Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-10-10

"GoodnessI" Cried Fran, "Does II Hurt
That Bad7"
clared abruptly, 81 must go back to
the meeting"
Fran had heard enough about HIS
leaving her. She decided to stop that
once and for all. IF you go back.
go, tool" she said co~nclusively. Sha
gave him a look to show that she
meant 1t, then became all humility.
please don't be cross with little
Nonpareil," she coaxed. please don't
want to go back to that meeting.
Please don't want to leave me. You
are SO learned and old and SO strong
you don't care why a little girl
laughs"
Fran tilted her head sidewise, and
the glance of her eyes proved irresist-
ible. "But tell me about Mr.. Greg
ory," she pleaded, and don't mind my
ways. Ever since mother died I've
found nothing in this world but love
that was for somebody else, and
trouble that was for me-"
The pathetic cadence of the slender
throated tones moved Abbott more
than he cared to show.
IF you're in trouble" he exclaimed,
you've sought the right helper in Mr.
Gregory. He's the richest man In the,
county, yet lives so simply, SO fru-
gally-they keep few servants-and
all because he wants to do good with
his money. think Mr.. Gregory is one
Of the best men that ever lived"
Fran asked with simplicity, Great
church worker?
Hes as good as he is rich. He
neve misses a service. / can't give
the time to 1t that he does-to the
church, / mean; l have the ambition
to hold, one day, a chair at Yale or
Harvard-that means to teach In a
university" he broke off. in explana-
ton.
you see," with a de~precatory
smile, II. 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 wal what she want
ed him to be.
Fran allowed his soul to battle q
while in divine eye-beams of ~fattering
approval, then gave him a little sting
to bring him to life. you are pretty
old, not to be married." she remarked.
Il hope you won't find some woman to
put an end to you 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 fact, he was rather hard hit. This
wandering child was.no doubt a 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."
YES" said Fran, wondering who
"the woman" was, "if you can't be
practical, there's no use to be. Well,
l can see you now, at the head of
some university-youH make it, be-
you're SO much like me. Why.
when they first began teaching me to
feed Good graciousl What am I
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"
Books aren't religion" he remon-
strated, then added with Unnecessary
gentleness, Little Nonpareill What
an ideal"
Eyes, books are" retorted Fran.
shaking back her hair, swinging her
foot, and twisting her body inpatient
ly. That's the only kind of religion
/ know anything about-just books,
just doctrines; what you ought to be-
lieve and how you ought to act-all
nicely printed and bound between COW
ers. Did you ever meet any religion
outside of a book. moving up and
down, going about in the openf"
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. l hope be can make me
happy. I'm certainly unfortunate
enough. I've got all the elements he
needs to work on.s
~Erom New York;" He considereA
Continued Next Week