The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-10-09

Mr.. Bill Smookins was an exceed
ingly Manufactured man, of no recog
nizable age. Externally, he was blue
overalls and greasy tar.
Abbott grasped Bills hand, and in
CURED about business.
Awful pore, sense Fran lef' the
show" was the answer, accompanied
by a grin that threatened to cut the
weather-beaten face wide open.
Fran beamed. Mr.. Smookins knew
my mother-didn't you, Bill? He was
awful good to me when | was a kid
Mr. Smookins was Human Nymph in
those days, and he smoked and talked
he did, right down under the water
remember, Bill? That was sure-enough
water-oh, he's a sure-enough Bill, lei
me tell you"
Bill intimated, as he slowed down
the engine, that the rheumatism he
had acquired under the water, was
sure-enough Observation-Disclosures his
change of occupation. Il was strong
enough to be a Human Nympb," he
explained. but not endurable. Nobody
can't last many years as a Human
Nymph.'
Abbott indicated his companion
Here's one thatll last my time"
The wheel stopped. He and Fran
were barred into seat
And now" Fran exclaimed, its all
ups and downs. just like a moving pic
ture of life. Why don't you say some
thing, Mr.. Ashton? But no, you car
keep still-I'm excited to death, anC
wouldn't hear you anyway. | want tc
do all the talking always do, after
I've been in the cage My brain is
filled with air-so this is the time tC
be soaring up into the sky, isn't it!
What is your brain filled with but
never mind. Well be just two bal
loons-my! aren't you glad we haven
any strings on us-suppOse some PEG
pie had hold!-I, for one, would be
willing never to go down again. Where
are the clouds wish we could meet
a few See how I'm trembling--al
ways do, after the lions. Now, Abbott
I'll leave a small opening for just one
word"
IN steady YOU" said Abbott, brief
ly, and he took her hand She did moi
appear conscious of bis protecting
clasp.
Il never see the moon so big" she
went on, breathlessly, without think
ing of that night when it rolled alons
the pasture as if 1t wanted to knocl
us off the foot-bridge for being where
we oughtnt. | never could understand
why you should stay on that bridge
with perfect stranger, when YOU
duty was to be usher at the camp-meet
ing, You weren't ushering me, you
know, you were holding my hand
mean, | was holding your hand, a!
Miss Sapphire says l shouldn't. VIVA
poor helpless man-as I'm holdinl
you now, | presume! But | laughed il
meeting People ought to go outdoors
to smile, and keep their religion in {
house. | guess. I'm going to tell you
why laughed, for you've nevel
guessed, and you've always beer
afraid to ask"
Afraid of you, Franz"
lawfully, I'm going to show you
let go, so l can show you. No, I'm il
earnest-you can have me, afterwards
Remember that evangelist
There he stood, waving his hands-a:
I'm doing now-moving his arms will
his eyes fastened upon the congrega
tiou-5his way-look. Abbott"
Fran. AS If were not already
looking"
"Look-just SO; not saying a word
only waving this way and that
And it made me thing of our hypno
tizer-the man that waves people into
our biggest tent-he seems to pick EN-
up bodily and carry them in his arms
Well! And if the people are to b.
waved into a church, ii won't take
much of a breeze to blow them out
don't believe in soul-waving. Blu
that doesn't mean that | don't believ,
in the church-does lido vol
Think"
You believe in convictions, Fran
And since you've come into the church
you don't have to say that you believe
in it,"
"Yes-there's nothing on the out
side, and oh, sometimes there's 81
little, so little under the roof-wha
do you think of me, Abbott?"
Fran, think you are the most"
But do you!" she interposed. still