The Press., 1913-08-06

for me to go down tnere' ne pEOteSt ed ..Mr. Morse. he went away this morningT'
 event away? Where did he go?" e ..He went down to the city to visit his sister, Mrs Penny l saw him get on the stage. and he told ma he was going"
 \ "Well. never!'' declared Maria hrea thlesslv. and she hastily bestowed a doughnut on Leander and sent him on his way.
 ssI'd like to know what he means by that" puzzled Maria as she carernlly set the teapot away in the parlor cup hoard .it's the first time he's been away from home in five years. and lts oueer he never said word to me about it last night. Maybe he'll send me a postal card.
 But Peleg Morse did not send Maria a picture postal nor any other message although she heard rather indirectly from him through Leander Platt. who had charge of Peleg's flock or chickens during the deacOn's absence.
 ''I guess he's having a good dme' said Leander one day. "He wrote ma he'd been to the moving picture show fifteen times already"
 "Good landV commented Maria un- easily. "Thnt's kind of unbecoming Tn a deacon" .. .... ....
 "T,Il bet it's fun.'' retorted Leander enviously.
 So Maria had the Windsor chair, but she was deprived of Feleg M0rses company on those festal evenings, Tor he remained in the city all winter Maria hnd plenty of time ih Whieh te reflect unon her seitshheRs lh aeffiv ing Peieg of the ancient chair Whtfh was the pride of his sehnty e9llecHoH' Tor hia sister SaHh hnd hAd her choice of furniture when she married and the elderly bachelor hnd to be content Wltli what was left md what he could huy
 "I don't know," reflected MhFh one spring afternoon, but somehow V seems as if I'd rather see Peleg Morse sitting here in the old willow rocker than to sec that empty Windsor chair over there! And that was Il strange declaration for Maria Weed to make But she was suhdued in many ways, and one of the ways was that she rafh CT lost her greediness for old furniture and another was that she learned ihh' human compnnionship was more to her than empty polished wood and that the society of Peleg Morse wns most desirable of all
 "What a ninny whs!" snapped Ma ria at her reflection In the mirror thai evening
 | A half hour later a knock came upon the side door. and when Maria threw Il Iiopen who should enter but 'eleg ! Morse himself, looking very fresh and I5rather dandified as to clothes. for he wore a new gray suit with a pink tr This lapel, and in his hand he carried q gray felt hat
 Well. Maria, 1t seems good to ge, back again. he said after they haC | exchanged few commonplaces con cerning his return.
 .IndeedY' asked Maria tartly. ''l en | joyed those postal cards you sent. Pc
 leg!"
 Peleg blushed uncomfortably. "Yol know I didn't send any. Maria Weed : "Why didn't you?"
 "Oh-I guess l was some put ou
 about that chair" hesitated Peleg, ey ing the Windsor chair unfavOrably.
 Well. you can take it home-I'n ! tired and sick of the thing-I hate it! E quayered Maria. dNbbing her knitting work Into her eyes. >.... .e.,.. ''So, sop breathed Peleg. astOnished "I thought you wanted the chair. Ma
 ria'?"
 come and sit in 1t sometimes" retOrteC Maria. knitting furiOusly. Hum" For a few seconds the room was very still Then somehow PeleG Morse found courage to tiptoe over tt Maria and place a timid hand unde1 I her round chin. See here, Maria" h' l said awkwardly. ''I been staying iva. | On purpose was mad about tha
 ahair. knew you wanted 1t, and
 had it slowed away because l wanted
 to give it to you for wedding presen provided you'd marry me. But, concerI it all. couldn't get my lander up tt l ask you to have me, and declare i l you didn't nag 1t out of me before l could propose to you. Honest, that | The truth! Now. what would you hav' ! Daid if had asked you to marry me?" "l might have said yes." said Maria
 happily. "only you went off and left m' l and didn't say word" I well. guess l must have gone t' pick out good place to spend honey
 moon." explained Peleg glibly. "anC l I've got it. too. Maria! We'll go tC
 New York and go to the moving picture
 show every night in the week. Wha
 say2"
 "Yes." sad Maria