Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-30
! bigger; just keep working my way ur

bigger; Just keep working my way up
and up"
He had not meant to tell her about
himself, but Fran's manner OF lifting
her head to look at him, az he finished
each phrase, had beguiled him to the
next. The applause In her eyes
warmed his heart.
"Yoh see." said Abbott with depre.
catory smile, IL want to make myself
felt in the world"
Fran's eyes shone with an unspoken
"Hurrah!" and as he met her gaze, he
felt a thrill of pleasure from the i'm
preston that he was what she wanted
him to be. 49,.
Fran allowed his soul to battle a
while in divine eye-beams of flattering
approval, then gave him a little sting
to bring him to life. You are pretty
old, not to be married." she remarked.
81 hope you won't find some woman
to put an end to your high Intentions,
but men generally do. Men fall In
love. and when they finally pull them
selves out, they've lost sight Of the
shore they were headed for"
A slight color stole to Abbott's face.
In face, he was rather hard hit. This
wandering child was no doubt witch.
He looked in the direction of the tent,
as II to escape the weaving of her
magic. But he only said, THAT sounds
-er-practical." i
Eyes" said Fran, wondering who
the woman" was, III you can't be
practical, there's no use to be. Well, l
can see you now, at the head OF some
university-youll make 1t, because
you're so much like me. Why. when
they first began teaching me to feed
Good gracious! What am l talking
about?" She hurried on, az II to cover
her confusion. But I haven't got as
far in books as you have, so I'm not
religious" '-r
Books aren't religion" he remon-
strated. then added with unnecessary
gentleness, Little Nonpareil! What
an idea!" ... ..
Eyes, books are retorted Fran.
shaking back her hair. swinging her
foot. and twisting her body impatient.
ly. That's the only kind of religion l
know anything about-just books, just
doctrines: what you ought to believe
and how you ought to act-all nicely
printed and bound between covers.
Did you ever meet any religion out
side of a book, moving up and down,
going about In the open"
He answered in perfect confidence,
"Mr. Gregory lives his religion daily
the kind that helps people, that makes
the unfortunate happy"
Fran was not hopeful. well, I've
come all the way from New York to
see him I hope he can make me
happy. I'm certainly unfortunate
enough, I've got all the elements he
needs to work on"
From New York; He considered
the delicate form. the youthful face,
and whistled. "Will you please tell me
where your home is, Nonpareil?'
She waved her arm inclusively.
America. wish it were concentrated
in some spot, but it's just spread out
thin under the Stars and Stripes. MY
country's about all have" She broke
off with a catch in her voice she
tried to laugh, but 1t was no use.
The high. moon which had been OBJ
secured by gathering cloud banks.
found an opening high above the
fringe of woods, and cast shining
glow upon her face, and touched her
figure as with silver braid. Out OF this
light looked Fran's eyes as dark as
deepest shadows, and out OF the I'M
fashionable depths Of her eyes glided
two tears as pure as their source In
her heart.
Suddenly it came to Abbott Ashton
that he understood the language OF
moon. watching woods, meadow-lands.,
even the gathering rain-clouds; all
spoke Of the universal brotherhood OF
man with nature; a brotherhood in
GLIDING the most ambitious superln-
tendent of schools and homeless
Nonpareil; a brotherhood to be con-
firmed by the clasping of sincere
hands. There was danger In such
confirmation. for it carried ABBOTT
beyond the limits that mark a super
intendents confines.
AS he stood on the bridge, holding
Fran's hand in warm and sympa'
thetic pressure, he was not unlike
one on picket-service who slips over
the trenches to hold friendly parley
with the enemy. Abbott did not know
there was any danger In this brother
" handclasp: but that was because ne
could not see fleshy and elderly
lady slowly coming down the hill AS
the superintendent, he should doubt
less have considered his responsible
tiles to the public; he did consider
them when the lady. GREATNESS and
severe. approached the bridge, while
every pound Of her ample form cast
its weight upon the seal OF her disap-
proving, low voiced and significant,
Good evening. Professor Ashton"
Fran whistled.
The lady heard, but swept on with
out once glancing back. There was in
her none of that saline tendency that
made Lot widower the lady desired
to see no more.
Fran opened her eyes at Abbott to
their widest extent as she demurely
asked. "How cold is 1t? My ther-
mometer is frozen"
The young man did not betray un-
easiness, though he was really
alarmed. for his knowledge of the
fIeshy lady enabled him to foresee
gathering clouds more sinister than
those overhead. The obvious thing to
be done was to release the slender
hand: he did so rather hastily
"Have got you into trouble?' Fran