The Irish standard., 1911-04-22

q
milder discussion than this" laughed
Rensselaer,. II guess we'd better drop
1t. Do you remember that famous
fight between Mutton Harris and
Freckles Lane over the proper way to
flop pancake?"
That started line of "reminiscences
which lasted until they searched out
the home of Ben White.
The Whites were strictly an INSTALL
ment family. They lived in an INSTALL
ment house, wore installment clothing,
sat upon instaIlment furniture and
read installment books. As Kelvin and
Rensselaer, turned in at the gate
scowling collector was turning away
from the door, in which stood plump.
rosy and altogether wholesome looking
young woman.
II knew you'd comet" she said, with
an unmistakable ring of delight In her
voice.
"Quite naturally" Phillip assured
her as he shook hands with her. cal
low me to introduce Mr.. Rensselaer,,
Miss White"
"How lucky I amp she said eagerly
as they walked up the steps. "When I
read your name in the Sunday list of
hotel arrivals just felt sure that 1t
must be our Phillip Kelvin, and told
father that I was bound to write to
you and invite you to come out"
II wondered how you found me so
readily" he commented, smiling.
"It's because I'm so lonesome" she
replied. 1--WE don't make friends here
as we did in Tennessee, so am
for ever and ever reading the hotel
arrivals, hoping that among the names
I'll find somebody we used to know"
She paused moment and laughed at
herself. "But I never found one un-
til now" she admitted. because they
don't publish the arrivals at the cheap
hotels, and we never knew anybody
who was likely to be able to stop at
the more expensive ones. That is how
I came to be sure it was YOU"
II don't see why" objected Phillip.
''When you knew me was as poor as
church mouse"
II know, but that was five years ago,
and felt sure that in five years you
ought to be stopping at the Espanade
or you wouldn't be the Phillip knew"
"Thats very pretty compliment,
Phillip" said Rensselaer,.
'This young lady couldn't say any
other sort of thing about me II she Is
like she used to be-" replied Phillip,
placing his hand affectionately upon
her shoulder. "She was one of my
stanchest adherents in those days, long
before she was young lady. How
old were you when left, ElsieY'
Fifteen" she replied.
give years ago." unused Phillip.
''Now you are twenty"
"And you're thirty-one." she re.
turned. "My, how old we're becom-
mgr
She led them into the little parlor,
which opened directly from the stoop.
In one corner was music rack filled
with music, and though TINT corner
was filed with big chair it seemed
conspicuously bare. To Phillip, who
knew the Whites so well, that space
told its own story. The payments on
the installment piano had not been
kept up!
| Elsie called back across the dining
room to the kitchen:
"Mr. Kelvin is here, mother"
A very much faded looking woman
of forty-two or forty-three came In,
drying the backs Of her hands with her
palms.
I'm mighty glad to see YOU" she
said, shaking hands with him, and her
tired eyes grew trihe brighter. "My,
how solid looking you've grownl
Seems to me you look as If you was
hunting for somebody to contrary you.
You didn't use to look that way
when you boarded with us-lid he,
Elsie?"
Kelvin turned to Elsie, and in his
gaze Rensselaer, thought that he read
| friendly admiration and nothing more.
His look had not that rapt eagerness
Of her gaze and never would have for
any woman. Rensselaer, found himself
deciding He decided wrongly. KEEL.
vim had found himself strongly drawn
to Elsie, but he sternly suppressed
that tendency as quickly as he recog-
| nized 1t in himself.
II don't know" replied Elsie to her
mothers question. "There seems to be
some slight change. but to me he Is
just the same old Phillip. whom I'm
glad to see again and hope to see
often"
II suppose you're married by this
tme," suggested Mrs. White.
II have never stayed in one place
long enough to get married, except in
Tennessee, and there was too busy"
laughed Phillip.
"Elsie has never forgot you," Mrs.
White next observed. "She thinks
about you all the time, and she's been
talking about you ever since we moved
away"
The connection Of Mrs. Whites re-
marks was so absurdly palpable that
Rensselaer, could not help letting his
eyes twinkle, and Elsie. catching his
| ~vIo ~