Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-02-16
LITTLE
ALICE
She Afforded a Grown Man De-
lishful Entertainment
By LLOYD WILLIAMS
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

should take an interest In politics. He
was a shrewd man-we all think our
selves shrewd-and could see through
believed In the Machiavelian type Of
diplomacy and prided himself upon be-
ing able to conceal his meaning by his
words as well as the great diplomat
himself. He was ambitious, and am.
bilious men are liable to overtax their
strength. At any rate, Bixby overtax-
ed his and was ordered to go away
by himself into the country and live
the simple life Of domestic animal
That Is, he was to eat and sleep and
not think.
He chose farmhouse The season
was not propitious, for the summer and
part Of autumn had passed, and the
days were short. BiXby received the
morning papers from the city by II
o'clock, and between breakfast and
their receipt he walked. 1t was all
very we'll for his doctor to tell him
that he must do nothing. Everybody
knows that Satan provides work for
idle hands to do. So long as he was
busy he lived as innocent a life as
any man Of his acquaintance. Just as
soon as he ceased to work he got into
mischief.
Chance furnished an opportunity.
One morning he started out for his
constitutional. 1t was a cold, lowering
day and splitting snow. Nevertheless
Bixby craved exercise and enjoyed
stepping out at brisk pace. He had
not gone far before he saw n girl com
ing in the opposite direction. When
she passed him he knew at once that,
like himself, she was not country born
and bred. Her dress coming only to
the tops Of her boots left Bixby in
doubt whether she had yet emerged
from young girlhood or whether she
had adopted a short skirt for walking
In passing Bixby she lowered her eyes
with that modesty one expects to find
either in young girls or in eminently
correct ladies.
The next morning BiXby took his
constitutional at the same hour and on
the same road. He had no idea of
meeting the girl he had met the day
before. Indeed, he had quite forgot
ten her. Passing over crest and
looking ahead, he saw a farmhouse
and at the same moment door was
opened and a woman came out and
took the road toward BiXby. She had
not come very far before he recog-
nized the girl he had met the day be-
fore. She was now carrying some
books under her arm.
Schoolgirl" remarked Bixby to him
self.
Bixby had just turned thirty-five,
and if his thoughts the day before had
inclined TO n possible relief from the
tedium of his exile with this girl the
discovery that she was schoolgirl
put the idea quite out of his head. He
permitted his eyes to dwell upon her
for the moment during which he was
passing her, and she, as before, low
cred hers.
The next afternoon Bixby was out
rambling-indeed, he had nothing to
do but ramble-when 1t occurred to
him that he would like glass of
milk. At the moment he espied in the
distance the house from which he had
seen the schoolgirl emerge the day be-
fore The natural consequence of want
ing the milk and seeing the house at
the same time was a thought that he
might see the girl. In telling the sto-
ry he never speaks Of this last thought,
leaving one to suppose that the two
first contingencies alone resulted In
his going there.
On reaching the place he opened the
gate, went deliberately up the walk
and raped on the door A woman
opened it, and Bixby asked if he
might beg n glass of milk. His re-
quest was granted, and he was invit-
ed into the living room TO walt while
the woman brought the milk. At
table, with books-presumably school
books-befere her, was the girl.
BiXby took seat. The girl did not
look up, but kept on with what she
was doing. evidently studying. The
woman was some time bringing the
milk, and, since it was embarrassing
to sit in the same room with a person
without speaking, BiXby concluded to
make a remsrk.
Are there good schools near here?"
he asked
mo. not very good schools. believe
But l don't know anything about
them. / don't go to school here"
Bxby was too we'll bred to ask
where she did go TO school. He re-
marked upon the beautiful country
round about and how he enjoyed walk
ing.
The girl told him thai walking
in cold weather was her delight but
she couldn't take as long walks as she
would like because 1t was not consid-
cred safe for her to go alone. Then
Bixby told her why he had come to
the country. that he had nothing to
do sll day and if her father and moth
er would permit her TO go with him IL
would give him great pleasure. To
this she replied that her father and