Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-09

OuS u Wow VI tuc VHA64os " Luc1T e6[S
came the sprightly Twentieth Century
hymn. What change had come over
Ashton that the song now seemed as
strangely out of keeping as had the
peacefulness Of the April night, when
be first left the tent? He felt the
prick Of remorse because in the midst
Of nature, he had so soon forgotten
about souls.
Fran caught the air and softly sang
I'VE reap what we SOW"
"Don't!" he reproved her. Child,
that means nothing to you"
"Yes, it does, too." she returned,
rather impudently. She continued to
sing and hum until the last note was
smothered in her little nose. Then he
spoke: "However-it means a differ
ent thing to me from what it means
to the choir
He looked at her curiously. "How
di6erent" he smiled.
TO me, It means that we really do
reap what We SOW, and that II you've
done something very wrong in the
past-ugh! Better look out-trouble's
coming. That's what the song means
to me-"
"And will you kindly tell me what it
means to the choir?"
Eyes, l tell you what 1t means to
the choir. It means sitting on benches
and singing, after sermon; and it
means q tent, and great evangelist
and q celebrated sO1oist-and then go
ing home to act as If 1t wasn't So"
Abbott was not only astonished, but
panied. Suddenly he had lost mo
body's little GIRL" to be confronted by
an elfish spirit Of mischief. He asked
with constraint, did this critical at
titude make you laugh out. in the
tent"
II wouldn't tell you why l laughed"
Fran declared, "for q thousand dol.
lars. And I've seen more than that
in my day"
They walked on. He was silent, she
impenetrable. At last she said, in a
changed voice, my names Fran.
What's yours?"
He laughed boyishly. Mines Alb
bott."
His manner made her laugh sympa-
thetically. 1t was just the manner she
liked best-gay. frank, and little
mischievous. "Abbott?" she repeated:
wells that all?"
ashton is the balance: Abbott
Ashton. And yours?''
1.-THE rest of mine is Nonpareil-
funny name. isn't it!-Fran Nonpa-
reil. It means Fran, the small type;
| .k4S DO ole
or-Oh, there are lots Of meanings to
me. Some find one, some another,
some never understand"
It was because Abbott Ashton was
touched that he spoke lightly:
What very young Nonpareil to
be wandering about the world, all by
YOURSELF"
She was grateful for his raillery.
'How young do you Think"
LET me see. Hum! You are only
about" She laughed mirthfully at
his air Of preposterous wisdom.
about tllirteen-fourteen, yes, you
are more than Fifteen, more than
|. But take OF that enormous hat,
little Nonpareil. There's no use guess
ing in the dark when the moons
shining"
Fran was gleeful. "All right" she
cried in one of her childish tones,
s1rill, fresh, vibratory with the mu-
SIC of innocence.
| BY this time they had reached the
foot-bridge that spanned the deep ra-
vine. Here the wagon-road made its
crossing OF tiny stream; by slipping
under the foot-bridge, some fifteen
feet below. On the left lay struggling
Littleburg with its four or five hum
dred houses. family twirkling, and be-
yond the meadows on the right, a
fringe of woods started up as If it did
not belong there, but had come to be
seen, while above the woods swung
the big moon with Fran on the foot
bridge to shine for.
Fran's hat dangled idly in her hand
as she drew herself with backward
movement upon the railing. The moon
light was full upon her face; so was
the young mans gaze. One of her
feet found, after leisurely exploration,
q devastating board upon the edge
of which she pressed her heel for sup
port; The other foot swayed to and
fro above the flooring. while little
hand on either side Of her gripped the
top rail.
Here am" she said. shaking back
rebellious hair.
Abbott Ashton studied her with
grave deiiberation-it is doubtful II he
had ever before SO thoroughly en-
3oyed his duties as usher. He pro-
nounced judicially, "You are older
than you look"
eyes," Fran explained, my expe-
rience accounts for that I've had
lots"
Abbott's lingering here beneath the
moon when he should have been hur-
rying back to the tent, showed how
unequally the good things of life-ex-
perience. for instance-are divided.
You are sixteen" he hazarded, con-
scious of q strange exhilaration.
| Fran lodged the issue behind a
smile-"And I don't think you are so
awfully old"
Abbott was brought to himself with
q Jolt that threw him hard upon self
consciousness. am superintendent
Of the public school," The very sound
Of the words rang as warning, and
| he became preternaturally solemn.
"Goodness!n cried Fran. consider