see
a princess in carriage or at the the.
ater--or at Madame Tussaud's. Were
you ever in the same room with one
ever speak to one?'
mo, Hall" says Bell. blandly 81
don't remember that / have
"Hem!' comments Hal. Surprising
one meets and-and gets
into a confab with her is it the right
sort OF thing to call her your high.
ness,?"
Certainly should say so, says
Bell, but with undisguised uncertainty.
I'm not quite sure; oh, yes, but not
too frequently. What makes YOU ask.
Hal?"
Merely the thirst which consumes
me for every kind of information. -
says Hal, grimly.
Bell smiles, and goes back to his
letter; but Hal has not finished vet.
II say, Bell" he says. "ain't it a
rather rum thing for a princess to be
trotting about alone? fanoied that
they were generally attended by a
companion--a what do you call it. sort
of attache?''
Not always" says Bell. oh. no.
| especially on the continent ,rha