El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-09
FALLING LEAVES
BY MurieI c. Lindsay.


" HE autumn tints struck mo as
oeing particularly fine as We en-
tered the woods, and mentioned
Ihe fact TO Fanchette, who merely nod
ded and darted forward with out
stretched hands as a brilliant gold and
crimson leaf sailed majesucally past
missing her eager fingers and nutter-
ing to the ground some inches away
What on earth are you trying TO
do?' I inquired as she returned TO me
Ter hat a trifle askew, her mplsn Iecs
alight with mischief, ana her Chse>S
glowing from her eXertions-
Cant you see silly? Trying 70
catch one Of course, she retorleu1;
They say IL you can catch one dilu
wish, your wish will be fulfilled WITHIN
I the year, but I've never manas 60 70
catch one yet she added regrelIu liy-
We reached a fallen log close 10 the
murmuring stream, less noisy than
usual after the summers long drouIh'
and after making sure the log was
clean, suggested that we should rest
"Weu2" queried Fanchette after a
pause. during which 1 listened TO the
waters drOwCy babble and tried 20
screw up my courage TO administer the
necessary scOlding-
We'll % / answered weakly
Fancbette cooked a scorntul eye az
me. The mink knew perfectly wei
how I was feeling.
I hope you didn't, bring me mere 70
listen to your wailing. she said caus-
tically- 4 suppose old Catty FUSS mas
been at you again. L thought as mucn,
never come down except to scold, 90
your Well with resigned air, nuf-
~ UP and get il over, and then we can
enjoy ourselves"
Mrs. CatcIeugh, alias Catty Puss, IS
Franchette's chaperon and ]. Richard
Bosufield. author, am her much ha-
raised guardian The duties Of a lie
time have been concentrated into the
few months since E'anchette grew up,
and Just now I was down on a visit TO
her. the result OF an urgent appeal
from the worthy woman, following on
Fanchette's dismissal OF her latest
Mrs. Catcleugh has nothing TO do
with the matter observed menda-
ciOusly; but the fact IS, Frances TINS
state Of Things cannot commune YOU
must make up your mind to take one
or the other Of them
Il knew something horrld was com
ing when you called me Frances, she
said plaintively. i wish to goodness
you wouldn't bother me like that
AS your guardian il is my duty 10
bother YOU I replied severely Il am
tired of interviewing hopeful aspirants
for your hand, and having them as IL
were, cast back in my teeth BY an IN
grateful ward
Not ungratefUl" she interposed
quickly. with a swift glance at my
frowning face. and I do hope your
teeth haven't suffered" she added
sweetly.
NO less than six this last year."
continued, paying no attention TO her
frivolous Interpolation
Seven" she corrected. with unruf
Kled composure, making an Intellectual
grab at a scudding leaf
''One navy. one army ticking them
off on slim brown fingers, "A baroneL
a lawyer, one NJ p, one squire, and a
a nfau areHaf 80 Hsa
murmured.
This has got to cease I said firm
"; II cannot have this wholesale trlf-
ling with manly affections. and the
next man that proposes TO you you
will accept"
DO you want me TO marry a bad
man." she demanded, turning wide, re-
prOachful eyes on me-eyes Whlch re-
minded me Of the clear golden brown
Of an unruffled peat pool
"A bad MANI Certainly not I be-
gan Indignantly. I never suggested
But tie next one who proposed
might be absolutely rot-decayed, she
hastily amended
You know perfectly well I meant
the next eligible proposal said
Grossly III take jolly good care no
one OF that sort ever comes near you"
sorry" she replied with suspicious
meekness. Il didn't understand You
only said the next proposal"
For the next few minutes 7 found the
opposite bank extremely interesting.
I gazed long at IL, trying to harken
small witch beside me, but I'm vain II
ached too, a good deal { times. but
1 had to pretend IT didn't, and resolute-
~ steel myself against temptation.
causing me to forget the disparity be-
tween 10 and 80.
'Heighor' said Fanchette presently.
making another unsuccessful dive after
a leaf which seemed almost within her
grasp, then danced tantalizingly be-
yond her reach. ''Heighoi ] quite fOrsee
I shall never marry; ] am doomed to re-
main an old maid For the men who
want to marry me don't want; and
the man want doesn't want me So
there you are"
The devil he doesn't. I exclaimed
Wrathfully, bringing my eyes back TO
Fanchette's serious face. Just tell me
who he is, and III bring him to his
senses / grOwled. This was news 70
me indeed. and the idea Of my ward
pining from an unrequited affection
was very disturbing. I had always
looked on her as whole hearted. await
ing the fairy prince who was to Waken
her to love, and it was rather discon-
certng TO find that she had never been
asleep.
Fanchette shook her head. from
which she had removed her hat and
the sun filterlng through the leafy
canopy caught the red CLEANS in her
hair making 1t shine like a newly
husked horse chestnut
EOOoneSs gracious, no.. she eX-
claimed in shocked tones; what an
awful suggestion Just imagine the
poor things feelings II you did
'InsOlent young PUPPY" I said holly.
He deserves horsewhipping'
oh, no, he doesn't" she said indig-
nantly.
And besides, he-he isn't so very
young she added. busily stripping off
pieces Of bark and throwing them into
the stream, thereby causing a panic
among a thriving colony Of insects: I
Il don't care for them too youthful"
How old IS he?" I oueried, wonder
ing what her idea Of age might be- a
sudden hope sprinsing into my heart
on. about 80 or so. I should say"
she answered carelessly.
I dug the ferrule Of my stick into a
faded primrose leaf and Wrenched IL
from Its parent stems with savage en-
ergy- II she thought 80 was old what
would she say to SO? It would suggest