The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-23

Literary Press.
III il was only Phil. I wouida't
4 rltnd,' walled Billy, cause / love
hlm."
is Mister Phil any kin TO YOU
/ all p asked big black Liza as she
stopped pairing apples and leaned over
/ the pan to question the small boy
/ who sat on a little stool which was
kept III the kitchen for his especial
use.
!, Not any blood 'lation, mother said,
! only just our bes, friend since father
I died Kinda friend kin. / guess, Liza
/ bet he takes up for me cause he
knows how hate step fathers.
don't want any father anyhow. / don
need any"
! Now, honey, wait till sou see hin
before You GO to talking that "ftess
Your ma, she : lonesome like al
wants regular company. Take TINS
here apple peel an throw II over. your
Ieft shoulder an see who you g9in
TO marry when you get to be q man
Not even the long smooth apple
! peeling tempted Billy Won
/ ever. ever get married cause II
i 'variably makes some folks sad, he
said disconsolately
Liza looked IN the deep brown eyes.
for there Was Il suspicion of tears ID
his voice. but no moisture was APP
parent In their clear depths Billy
was being a man, although at such
cost that only his own tiny heart
could have told. Tell Billy, SO the
telephone message from his mother
ran that afternoon, that | am bring
ing him a new father to night
A stop father What had he done
that s;seh dreadful punishment must
bn inflicted - n him II had been so
happy with his mother they had been
such friends. but now q man was COM
ing to spoil II all
. 4 won't call him father Thatll
make him mad, l bet III just say
Mr.. What ever his name-is, and il he
tries TO boss me around. I'll tell him
] ! was here first fore he was born
I reckon"
Liza knew that BILLY had passed
the age where she could take him IN
her arms and comfort him lie felt
that he was being set aside for some
stranger, and the thought hurt him
cruelty There Was nothing baaylsf1
about Billy, he had put away all
childish things with building blocks
and nursery rhymes, and had assum-
+ ed a manly and protective air over
/ his mother which had at once sur
/ prised and pleased her.
He could not quite remember his
] tall slender father who had died when
he was only little fellow Phil
Warner his fathers friend ana bust
ness associate. had been his ideal Of
masculine attractiveness since he was
i old enough To think about such things.
i Phil was always Interested In hrs ac-
quirement of knowledge and skill.
and was never too tired to play games
or take him riding in his big white
touring car. Only of late Billy had
noticed that Phil did not laugh when
people facetiously suggested the pos
sibflity of step-father, and were met
with Billy's usual defense, We don I
need q man at our house, and | don t
need father Mother says that I'm
man enough for her. At such times.
/ Phil Only looked at him sadly with
! grave. unsmiling eyes.
AS Billy watched Liza's deft black
hands handle the sharp, shining little
knife over the apples he reflected with
uang that Phil must have known
about the coming step father and had
hated to tell him.
Il was hurryin,' anyhow. fast as l
could. to grow up and be the man of
the house. Now l never will be, Liza.
| he queried after an ominous pause,
do you suppose he'll kiss mother
/ mornings Nnen ne Hb0lfS GOWN 10
| breakfast same as j dc? ~
'Cose, honey" she felt that she
must prepare him for an expected
ordeal, 'of 'cose. That's what she's
marrying him for little lovin' and
regular company.
Il loved her. much as anybody
| could, but ! reckon | wasn't enough,
was ]. Liza ?" The thought Went deep
into his heart and Billy became vim
dictive. II know what III do. I'll
! tie a string across the walk and throw
him down when he comes in. Thatll
make him mad, l bet"
NO. Billy, you must do that. cause
1 he's got to live here an you might just
as well start ont peaceable like. They
amt no use in fussin'. What's did $
did, an that's all they Is to it
The telephone bell rang sharply and
Billy started up. Maybe mother was
only joking" he said hopefully. I'll
go see
Tears ran down the old black face
as Billy went through the hall and
climbed into his chair by the tele-
phone. "Po III chile" she said. "Po
lii chile"
Hello, This is Billy Reynolds Is
that you, Phil? o, Phil, I've got o
step father coming ! inst wish 1t was
you. No, mother never told me who 1t
was, she Just said he was coming to-
night. Liza got some ice cream slip
pers when she heard about It but I