The Washington herald., 1912-08-25

with artless simplicity.
Sure, / know as much" grinned the
Watermelon. "But I'm not paid to tell
what | know. 1t would be starvation
rates for NINE" he added.
Billy laughed. Didn't you ever 60
to school?" she asked.
"Yes, ! went to school, when father
cidn't forget"
Didn't forget?"
He had eight kids. you see. anG he
used to say a man couldn't be respon-
sible for more than six. Two kids. he
used TO say. were blessing, four a
care, six a burden, and eight an af-
fiction. and no man is responsible for
his Affections"
Il wish ! had some relatives" said
Billy wistfully. There are only daddy
and |. Don't you like relatives, some
one who belongs to your"
Father used to say that relatives
were an affection, and he supposed a
man had to have Affections to make a
man of him, but if he had had any in
huence with Providence, he would nave
preferred not to be a man"
Who was your father?" asked Billy
"A minister" answered the Water
melon, claspIng his hands behind his
head and staring up at the interlaced
boughs overhead. "A country minis
ter. He used to say that there was just
one thing in this world more pitiful
than country minister, and that was
his wife"
Why" cried Billy, "the papers said
he used TO be a policeman"
Il thought you didn't read the pa
pers?"
Il don't Just the Sunday supple
ments," said Billy frankly, as one to
whom his intellectual development is
of minor importance
The Watermelon wheeled over with
Il laugh and caught her hand. Hang
dad" he exclaimed "Where'd you
get your name?'
He drew himself up on the log beside
her, as near as he dared. He wanted
TO put his arm around the slim waist,
but decided that he had better not.
She jerked her hand away and laugh
ed, her small nose wrinkled. the din1ple
coming and going. Don't you like it?
Sure. It's classy. all right. But
what is the long of it"
"Wilhelmina. Dads is William, just
like yours. We're all Billies"
Mine amt William" sneered the
edging a bit nearer
Her eyes opened and she stared in
frank surprise. But the papers
say
The papers lie faster than I can"
said the Watermelon. and that's fair
ly speedy He had only an hour and
he did not care what she thought be-
tween him and the papers. Billy is
darned cute little name. and cue lit
tie girl" he added.
Il guess you can lie faster than the
papers" said she.
Il can when want to-" admitted the
Watermelon. Father used to say that
a man that couldn't lie was a fool and
one who wouldn't, 4 bigger"
Il should think if your father was
a minister that he wouldn't lie said
Billy severely.
II know. But he used to say he had
TO in business way. To tell man
that there was a bigger hell than this
Why"
Because there couldn't be. he used
TO say"
Don't you believe in heaven?" de-
handed Billy.
Sure" said the Watermelon.
What do you think its like" asked
Billy.
"A watermelon patch" said the Wat
ermelon promptly. Just when all the
fruit is ripe Don't you think SOP
Il think its an ice cream counter"
said Billy.
Nav. At an ice cream counter you
would have to have money"
Not in heaven. you wouldn't" said
Billy. 1T would all be free and you
Gould have as much as you wanted
Who would wait on you: Any one
,ould pick watermelon, but everybody
ant mix an ice cream soda
The bad people would. That would
,e hell, you see. always serving II to
others and never allowed to taste any"
That wouldn't work. either" OBJ
ected the Watermelon. Because there
would be so many more to do the serv-
ng than there would be people to serve
No. We are both wrong. Heaven is a
yrove of trees back of a white garage
There's fallen log and couple Sit
ing on it"
4 should think that would be mo-
said Billy. DO they TALK"
Sure, they talk Heaven amt a |
leaf and dumb asylum"
Il should think they would get talk |
d out during eternity"
All" said the Watermelon, leaning
bit nearer, eternity is but a min
tie"
What do they talk about?"
Heaven"
Are they angels?"'
One is"
Billy laughed. Who are you" she
sked, leaning toward him, one hand |
esting on the log between them, her
teady eyes on his lace.
The Watermelon again drew fortl:
he card case, extracted card and pre-
ented it to her with a flourish.
Holding it, she shook her head dubi-
usly. Il mean are you a stock-brok-
T? Are you on Change? Father has
cen nearly all his life, and he looks il.
lis eyes and-everything. Your eyes
re different. quite different. I don't
lean in color and size, for of course
hey would be, but in expression"
How do you know" asked the
You have only seen
heir expression when l have been
boxing at you, and man doesn't look