The Huttig news., 1912-06-29

havoc wrought by the knees and toes
Of three stout boys was sufficient to
engage her most serious attention.
but her needle slid in and out auto
matically, and what she saw was not
the fast-tilling chasm through which
her plump fingers yet shone, but the
face of the football youth with its
setting of bushy hair. its cerulean
eyes. and the bit of down which WAS
to the eye of faith an incipent mus
taehe
He had come to college a raw fresh
man only the year before, and ne
lived with his aunt across the way.
At the time of his arrival the Lily
Maid wore pigtail and abbreviated
skirts. and her indifference to the ad-
hiring glaGces of the college youths
was to the Fond Parents eye beauti-
fnl and touching thing. Unfortunately
il was not destined to last. But the
Lily Maid was gentlcwoman. and IT,
during that magic year, as her skirts
descended and her pigtail aspired. she
began to notice the ripple of plcasur-
able interest which her morning walk
mast the college campus Invariably oe-
casioned, she gave no sign. but went
calmly on, as usual to the door of the
Select Seminary for Young Ladies'. of
which institution she was the acknowl-
edged ornament and pride
Il was late in The spring before the
Football Youth mustered courage IN
call with his aunt The Lily Maid
Was. by that time, a creature not TO
be resisted She had made several Of
her summer gowns herself. and if the
Fond Parent rather disapprovcd of the
little train, she was too proud of the
Young dressmakers skill to say so:
he rietail had also finished its jour
qey. and rested on the little head in a
fluffy golden heap. Outwardly the
lily Maid was young lady. lnWardly.
she was a very shy little girl. and
when the Foott all Youths visit was
nded, and she euddled down ia the
Fond Parents capacious lap for one
Of their frequent private chats, she
plainly intimated that she thought the
young man a bore; and that her own
three brothers were really the only en-
| joyable boys in town "a sentiment
which the Ford Parent frankly shared
1t developed that the Football Youth
was an orphan, and he naturally spent
he summer with his aunt. so much
Of the summer, that is to say, as he
did not spend on the Fond Parents
yeranda with the Lily Maid. The
I, l.,
enough, and was forced to admit to
herself that he seemed really quite a
nice child. In a moment of indiscre
ion she presented this opinion of him
to the Lily Maid, and was panied to
receive the information, enthusiast
cally given, that he was a sophomore
IN college. that he was head man"
on the college team, and that he would
be twenty years old on the seven.
teenth of next April. This was not
'ong before college reopened, and the
Lily Maid entered upon her senior
year at the Young Ladies' Select sem
mary. Next year she was to go to the
Woman's college at Lynchburg; and
The Fond Parent now regarded those
halls of learning as a haven of refuge.
provided the child could be landed
there with her heart intact.
But trouble was evidently brewing
She was blessoming out in a really
miraculous way, while the Football
Youth was positively radiant, oven
to the prongs of his auburn hair
When. in their confidential chats, tho
Fond Parent carelessly introduced his
aame, the Lily Maid fell suddenly 81
ent. and atoned for her reticcnee with
mpassioned squeezes, which took the
Fond Parents breath in moro senses
than one. But that sagacious lady,
troubled though she WAS. knew better
han to snatch at an unripe confidence
which was sure to drop into her hand
1t last; so she watched with keen eyes
which were amused and anxious by
lurns. and though she seemed to see
nothing when the Lily Maid looked
her way. she spread so many snaros
for the unsuspecting child. that the
latter went her way with a happy con
seriousness that when the time came
it would not be at all a difficult thing
to pour her tale into the Fond Parents
ear
1t came about, however. as such
things usually do, in quite an unsus
pected way A sudden change came
over the Lily Maid For several days
she went quietly. almost silently, about
the house; she no longer turned her
head when the maid returned from
trip to the front door; her appetite
tagged: and the Fond Parent was
quite sure, more than once. when she
went as usual to the child's bedside
at night, to see that she was comfort
ably tucked in, that Lily Maid was
wide awake. though she lay quite still
with closed eyes. and gave no sign
that she felt the good night kiss. when
it softly touched her cheek in the ac-
customed place. The situation was
clear. even luminous. without the add
ed fact that the Football Youth had
disappeared from the Fond Parents
horizon.
Having diagnosed the case the next
step was to apply the remedy. 1t was