The Washington herald., 1913-11-23

conscious OF tIllS tnan WHcI, dltcr Ilc
welcome home had quieted down bit,
he strolled out and glanced at the
Blanchard porch. A dazzling young
lady over there was arranging her
fluffy summer gown picturesquely as
she sat down in one of the big rock
ing chairs. She was supplied with a
pink book, the color of which matched
her gown and her cheeks perfectly,
but before she opened the book she
gave the neighborhood a satisfied in
spection, and so saw the young man
looking out upon his boyhood sur-
roundings with the new eyes of ex-
tremely serious maturity.
Welcome to our beautiful city!"
called the girl gayly, rising from her
chair.
1t was Miss Blanchard after all. He
had been in some doubt about it.
Pickles" he used to call her. He
shuddered at the memory of the
dreadful word. A year ago, too, he
would have vaulted over the picket
fence that separated the two lawns,
and i'm an instant more would have
been sprawled upon the Blanchard
steps. He remembered this also with
a pang as he lifted his hat and made
a dignifed bow to her; then he walked
sedately down the Gilman path and
out at the Gilman gate; he walked Sc
dately over to the Blanchard gate and
opened it; he walked sedately up the
Blanchard path and upon the Blanch-
ard porch, where he deposited himself
and his rigid Prince Albert carefully
upon a chair, after having shaken
hands most politely with the Blanch-
ard young lady. How you have bios
somed" he observed with a fatherly
gravity that forbade any suspicion of
galIantry Il should scarcely have
known YOU
we all change she solemnly re-
piled, through lips that were full and
red and most deliciously curved. I'VE
bud, we blossom, we ripen, and decay.
Life-ah, life is merciless|
Yes he admitted pensively, 1--WE
are always growing older"
He was twenty-five and feeling for
a mustache; so the weight of advanc-
ing -years lay heavily upon him. Alice
Blanchard reached over to lay her
pink book upon the tabourette at her
right hand, and the bookmark fell out
1t was a large, square, cream-tinted
envelope and very fat. The address
was i'll mans bold chirOgraphy, and
Mr. Gilman frowned as he noted it.
This sort of thing was a part of the
folly he had left behind him forever.
Miss Alice picked up the letter, but
she did not do it hastily, nor blush.
She put it carefully back in the book;
it was too sacred a thing to be treated
fippantly. Already Alice Blanchard
had met her Fate She was a woman,
now, with all the responsibilities and
cares that come to a mature woman
of nineteen.
Silence ensued. They looked out
upon the pretty suburban street with
thoughtful eyes.
at must be fine to be a man." pres
emily sighed Miss Blanchard; ito be
able to go out in the world and fight
for fame and fortune.
He turned reproachful eyes upon
her.
'Fame~ he expostulated. "Fortunel
There are too many of the worlds
greedy host after those empty honors.
Miss Blanchard was startled but
gave him instant comprehension. She.
too. was just back from college.
True" she sighed. How true"
"As for myself" he went on. my
die is cast. l have already engaged
to devote myself, after a short period
of repose with the good grandpar-
ents who raised me, to the uplifting
of humanity Settlement work is to
occupy my time henceforth.'
His eye was calm but stern. He
did not glow with enthusiasm. The
cause was not one for mere boyish
fervor. 1t was mans serious, sober,
solemn mission that he was under