The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-05-11


the capacity to kill"
Rensselaer, laughed "Can you imRg.
Inc anything more amusing than
fight with about fifty of those chapsr
81 don't see the fun in it," objected
Phillip. 81 saw crowd Of uewsboys
in Chicago attack very brawny man
once. and they nearly killed him"
"I've known cowmen to fight over a
milder discussion than this" laughed
Rensselaer, II guess we'd better drop
II. DO you remember that famous
fight between Mutton Harris and
Freckles Lane over the proper way to
flop pancakeT
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 installment 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.
81 knew you'd comer' she said. with
an unmstakable ring of delight In her
voice.
quite naturally" Phillip assured
her as he shook hands with her. AL
low me to introduce Mr.. Rensselaer,.
Miss White"
How lucky | amr' she said eagerly
as they walked up the steps. when |
read your name in the Sunday list of
hotel arrivals | just felt sure that II
must be our Phillip Kelvin. and told
father that | was bound to write to
you and invi'- you to come out"
81 wondered how you found me so
readily" he commented. smiling.
ITS because I'm so lonesome she
replied 1--WE don't make friends here
as we did I'm 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 | never found one un-
I'll now" she admitted because they
don't publish the arrivals at the cheap
hotels, and we never knew anybody
who was likely to he able to stop at
the more expensive ones. That is how
came TO be sure IL was you"
"I don't see why" objected Phillip.
when you knew me was ms poor as
a church mouse"
81 know. but that was Ave years ago,
and | felt sure that In five years you
ought to be stopping at the Esplanade
or you wouldn't be the Phillip knew"
That's 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, Elsie"
Fifteen" she replied.
Give years ago" mused Phillip
"Now you are twenty"
"And you're thirty-one," she re-
turned. "My. how old we're becom-
ingw
She led them into the little parlor,
which opened directly from the stoop.
In one corner was music rack filed
with music. and though that corner
was filed with a big chair It seemed
consplcuously 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 upl
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 a trifie brighter. "My,
how solid looking you've grown!
Seems to me you look as II you was
hunting for somebody to contrary you.
You didn't use to look that way
when you boarded with us-did he,
ElsieT
Kelvin turned to Elsie, and in his
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. Kel-
vim had found himself strongly drawn
to Elsie, but he sternly suppressed
that tendency as quickly as he recog-
: nizpd N I'm himself
81 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"
~ suppose you're married by this
time" 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.