The Huttig news., 1912-06-29

robe couch, while the Fond Parent en-
tered into a searching inquiry regard
ing the styles displayed in the shops,
and the tendency of the times i'll the
matter of skirts. There was something
else in which she was even more in
terested, and it must bide its proper
time. The time came when she put
her arm about the Lily Maid, and that
small person smuggling against her
side, dropped her golden head upon
her mothers shoulder and began. in
a shy little voice. to tell her tale
When the Football Youth had fol
lowed her to Washington--the Fond
Parent gave thanks that she had no
nerves and never started, she had
been just little glad at first; but
after anybody knows a mana real
man. who has read, and knows every
thing, and has had adventures in all
sorts of queer countries = the Fond
Parent took a sudden twist in her
mental consciousness with a view TO
holding herself steady-why. a boy
like that is so raw And besides, they
hV''i nave any oChSN. anu arc III fti
in the way. And, of course, she went
on, hesitating little, if people will be
foolish, and insist on saying things, no
body wants them to say-and besides,
ii couldn't possibly make any differ
ence to her what girl he went with;
AS if she could be jealous about boy,
And he had called her a f1irt, and had
been horrid in every way; and she
hadn't done any such thing; and when
other people were so good tempered,
and so cultivated. and so interesting,
it wasn't her fault if the Football
Youth bored her. He was so young.
The Fond Parent sat blinking at the
new wall paper which adorned the
Lily Maids room, wondering if she
were really awake She looked down
at the pretty head and touched the
fluffy hair softly with her lips. while
she encouraged the child. by various
sympathetic squeezes. to go on; but
she was not listening at all She WIS
wondering if it were always to be ont
of deep water into deeper; if the little
feet that she had guided so long, in
stead of coming back to her side
again. were beginning to stray still
further afield. She had known they
must walk their path some day; but it
had never occurred to her that the
Football Youth stood at the parting of
the ways, and that. though the child
might walk near at hand for many
mile vet, she would never return 10
the security of the path which she
had left.
The Lily Maid was beginning to
wonder a little at her silence when
the smallest boy burst into the room
with Joy on his youthful countenance.
Did his mother ever see such bully
apples well, splendid apples, then
the man didn't have but three bushels
left, and that pig of Tom Walker
was Just sprinting down the street to
get his mother to buy the whole lot.
| The Lily Maid stretched out her hand
for one of the samples, and set her
small teeth in it with evident pleasure.
AS the Fond Parent opened her peck
! etbook, brother and sister caught sight
of flying figure almost at the corner
of the street. They sprang to the win
dow, by common impulse, and en-
gagged two-thirds of the countrynan' 5
stock, just as the painting Thomas
threw himself upon the tailboard OF
the wagon, and gasped ont that his
mother would take the three bushels
The light of victory cleaned in the
eyes of the two at the window. and
they scurried downstairs, hand in
hand. to secure their prize while the
Fond Parent, stepping down slowly.
as became her years and dignity, as
sured herself with smile that the
Lily Maid had come home in time, and
was in no immediate danger.