The Huttig news., 1912-06-29


town; the three boys, promptly
| shipped 10 the scene of action in the
! care of big cousin. We're safe until
| ate bedtime: and the Fond Parent, af-
feetionate and artless. turned off the
| electric light that the two might en-
| 10y the first freight chat of the sea
| son.
1t was delicate operation. but it
was performed with the skill of
master, and the lilly Maid, who had
been positive that her heart was
crushed for life. was amazed 10 real
re that the mangled organ, as its
weight of woe was rolled on the Fond
Parents ample bosom was rapidly re
! turning to something like its normal
shape. In fact there remained but one
wound which threatened serious con
sequences. and that was the injury to
the Lily Maids self-respect. 1t was
not so horrible, after all, that they
should have quarreled; red -headed
people were almost always high-tem-
pered; and she frankly admitted that
his hair was red, Though hitherto she
had spoken of it as auburn; and, of
course. if person chose TO go with
other girls-with another girl-and
send her flowers, and lend her his so
eiety pin. a person would scorn to
care, declared the Lily Maid. with
little tremef in her voice; hut there
was something else she added with n
gasp, huryiug her nose in the Fond
Parents neck gear. and squeezing her
very hard She had given him a lock
Of her har-when he kept on begging
and when she gave it to him he had
kissed her hand, and he must have
! thought she cared, because she didn't
get mad. and she had cared and he
knew ii, and he didn't care at all, She
wished she was dead She would never
get over it. AHd she knew that il
Sas the other girl he had liked all the
imc. She wouldn't mind it So much
if he had cared. but now she was dis
2raced; she could never look anybody
N the face again.
The Fond Parent held her very close
md spoke almost in whisper She
remembered her father. did she not
she asked the Lily Maid The latter
raised her head suddenly. for even
now her mother spoke of him only
with an effort. and under pressing
need. She felt sudden sense of dig
nifty, of intimacy. of sharing her moth
er's confidence. not as child but as
a woman. The Football Youth seemed
suddenly of small consequence She
remembered her father perfectly. and
the memory was full of pride and
10y It had been impossible for the
Football Youth to make any very rapid
Roadway with her until she had per.
suaded herself that he would become
in time. very much such a man as her
father had been Just now this idea
appeared absurd. But her mother was
speaking again. Her father had loved
a woman many years-that was before
she knew him He had loved the
woman deeply, but when, at last they
were. about to be married. she had
Tilted him. and given her hand to a
| mere boy. younger than herself, whose
prospect of wealth seemed greater
than her fathers Would she lose re-
had cared so much, and given his love
where it was neither appreciated nor
returned? The Lily Maids eyes
! flashed Her mother pressed her head
| gently down on her shoulder again
and went on. 1t was terrible thing
for her father; it was years before
he had cared for another woman
for her; but this that had come to her
little girl was just a breath of the
! future. faint prophecy of the time
when her heart should awaken. not
for boy, but for man. 1t was just
that the time had come for her TO stir
in her sleep; anyone else would have
done as we'll as the Football Youth
It would soon pass.
The eyes of the Lily Maid. as she
kissed her mother, were not altogether
| ineredulous. and in the days that fol,
lowed she frightened visibly. II was
easy to talk now. and if she eelt again
the chills and fever of dependency
she knew where to go for help The
| Fond Parent attended her GONZALES
cence with light heart. thankful for
/ the UlifU attach, anu HbItlHl lidt nei
treasure was now immune As re,
ward for good conduct. and also as Z.
prccaution against the evil effects Of
! jdleness, she sent her to visit relatives
! in Washington during the Christmas
| holidays. and smiled over her own
astuteness when she noticed the Foot
ball Youth lounging slowly by the
house next day, aud watching the
front door with furtive air He re
peated the performance for day or
two, and after that she saw him no
more until college reopencd. when he
marched by with his head erect. and
with quite the air of man of the
world.
The holidays were prolonged for The
Lily Maid Three days before they
should have ended, the solitary board
! ing pupil who remained at the semi
nary through the Christmas season de
vcloped a case of scarlet fever, which
threw the little town in panic: and
it was nearly February before the
afflicted principal could open the schoo