The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1913-09-26

check, pocketed the unlucky honda,
and said, sourly to his nephew:
Nov then, you come home with
mel"
Roy felt droadfully distressed. His
arst business experience had been a
costly one. He spoke of turning over
some compensation in the shape Of a
small legacy his mother had left him.
But Uncle Glib was not to be appeased.
He was grim, silent, repellant, and the
next evening, feeling much like a dis
ciplined school boy, Roy packed his
satchel and wrote a note to his uncle,
Intimating that he had better visit a
cousin at Brandon for a week or two.
Then with q very sad and solemn
face Roy went to the telephone and
called up the Merritt residence.
az wish to speak to Miss Merritt"
he said, f~luttering, confused, but de-
termined on his course.
"Yes?" |insinueted a girlish voice.
"This is Mr.. Bacon, Cecile-that is,
Miss Merritt. I'm sorry, but l have
made a complete failure of everything.
Before | go away, l wanted to say to
you that l thank you for being the
kindest best friend l ever had, and I
love you and always shall. Good-by,"
and then dropping the receiver, he
seized his satchel and rushed from the
house as if he expected it to fall upon
him for his rash declaration.
1t was a pretty miserable journey to
Brandon. 1t was a long wearisome day
that next one, worse the second, I'M
bearable the third. Part of the time
Roy thought of his awful business
blunder. The rest Of the time he
sought lonely lanes and secluded by
paths, mind, heart and soul full of
Cecile.
"Oh, say, Roy" hailed his cousin, as
he returned tired and glum from a
solitary tramp one evening"" here's a
rush telegram from the city.
Roy tore open the envelope. He
read: Return on first train-Uncle
Glib"
If the signature had been "Gibeon
Bacon or &C. b." Roy would have been
chilled. The familiar old Uncle
gave him some heart of hope.
He ran up the steps of the old home
when he reached 1t, to be greeted by
Uncle Glib with a hearty handshake.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ho!" rollicked the
old man. Roy, boy, you did it, Yes
terday United Utilities went up to 1870,
and you've made a small fortune!"
OF course Roy was the happiest Of
mortals at this unexpected lucky out
come to his big business blunder.
Whenever he thought of his impulsive
message to Cecile, however, he got al
most scared, He kept pretty close
around home, but as he ventured forth
at dusk came face to face with the
very subject of his thoughts.
She blushed and he was dreadfulIy
embarrassed. Wise little woman that
she was, sweetly and naturally she
brought the conversation back to a
message that Roy had sent to her sis
ter Nella over the telephone.
Your sister," gasped Roy. "oh,
my!"
DO not feel distressed, Mr.. Bacon"
said Cecile, for Nella ran to father,
the elfish little sprite that she is, and
father spoke to me-" and-and here
Cecile grew confused and dropped her
eyes.
What did father-oh, my! What
am l saying? What did Mr.. Merritt
say?' inquired Roy hopelessly in a
lost voice.
He only smiled" reported Cecile in
a low tone.
"And-and what did you do, Miss
Merritt?" pursued Roy.
why, l kissed the dear old treas.
ure, and told him he was the best ia.
Their in the world" replied Cecile
blushingly, and Roy knew that he was
the happiest man in the world.
Copyright, 1913, by W. G. Chapman)